The applicant contends that the judgment in the 1980 prosecution was a nullity. Wilson was convicted of a felony in 1974, and the conviction became final. More than a year later, the convicting court had learned that Wilson's attorney had never been licensed to practice law in Texas. The court appointed a new attorney to represent Wilson. The district court granted a new trial.
New trial is granted.
There was a reindictment of the offense. A jury convicted Wilson on the new indictment, and he appealed. We have no doubt of the panel's holding that the trial court was without authority to grant a new trial a year after the judgment became final, and that its order granting the new trial was a nullity. This holding comported with Wilson's contention, which was that the he had been denied due process of law and due course of the law when the district court granted a new trial without jurisdiction. See id. at 478.