1. “Did the court of appeals err by determining that Texas Government Code § 30.00027 deprived the intermediate appellate court of jurisdiction to hear the State’s appeal from an adverse decision made by a county-level court reviewing a judgment from a municipal court of record? a. Does Chapter 3...
“Does the trial court have the discretion to make an affirmative finding of family violence during sentencing prior to adjudication?”
1. “The 87th Legislature passed Senate Bill 1373 which amended Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 42.15(a-1). The amendment requires courts to conduct ability-to-pay inquiries ‘on the record.’ The amendment became effective on September 1, 2021. The bill said the statutory changes apply to fi...
1. “May a reviewing court rely exclusively on the ‘custodial interrogation environment’ rather than assess whether a defendant was subjected to interrogation regarding the invocation of the right to interrogation counsel and, if so, may a defendant prospectively invoke their right to interrogatio...
1. “When cumulation of sentences is ordered, should objection be required to complain on appeal about a deficiency of proof supporting it or lack of specificity in the written order?” 2. “Was the evidence in this case adequate to connect appellant to a prior sentence?” 3. “When cumulation of sent...
1. “The Fourteenth Court misapplied the standard of review for legal sufficiency when it held that a rational jury could not infer that the appellant wished to murder his own mother based upon her past testimony in a protective order case.” 2. “The Fourteenth Court further misapplied th...
1. “Is holding a jury trial in the county’s designated auxiliary courtroom located in the same public building as the county jail and Sheriff’s Department inherently prejudicial to the presumption of innocence?” 2. “Was the use of the auxiliary courtroom justified when the trial judge’s findings ...
1. "Evidence of mental disease or defect that at best bolsters a matter collateral to a defendant’s mental state defense is inadmissible under Ruffin v. State, 270 S.W.3d 586 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008)." 2. "If such evidence is admissible, the court of appeals erred by assessing harm for constitution...
denotes a petition filled by SPA