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E X P A R T E J O H N C H R I S T O P H E R L O

O N A P P E L L A N T ’ S P E T I T I O N F O R D I S C R E T I O N A R Y R E V I E W

F R O M T H E F I R S T C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

H A R R I S C O U N T Y

P e r C u r i a m

. K E L L E R

, P

. J

. , f i l e d a c o n c u r r i n g o p i n i o n

.

O P I N I O N O N S T A T E ’ S M O T I O N F O R R E H E A R I N G

O n o r i g i n a l s u b m i s s i o n

, t h i s C o u r t h e l d S e c t i o n 3 3

. 0 2 1 ( b ) o f t h e T e x a s P e n a l C o d e

f a c i a l l y u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

. T h e S t a t e h a s f i l e d a m o t i o n f

o r r e h e a r i n g r a i s i n g t h r e e g r o u n d s

.

W e d e n y a l l t h r e e g r o u n d s

, b u t w r i t e t o a d d r e s s s o l e l y t h e S t a t e ’ s f i r s t g r o u n d i n w h i c h i t

a l l e g e s t h a t t h e C o u r t e r r e d b y f i n d i n g P e n a l C o d e S e c t i o n 3 3

. 0 2 1 ( b ) u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

w i t h o u t f i r s t p r o v i d i n g n o t i c e t o t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 o f t h e

T e x a s G o v e r n m e n t C o d e

.L o R e h e a r i n g P a g e 2

S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0

, a s i t p e r t a i n s t o t h i s c a s e

, p r o v i d e s :

( a ) I n a n a c t i o n i n w h i c h a p a r t y t o t h e l i t i g a t i o n f i l e s a p e t i t i o n

,

m o t i o n

, o r o t h e r p l e a d i n g c h a l l e n g i n g t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f a s t a t u t e o f

t h i s s t a t e

, t h e c o u r t s h a l l

, i f t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l i s n o t a p a r t y t o o r c o u n s e l

i n v o l v e d i n t h e l i t i g a t i o n

, s e r v e n o t i c e o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l q u e s t i o n a n d a

c o p y o f t h e p e t i t i o n

, m o t i o n

, o r o t h e r p l e a d i n g t h a t r a i s e s t h e c h a l l e n g e o n

t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l e i t h e r b y c e r t i f i e d o r r e g i s t e r e d m a i l o r e l e c t r o n i c a l l y t o

a n e

- m a i l a d d r e s s d e s i g n a t e d b y t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s

s e c t i o n

. N o t i c e u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n m u s t i d e n t i f y t h e s t a t u t e i n q u e s t i o n

, s t a t e

t h e b a s i s f

o r t h e c h a l l e n g e

, a n d s p e c i f y t h e p e t i t i o n

, m o t i o n

, o r o t h e r

p l e a d i n g t h a t r a i s e s t h e c h a l l e n g e

.

( b ) A c o u r t m a y n o t e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t h o l d i n g a s t a t u t e o f t h i s

s t a t e u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l b e f o r e t h e 4 5 d a y a f

t e r t h e d a t e n o t i c e r e q u i r e d b y t h

S u b s e c t i o n ( a ) i s s e r v e d o n t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l

.

( c ) A c o u r t ’ s f

a i l u r e t o f

i l e o r s e r v e n o t i c e a s r e q u i r e d b y S u b s e c t i o n

( a ) d o e s n o t d e p r i v e t h e c o u r t o f j u r i s d i c t i o n o r f o r f e i t a n o t h e r w i s e t i m e l y

f i l e d c l a i m o r d e f

e n s e b a s e d o n t h e c h a l l e n g e t o t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f a

s t a t u t e o f t h i s s t a t e

.

( d ) T h i s s e c t i o n o r t h e s t a t e ’ s i n t e r v e n t i o n i n l i t i g a t i o n i n r e s p o n s e t o

n o t i c e u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n d o e s n o t c o n s t i t u t e a w a i v e r o f s o v e r e i g n

i m m u n i t y

.

T E X

. G O V ’ T C O D E § 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 ( V e r n o n 2 0 1 1 )

. S u b s e c t i o n ( a ) i s t r i g g e r e d b y t h e f i l i n g o f a 1

“ p e t i t i o n

, m o t i o n

, o r o t h e r p l e a d i n g

. ” A p p e l l a n t ’ s p e t i t i o n f o r d i s c r e t i o n a r y r e v i e w w a s

f i l e d i n t h i s C o u r t o n N o v e m b e r 7

, 2 0 1 2

, w e l l a f t e r t h e e f f e c t i v e d a t e o f t h e p r o v i s i o n

,

J u n e 1 7

, 2 0 1 1

.

This version of Sec tion 402.010 was ena cted, a s a wholly new pr ovision, effe ctive June 1

17, 2011. The saving s provision contained in the house bill provided tha t the new se ction would

apply to filings made on or af

ter its eff ective date. Section 402.010 was a mended e ffe ctive

September 1, 2013, to re quire that a party making such a c onstitut ional challeng e file a form with

the cour t “indicating which plea ding should be serve d on the attorne y g ener al[,] ”and dir ecting the

Offic e of Court Administration to adopt the for m that a par

ty should use for suc h purposes.L o R e h e a r i n g P a g e 3

T h e S t a t e s u g g e s t s t h a t s u b s e c t i o n ( b ) o f S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 p r e v e n t s t h i s C o u r t f r o m

e n t e r i n g a f

i n a l j u d g m e n t i n t h i s c a s e b e c a u s e w e h a v e n o t c o m p l i e d w i t h t h e n o t i c e

r e q u i r e m e n t s e t f

o r t h i n s u b s e c t i o n ( a ) o f 4 0 2

. 0 1 0

. W e h o l d t h a t b o t h s u b s e c t i o n s v i o l a t e

t h e s e p a r a t i o n

- o f

- p o w e r s d o c t r i n e o f o u r s t a t e c o n s t i t u t i o n

.

I

.

T h e T e x a s C o n s t i t u t i o n i n c l u d e s a n e x p r e s s s e p a r a t i o n

- o f

- p o w e r s p r o v i s i o n :

T h e p o w e r s o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f t h e S t a t e o f T e x a s s h a l l b e d i v i d e d i n t o

t h r e e d i s t i n c t d e p a r t m e n t s

, e a c h o f w h i c h s h a l l b e c o n f i d e d t o a s e p a r a t e

b o d y o f m a g i s t r a c y

, t o w i t : T h o s e w h i c h a r e L e g i s l a t i v e t o o n e ; t h o s e w h i c h

a r e E x e c u t i v e t o a n o t h e r

, a n d t h o s e w h i c h a r e J u d i c i a l t o a n o t h e r ; a n d n o

p e r s o n

, o r c o l l e c t i o n o f p e r s o n s

, b e i n g o f o n e o f t h e s e d e p a r t m e n t s

, s h a l l

e x e r c i s e a n y p o w e r p r o p e r l y a t t a c h e d t o e i t h e r o f t h e o t h e r s

, e x c e p t i n t h e

i n s t a n c e s h e r e i n e x p r e s s l y p e r m i t t e d

.

T E X

. C O N S T

. A r t

. I I

, § 1

. T h e “ s i n g l e

, t e r s e l y p h r a s e d p a r a g r a p h

, p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e

c o n s t i t u t i o n a l d i v i s i o n o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t i n t o t h r e e d e p a r t m e n t s ( L e g i s l a t i v e

, E x e c u t i v e

a n d J u d i c i a l ) s h a l l r e m a i n i n t a c t

, ‘ e x c e p t i n t h e i n s t a n c e s h e r e i n e x p r e s s l y p e r m i t t e d

. ’ ”

M e s h e l l v

. S t a t e

, 7 3 9 S

. W

. 2 d 2 4 6

, 2 5 2 ( T e x

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 8 7 )

. T h i s d i v i s i o n e n s u r e s t h a t

p o w e r g r a n t e d o n e b r a n c h m a y b e e x e r c i s e d b y o n l y t h a t b r a n c h

, t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f t h e

o t h e r s

. “ T h e s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s d o c t r i n e t h e r e f o r e r e q u i r e s t h a t ‘ a n y a t t e m p t b y o n e

d e p a r t m e n t o f g o v e r n m e n t t o i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e p o w e r s o f a n o t h e r i s n u l l a n d v o i d

. ’ ” I d

.

( q u o t i n g E

x p a r t e G i l e s

, 5 0 2 S

. W

. 2 d 7 7 4

, 7 8 0 ( T e x

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 7 4 ) )

. O u r s t a t e ’ s

e x p r e s s p r o v i s i o n “ r e f

l e c t s a b e l i e f o n t h e p a r t o f t h o s e w h o d r a f t e d a n d a d o p t e d o u r s t a t e

c o n s t i t u t i o n t h a t o n e o f t h e g r e a t e s t t h r e a t s t o l i b e r t y i s t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n o f e x c e s s i v eL o R e h e a r i n g P a g e 4

p o w e r i n a s i n g l e b r a n c h o f g o v e r n m e n t

. ” A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s v

. S t a t e

, 8 0 2 S

. W

. 2 d 2 3 7

,

2 3 9 ( T e x

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 0 ) ; s e e a l s o L a n g e v e r v

. M i l l e r

, 7 6 S

. W

. 2 d 1 0 2 5

, 1 0 3 5 ( T e x

.

1 9 3 4 ) ( “ S o i m p o r t a n t i s t h i s d i v i s i o n o f g o v e r n m e n t a l p o w e r t h a t i t w a s p r o v i d e d f o r i n t h e

f i r s t s e c t i o n o f t h e f

i r s t a r t i c l e o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e R e p u b l i c o f T e x a s

, a n d a l o n e i t

c o n s t i t u t e d a r t i c l e 2 o f e a c h s u c c e e d i n g C o n s t i t u t i o n

. ” )

.

W e h a v e v i e w e d t h e T e x a s p r o v i s i o n a s g e n e r a l l y s u s c e p t i b l e t o v i o l a t i o n i n o n e o f

t w o w a y s :

( 1 ) w h e n o n e b r a n c h o f g o v e r n m e n t a s s u m e s o r i s d e l e g a t e d a p o w e r “ m o r e

p r o p e r l y a t t a c h e d ” t o a n o t h e r b r a n c h

, o r

( 2 ) w h e n o n e b r a n c h u n d u l y i n t e r f e r e s w i t h a n o t h e r b r a n c h s o t h a t t h e o t h e r

b r a n c h c a n n o t e f

f e c t i v e l y e x e r c i s e i t s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y a s s i g n e d p o w e r s

.

E x p a r t e G i l l

, 4 1 3 S

. W

. 3 d 4 2 5

, 4 3 1

- 3 2 ( T e x

. C r i m

. A p p

. 2 0 1 3 ) ; s e e a l s o A r m a d i l l o B a i l

B o n d s

, 8 0 2 S

. W

. 2 d a t 2 3 9

. S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 d o e s n o t c o n c e r n t h e a s s u m p t i o n o r

d e l e g a t i o n o f a p o w e r

, b u t r a t h e r p r e s e n t s a q u e s t i o n o f u n d u e i n t e r f e r e n c e

.

W e e x a m i n e d i n t e r f

e r e n c e b y t h e l e g i s l a t u r e w i t h t h e j u d i c i a l b r a n c h i n A r m a d i l l o

B a i l B o n d

s v

. S t a t e

, i n w h i c h w e a d d r e s s e d w h e t h e r a s t a t u t e b a r r i n g a t r i a l c o u r t f r o m

e n t e r i n g a b o n d

- f

o r f e i t u r e j u d g m e n t u n t i l e i g h t e e n m o n t h s a f t e r t h e d a t e o f t h e f

o r f e i t u r e

i n a f e l o n y c a s e s o u s u r p e d a j u d i c i a l f u n c t i o n t h a t i t v i o l a t e d s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s

. W e

b e g a n o u r a n a l y s i s b y e x a m i n i n g t h e n a t u r e o f j u d i c i a l p o w e r

, r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t “ c o r e

j u d i c i a l p o w e r ” e m b r a c e s t h e p o w e r ( 1 ) t o h e a r e v i d e n c e ; ( 2 ) t o d e c i d e t h e i s s u e s ; ( 3 ) t o

d e c i d e t h e r e l e v a n t q u e s t i o n s o f l a w ; ( 4 ) t o e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t o n t h e f

a c t s a n d t h eL o R e h e a r i n g

– 5

l a w ; a n d ( 5 ) t o e x e c u t e t h e f i n a l j u d g m e n t o r s e n t e n c e

. A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s

, 8 0 2 S

. W

. 2 d

a t 2 3 9

- 4 0

. B e c a u s e t h e p r o v i s i o n a t i s s u e r e q u i r e d t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o r e f r a i n f r o m e x e r c i s i n g

a p a r t o f i t s c o r e p o w e r s ( t h e p o w e r t o e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t ) f

o r a p e r i o d o f a y e a r a n d a

h a l f

, i t u n d u l y i n t e r f

e r e d w i t h t h e j u d i c i a r y ’ s e f f e c t i v e e x e r c i s e o f i t s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

p o w e r s

. I n S t a t e v

. M

a t y a s t i k

, 8 1 1 S

. W

. 2 d 1 0 2 ( T e x

. C r i m

. A p p

. 1 9 9 1 )

, t h e C o u r t d e a l t

w i t h a d i f

f e r e n t s u b s e c t i o n o f t h e s a m e s t a t u t e a t i s s u e i n A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s

,

s p e c i f i c a l l y

, t h e s u b s e c t i o n b a r r i n g a f i n a l j u d g m e n t i n a b a i l

- b o n d f o r f e i t u r e c a s e u n t i l t h e

e x p i r a t i o n o f n i n e m o n t h s a f t e r t h e d a t e o f t h e f

o r f e i t u r e i n a m i s d e m e a n o r c a s e

. A p p l y i n g

t h e r e a s o n i n g a n d h o l d i n g f r o m A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s

, t h e C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e p r o v i s i o n

v i o l a t e d s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s a s w e l l

. I d

. a t 1 0 4

.

I I

.

S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 a l s o c o n t a i n s a p r o v i s i o n p u r p o r t i n g t o s u s p e n d a c o u r t ’ s p o w e r t o

e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t

. S u b s e c t i o n ( b ) o f 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 r e a d s :

A c o u r t m a y n o t e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t h o l d i n g a s t a t u t e o f t h i s s t a t e

u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l b e f

o r e t h e 4 5 t h d a y a f

t e r t h e d a t e n o t i c e r e q u i r e d b y

S u b s e c t i o n ( a ) i s s e r v e d o n t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l

.

T h i s p r o v i s i o n a t t e m p t s t o s u s p e n d a j u d g m e n t o f t h i s C o u r t

, o r a n y c o u r t

, v i r t u a l l y

i n d e f i n i t e l y

, o r u n t i l f

o r t y

- f i v e d a y s a f

t e r n o t i c e h a s b e e n p r o v i d e d t o t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l

i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s u b s e c t i o n ( a )

.

T h e r e a r e “ s p h e r e s o f a c t i v i t y s o f u n d a m e n t a l a n d s o n e c e s s a r y t o a c o u r t

, s o

i n h e r e n t i n i t s v e r y n a t u r e a s a c o u r t

, t h a t t o d i v e s t i t o f i t s a b s o l u t e c o m m a n d w i t h i n t h e s eL o R e h e a r i n g

– 6

s p h e r e s i s t o m a k e m e a n i n g l e s s t h e v e r y p h r a s e j u d i c i a l p o w e r

. ” A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s

,

8 0 2 S

. W

. 2 d a t 2 4 1 ( q u o t i n g C o a t e v

. O m h o l t

, 6 6 2 P

. 2 d 5 9 1 ( M o n t

. 1 9 8 3 ) )

. R e q u i r i n g t h a t

t h e c o u r t r e f

r a i n f r o m e n t e r i n g a f

i n a l j u d g m e n t f

o r a y e a r a n d a h a l f i n a f e l o n y c a s e a n d

f o r n i n e m o n t h s i n a m i s d e m e a n o r c a s e

, w a s s u c h a d i v e s t i t u r e

. I d

. ; M a t y a s t i k

, 8 1 1

S

. W

. 2 d a t 1 0 4

. G r a n t e d

, e i g h t e e n

- m o n t h a n d n i n e

- m o n t h r e s t r i c t i o n s a r e c o n s i d e r a b l y

l o n g e r t h a n a 4 5

- d a y r e s t r i c t i o n

. B u t t h e p o t e n t i a l l e n g t h o f t h e d e l a y i s n o t s o m u c h t h e

p r o b l e m a s t h e f

a c t o f t h e a t t e m p t e d i n t e r f e r e n c e a t a l l

. E n t e r i n g a f i n a l j u d g m e n t i s a c o r e

j u d i c i a l p o w e r ; i t f

a l l s w i t h i n t h a t r e a l m o f j u d i c i a l p r o c e e d i n g s “ s o v i t a l t o t h e e f f i c i e n t

f u n c t i o n i n g o f a c o u r t a s t o b e b e y o n d l e g i s l a t i v e p o w e r

. ” A r m a d i l l o B a i l B o n d s

, 8 0 2

S

. W

. 2 d a t 2 4 0

. T h u s

, t h e 4 5

- d a y t i m e f r a m e p r o v i d e d f

o r i n s u b s e c t i o n ( b ) i s a

c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y i n t o l e r a b l e i m p o s i t i o n o n a c o u r t ’ s p o w e r t o e n t e r a f i n a l j u d g m e n t a n d a

v i o l a t i o n o f s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s

.

A p o r t i o n o f a l e g i s l a t i v e e n a c t m e n t

, i f d e c l a r e d u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

, d o e s n o t

n e c e s s a r i l y m e a n t h a t t h e e n t i r e a c t i s i n v a l i d :

I n v a l i d i t y o f a p a r t [ o f a l e g i s l a t i v e e n a c t m e n t ] d o e s n o t d e s t r o y t h e e n t i r e

a c t

, u n l e s s t h e v a l i d p a r t i s s o i n t e r m i n g l e d w i t h a l l p a r t s o f t h e a c t s o a s t o

m a k e i t i m p o s s i b l e t o s e p a r a t e t h e m

, a n d s o a s t o p r e c l u d e t h e p r e s u m p t i o n

t h a t t h e l e g i s l a t u r e w o u l d h a v e p a s s e d t h e a c t a n y h o w

.

M e s h e l l

, 7 3 9 S

. W

. 2 d a t 2 5 7 ( q u o t i n g T e x

. J u r

. 3 d )

. T h e t e s t i s w h e t h e r t h e p r o v i s i o n s a r e

“ e s s e n t i a l l y a n d i n s e p a r a b l y c o n n e c t e d i n s u b s t a n c e

. ” I d

. W h i l e s u b s e c t i o n ( b ) c o u l d b e

e x c i s e d w i t h o u t c h a n g i n g t h e s u b s t a n c e o f s u b s e c t i o n ( a )

, i t s r e m o v a l w o u l d r e n d e r t h e

n o t i c e p r o v i s i o n u n e n f

o r c e a b l e

, p a r t i c u l a r l y g i v e n t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l ’ s l i m i t e d r o l e i nL o R e h e a r i n g

– 7

c r i m i n a l c a s e s

. A s a r e s u l t

, S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 w o u l d n o t m a k e s e n s e w i t h o u t t h e 2

e n f o r c e m e n t m e c h a n i s m p r o v i d e d f o r i n s u b s e c t i o n ( b )

. S e e i d

. a t 2 5 7

- 5 8 ( “ p r o v i s i o n a s a

w h o l e i s r e n d e r e d i n c a p a b l e o f r e a s o n a b l e u s e ” s i n c e l e g i s l a t u r e w o u l d n o t h a v e p a s s e d

e n t i r e p r o v i s i o n w i t h o u t i n c l u d i n g e n f o r c e m e n t m e c h a n i s m )

.

I I I

.

F o r t h e r e a s o n s s t a t e d

, w e h o l d t h a t S e c t i o n 4 0 2

. 0 1 0 ( a ) a n d ( b ) c o n s t i t u t e a n

u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l v i o l a t i o n o f s e p a r a t i o n o f p o w e r s

. W e d e n y t h e S t a t e ’ s m o t i o n f o r 3

Absent the c onsent of a loc al prosec utor or the r equest of a district or county

attorney for 2

assistance , the attorne y

g ener al has ve ry

limit ed author ity

to repre sent the state in cr iminal cases

in trial courts, and e ven less in the cour ts of appea ls and this Court. See Saldano v. State , 70

S.W .3d 873, 880-81 (Te x . Crim. App. 2002)(attorne y g ener al has no c riminal prosec ution

authority , but is ge nera lly limit ed to re prese nting the State in c ivil li tiga tion); see

, e.g. ,T E X

. P E N A L C O D E § 31.03(j) (w ith consent of loca l prosecutor , attorney g ener al has c oncurr ent

jurisdiction to prosecute thef ts involvi ng state Medica id prog ram); T E X

. P E N A L C O D E § 32.32

(with consent of

local prose cutor, a

ttorney g ener al has c oncurr ent jurisdiction to prosecute f alse

statements made involving mortg ag e loans); T E X

. P E N A L C O D E § 35A.02(f) (with consent of

local prose cutor, a ttorney g ener al has c oncurr ent jurisdiction to prosecute of fense s under Chapte r

35A, Medica id Fra

ud); T E X

. P E N A L C O D E § 35.04 (attorne y g ener al may

offe r assistance to

prosec utor in insurance fra ud case and may

prosec ute or a ssist i n such ca se on re quest of

prosec utor); T E X

. P E N A L C O D E § 39.015 (with consent of local prose cutor, a ttorney g ener al has

concur rent jurisdiction to prosec ute offe nses under Chapter 39, Abuse of Off ice) . Thus, the

attorney g ener al is, with a few

exceptions in Tex as trial cour ts, not authorized to represe nt the

State in criminal ca ses.

We also note that subsection (a ), standing alone, violates se para tion of powers be cause 3

it attempts to i mpose a duty that falls outside of and is unre lated to any judicial functions and

power s of this Court.

This Court has jurisdiction over direc t appea ls in capital ca ses, petitions for discre tionary

revie w, writs of ha

beas c orpus and, in cr iminal law matters, wr its of mandamus, proce dendo,

prohibition, and cer

tiorari. T E X

. C O N S T

. Art. V, § 5. We also have cer tain power s and

responsibilities to promulgate rules of e vidence and rule s of appe llate proc edure for c riminal

case s. See J

ohnson v. State , 84 S.W .3d 658, 668-69 & n.25 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002)(discussing

rec ent history

and scope of Court’s authority to promulga te rules of

evidenc e and a

ppellate

proce dure) . L eg al proc eeding s befor e us involve cla ims presented by parties, a nd, depending

upon the nature of the proc eeding , variously call upon the Court to consider and re view evide nce,L o R e h e a r i n g

– 8

r e h e a r i n g o n a l l g r o u n d s

.

D e l i v e r e d : M a r c h 1 9

, 2 0 1 4

P u b l i s h

construe a

nd apply laws, hea r and de cide leg al issues, adjudica te rig hts, and enter final

judgme nts. W hile the constitutionality of a state statute is freque ntly challeng ed by

a par ty and is

there fore among the leg al issues fac ing this Court, the attorne y g ener al is ty

pically not authorized

to repre sent the State in any proce eding befor e this Court. See fn. 2, supra. The state pr osecuting

attorney has primar

y authority to repre sent the State in all proce eding s befor e this Court. See

,

e.g.

, Saldano , 70 S.W .3d at 877; Ex parte Taylor , 36 S.W .3d 883, 887 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001);

Aguirre v. State , 22 S.W .3d 463, 465 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999).

The subsec tion (a) dire ctive to notify the attorne y

g ener al of e very

constitutional

challeng e to a state statute made by a par ty imposes a duty

that is wholly

unrela ted to the Court’s

judicial power s and func tions. P ursuant to this unusual provision, the leg islature would have this

Court exercise a f

unction that is not only

non-judicial but would operate solely for the a ppare nt

benef it of the attorney

g ener al. And to what e x tent the attorne y g ener al would bene fit from

rec eiving such a notice is elusive, g iven that the attorne y g ener al has no a

uthority to appea r in

criminal ca ses bef

ore this Court. I ndeed, the leg islative history strong ly sug g ests that the dra fters

of this provision either we re una war e of the limit ed author ity of the a ttorney

g ener al in criminal

case s, or neve r intended it to apply to criminal ca ses at all. Compare H O U S E C O M M

. O N

J U D I C I A R Y & C I V I L J U R I S P R U D E N C E , B I L L AN A L Y S I S , Tex. H.B. 2425, 82 L eg ., R.S. n d

(2011)( draf

ters soug ht to affor d attorney g ener al opportunity

to “interve ne and de fend” in case s

involving constitutional challeng es to state statutes and a lso stated that the “g oal” of the bill was

“to improve the a ttorney

g ener al’s ability

to defe nd the state a

nd to save the state the cost of a n

appea l”); S T A T E A F F A I R S

, B I L L AN A L Y S I S

, Tex. H.B. 2425, 82 L eg ., R.S. (2011)(“notice would n d

allow the attorne y

g ener al to be able to have the be st opportunity to defe nd the state, while a lso

saving the state money

by avoiding an unnec essar

y appea l proce ss”) with fn. 2, supra.

Be cause Section 402.010(a) purports to burden this Court with undertaking a usele ss and

non-judicial ac t by

providing notice which w ould not further or rela te to any

of this Court’s

judicial functions or powe rs, it unduly interfe res with and inf

ring es upon our c onstitut ionally

assig ned powe rs. See A rmadillo Bail Bonds , 802 S.W .2d at 239 (sepa ration of powe rs provision

has “inc idental ef

fec t of promoting e ffe ctive g overnme nt by assig ning f

unctions to the branc hes

that are best suited to discharg e them”) ; cf. Scoggin v. State , 38 S.W .2d 592 (Tex. Crim. App.

1931)(statute de priving office rs of a uthority to arre st for spee ding violations unless we aring

specific uniform did not “leg itimately aff ect the le g ality

or fa irness” of

the ar rest and w as

unwar rante d interfe renc e in violation of separ ation of powe rs).