Opinion ID: 1355375
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: This case comes to us in an unusual procedural posture. Generally, an investigation of the Commission that finds merit in a complaint of judicial misconduct follows one of two paths: (1) informal proceedings, in which the judge may be afforded a personal appearance before the Commission, or (2) formal proceedings before a special master. See In re Thoma, 873 S.W.2d 477, 483-84 (Tex.Rev.Trib.1994) (setting out comprehensively the procedures for handling judicial-misconduct complaints). Judges dissatisfied with the Commission's decision after informal proceedings may appeal to a special court of review composed of three courts-of-appeals justices appointed by the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. See id. at 483. The special court of review functions as a trial court, providing a trial de novo from which there is no further appeal. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 33.034(e), (i) (Vernon Supp.2003). Judges dissatisfied with the Commission's decision after formal proceedings may appeal to a review tribunal composed of seven courts-of-appeals justices appointed by the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. See In re Thoma, 873 S.W.2d at 484. The review tribunal functions as an appellate court that reviews the proceedings before the special master; further review may be sought from the Texas Supreme Court. See id. The procedure here is a hybrid. The Commission prosecuted respondent in formal proceedings, but respondent has sought and obtained a trial de novo before a special court of review. This raises a jurisdictional question we must first address before proceeding: Does the Texas judicial discipline system provide for a special court of review after formal proceedings? Even though no party has questioned our jurisdiction, an appellate court is obligated to determine the threshold question of jurisdiction. See Walker Sand, Inc. v. Baytown Asphalt Materials, Ltd., 95 S.W.3d 511, 514 (Tex.App.  Houston [1st Dist.] 2002, pet. denied). Viewing the charts that accompanied the publication of the Rules for Removal or Retirement of Judges, particularly Exhibit C, it appears that no appeal was contemplated from the Commission's order of public censure entered after formal proceedings. See RULES FOR THE REMOVAL OR RETIREMENT OF JUDGES, 56 Tex.B.J. 823, 829-31 (1993), Exhibits A-C (reproduced at the end of this opinion). Nevertheless, section 33.034(a) of the Texas Government Code provides that [a] judge who receives from the commission any type of sanction is entitled to a review of the commission's decision as provided by this section. Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 33.034(a) (Vernon Supp.2003) (emphasis added). However, sanction is defined for purposes of Chapter 33 of the Texas Government Code (entitled State Commission on Judicial Conduct) as including only a private or public admonition, a warning, a reprimand, or a requirement that a person obtain additional training or education. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 33.001(a)(10) (Vernon Supp.2003). Thus, sanction has a technical, legal meaning in the area of judicial misconduct that does not include censure. Indeed, censure is defined separately as an order of denunciation issued by the Commission under Article V, Section 1-a(8) of the Texas Constitution or an order issued by a review tribunal under Article V, Section 1-a(9) of the Texas Constitution. Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 33.001(a)(1) (Vernon Supp.2003). Article V, Sections 1-a(8) and 1-a(9) of the Texas Constitution refer to censure only within the context of formal proceedings, while sanctions are contemplated under Section 1-a(8) in the context of informal proceedings. Tex. Const. art. V, §§ 1-a(8), 1-a(9). Therefore, we conclude that an appeal to a special court of review is provided only after informal proceedings and not after formal proceedings resulting in a public censure. The published cases demonstrate that the practice has been consistent with the view that only special courts of review follow informal proceedings and only review tribunals follow formal proceedings. See In re Davis, 82 S.W.3d 140 (Tex.Spec.Ct.Rev.2002) (special court of review following informal proceedings); In re Jones, 55 S.W.3d 243 (Tex.Spec.Ct.Rev.2000) (same); In re Bell, 894 S.W.2d 119 (Tex.Spec.Ct.Rev.1995) (same); In re Jimenez, 841 S.W.2d 572 (Tex.Spec.Ct.Rev.1992) (same); In re Sheppard, 815 S.W.2d 917 (Tex.Spec.Ct.Rev.1991) (same); cf. In re Barr, 13 S.W.3d 525 (Tex.Rev.Trib.1998) (review tribunal following formal proceedings); In re Lowery, 999 S.W.2d 639 (Tex.Rev.Trib.1998) (same); In re Thoma, 873 S.W.2d 477 (Tex.Rev.Trib.1994) (same). We acknowledge that it may seem counterintuitive that a judge would have a right to appeal, by special court of review, for lesser sanctions, but have no right to appeal for the more serious censure. [3] Nevertheless, the right to appeal is not of constitutional magnitude, but is derived entirely from statute. See Rushing v. State, 85 S.W.3d 283, 285 (Tex.Crim.App.2002). That which the Legislature may withhold altogether, it may withhold in part. Id. at 285-86. Thus, our lawmakers may deny the right to appeal entirely, the right to appeal only some things, or the right to appeal all things only under some circumstances. Id. Here, the Legislature has provided an appeal by special court of review only for the Commission's sanctions assessed as a result of informal proceedings. The Rules for the Removal or Retirement of Judges have provided an appeal by a review tribunal after formal proceedings only for recommendations of removal or retirement. See TEX. R. REM'L/RET. JUDG. 12(a) (West 2003). These Rules have not provided for any appeal when the Commission recommends a public censure after formal proceedings. We do note, however, that a judge assessed a censure will have been given a public hearing before either the Commission or a special master. See RULES FOR THE REMOVAL OR RETIREMENT OF JUDGES, 56 Tex.B.J. at 831 (Exhibit C). Accordingly, we hold that we do not have jurisdiction to review by trial de novo the Commission's Order of Public Censure after formal proceedings. Because we do not have jurisdiction, we can only dismiss this appeal. See Walker Sand, 95 S.W.3d at 514.