In The

Court of Appeals

Sixth Appellate District of Texas at Texarkana

______________________________

No. 06-11-00003-CR

______________________________

IN RE:

JAMIE LEE BLEDSOE

 

 

Original Mandamus Proceeding

 

Before Morriss, C.J., Carter and Moseley, JJ.

Memorandum Opinion by Chief Justice Morriss
2

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Jamie Lee Bledsoe has petitioned this Court for mandamus relief, naming as respondents 

the Harrison County District Attorney, Joe Black, and the Harrison County District Clerk, Sherry 

―Griff.‖1 No other respondents are effectively named or described.2

This Court has limited mandamus jurisdiction; we may issue a writ of mandamus only 

against a judge of a district or county court in our district. TEX. GOV’T CODE ANN. § 22.221(b) 

(Vernon 2004). That jurisdiction does not extend to other parties, such as district attorneys or 

district clerks, unless such mandamus relief would be necessary to enforce our jurisdiction. TEX. 

GOV’T CODE ANN. § 22.221(a) (Vernon 2004); see also In re Brown, No. 06-10-00158-CR, 2010 

Tex. App. LEXIS 7215 (Tex. App.—Texarkana Sept. 2, 2010, orig. proceeding); In re 

Washington, 7 S.W.3d 181, 182–83 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1999, orig. proceeding); In re 

Coronado, 980 S.W.2d 691, 692–93 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 1998, orig. proceeding).

 

1The style of Bledsoe’s petition names Black as respondent; in the body of his petition, Bledsoe identifies both Black 

and Griff as respondents. We take judicial notice that (a) the former Harrison County District Clerk was Sherry 

Griffis, not ―Griff‖, and (b) as of January 1, 2011, the Harrison County District Attorney is Coke Solomon and the 

Harrison County District Clerk is Melinda Craig.

2

It appears that Bledsoe is complaining that he has ―received no response from respondent regarding Relator’s request 

for transmittal of a copy of the application for Judgment Nunc Pro tunc any answer filed or a certificate reciting the 

date it was filed.‖ Although Bledsoe has attached to his petition a file-marked copy of the State’s response to his 

application for judgment nunc pro tunc, the copy of the application for judgment nunc pro tunc he has presented to this 

Court is not file marked. In his prayer, Bledsoe asks (1) that we find an abuse of discretion in denying Bledsoe time 

credit; (2) that we order transmittal of a copy of Bledsoe’s application for judgment nunc pro tunc, any answer filed to 

this Court, along with a ―certificate reciting the date upon which that finding was made to the 6th Court of Appeals‖; 

and (3) that we ―inspect the nunc pro tunc,‖ and ―reevaluate the length of flat time afforded.‖ Bledsoe goes on to ask 

we ―update and correct the figures which are sent to the Department of Criminal Justice.‖ Given that Bledsoe has 

provided a copy of his application for judgment nunc pro tunc and the State’s response, at least two of the documents 

he seeks are in his possession. We are not clear what Bledsoe means by ―certificate reciting the date upon which that 

finding was made to the 6th Court of Appeals.‖
3

Bledsoe has failed to show himself entitled to mandamus relief. 3 We find no 

circumstances presented which would make writs of mandamus issued against either the Harrison 

County District Attorney or the Harrison County District Clerk necessary to enforce our 

jurisdiction. Bledsoe has neither named nor described a respondent over whom we have 

mandamus jurisdiction, nor demonstrated an abuse of discretion regarding a ministerial duty.

We dismiss Bledsoe’s petition for writ of mandamus for lack of jurisdiction.

Josh R. Morriss, III

Chief Justice

Date Submitted: January 20, 2011

Date Decided: January 21, 2011

Do Not Publish

 

3The standard for mandamus relief articulated by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals requires the relator to establish 

that: (1) there is no adequate remedy at law to redress the alleged harm; and (2) only a ministerial act, not a 

discretionary or judicial decision, is being sought. State ex. rel. Young v. Sixth Judicial Dist. Court of Appeals at 

Texarkana, 236 S.W.3d 207, 210 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). Due to the nature of this remedy, it is Bledsoe’s burden to 

properly request and show entitlement to the mandamus relief. Barnes v. State, 832 S.W.2d 424, 426 (Tex. 

App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1992, orig. proceeding) (per curiam) (―Even a pro se applicant for a writ of mandamus must 

show himself entitled to the extraordinary relief he seeks.‖).