Order filed February 2, 2021. 

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals 

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NO. 14-21-00050-CR

NO. 14-21-00051-CR

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IN RE JOHN RUSSELL CHATMON, Relator

ORIGINAL PROCEEDING

WRIT OF MANDAMUS

On Appeal from the 351st District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Cause Nos. 1448430 & 1448431

ORDER

On January 15, 2021, relator Bradley Jared Barton filed two petitions for writs

of mandamus in this court. See Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. § 22.221; see also Tex. R. 

App. P. 52. Relator asks this court to compel the Honorable Natalia Cornelio,

presiding judge of the 351st District Court of Harris County, to rule on relator’s 
motions for speedy trial.1

 

Relator’s petitions do not comply with the Texas Rules of Appellate 

Procedure. See Tex. R. App. P. 52.3(j) (“The person filing the petition must certify 

that he or she has reviewed the petition and concluded that every factual statement 

in the petition is supported by competent evidence included in the appendix or 

record.”); 52.7(a)(1) (requiring relator to file with petition “a certified or sworn copy 

of every document that is material to the relator’s claim for relief and that was filed 

in any underlying proceeding”); 52.7(a)(2) (requiring relator to file with petition 

properly authenticated transcript of any relevant testimony from any underlying 

proceeding, including any exhibits offered in evidence, or statement that no 

testimony was adduced in connection with matter complained).

2

 

By this order, the court gives relator 30 days’ notice that the petitions will be 

dismissed for failure to comply with Rules 52.3(j), 52.7(a)(1), and 52.7(a)(2) unless 

1 Relator named Judge Cornelio’s predecessor of the 351st District Court, the Honorable George 

Powell, as respondent. Judge Powell ceased to hold the office of presiding judge of the 351st 

District Court on December 31, 2020. However, because relator is not complaining of an action

taken by Judge Powell, it is not necessary to abate this case pursuant to Rule 7.2(b) to allow Judge 

Cornelio to reconsider any ruling by Judge Powell. See Tex. R. App. P. 7.2(b). 

2 The legislature has provided an alternate method of meeting the requirement of sworn 

copies—an unsworn declaration. See Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 132.001. An unsworn 

declaration must be in writing and subscribed by the person making the declaration as true under 

penalty of perjury. Id. § 132.001(c). Section 132.001(e) sets forth the form for an unsworn 

declaration by an inmate:

 My name is __________ _________ ____________, my date of birth is _________________,

(First) (Middle) (Last)

and my inmate identifying number, if any, is __________________. I am presently incarcerated

in ________________________ in _____________, _________, _______, ____________.

 (Corrections unit name) (City) (County) (State) (Zip Code)

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

 Executed on the _____ day of ________, _______.

(Month) (Year) ___________________________

Declarant

Id. § 132.001(e); see Tex. R. App. P. 9.10(c) (exempting in court filing related to criminal matter 

defendant’s date of birth and address from redaction requirement for documents filed in criminal 

cases).
the deficiencies are cured. See generally Tex. R. App. P. 42.3(c). 

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Justices Bourliot, Zimmerer, and Spain.