Case ID: sw_215/html/0299-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "DAVIDSON, P. J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Ex parte SMITH.
    (No. 5593.)
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    Oct. 15, 1919.)
    Habeas corpus <&wkey;113(3) — Refusal to GRANT WRIT NOT APPEALABLE.
    An appeal cannot be prosecuted from a refusal to grant a writ of habeas corpus.
    Appeal from District- Court, Jefferson County; E. A. McDowell, Judge.
    Application - by Mary Smith- for writ of habeas corpus. From an order denying the writ, she appeals.
    Appeal dismissed.
    E. A. Berry, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
   DAVIDSON, P. J.

Relator was taken into custody for violation of an injunction issued out of the Fifty-Eighth district court of Jefferson county. Application was made to the district judge of the Sixtieth district for a writ of habeas corpus. This was refused by the judge of the Sixtieth district court because it was a contempt proceeding pending in the Fifty-Eighth district court before the judge of that court, and other reasons assigned by the judge refusing the writ. The writ was refused, and from that refusal to grant the writ an appeal was sought. to be brought before the court of Criminal Appeals.

An appeal cannot be prosecuted from a refusal to grant a writ of habeas corpus. An unbroken line of decisions holds'that no appeal can be taken from a refusal to grant a writ of habeas corpus. Ex parte Copley, 69 Tex. Cr. R. 253, 153 S. W. 325; McFarland v. Johnson, 27 Tex. 105; Ex parte Ainsworth, 27 Tex. 731; Dirks v. State, 33 Tex. 227; Thomas v. State, 40 Tex. 6; Ex parte Barnett, 74 Tex. Cr. R. 136, 167 S. W. 845; Ex parte Muse, 74 Tex. Cr. R. 476, 168 S. W. 520. A refusal to grant a writ of^ habeas corpus is not a final judgment, and" will not support an appeal. Ex parte Ains-worth, 27 Tex. 731; Ex parte Coopwood, 44 Tex. 467; Yarbrough v. State, 2 Tex. 519; Ex parte Strong, 34 Tex. Cr. R. 309, 30 S. W. 666. For eollation of other authorities bearing on this question, see Vernon’s A'nn. Crim. Procedure, p. 909, subd. 2. This contempt is in the nature of a civil proceeding, it being for a violation of an injunction in a civil matter. It would therefore be in the nature of a civil rather than a criminal contempt, and the civil court should have jurisdiction of it.'

The appeal is dismissed.