Opinion ID: 1740046
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Enforcement of the May 4 Contempt Order

Text: Benitez makes no attack upon the clarity or specificity of the May 4 order finding him in violation of the 1976 agreed order. Neither does he attack the proceedings which led to that contempt order. The only part of that order that was before the court in the present proceeding was whether Benitez had purged himself of the contempt. Benitez does not assert here that he has purged himself; his only attack is that the September 6 show cause order required him to excuse himself from a contempt order dated May 7 rather than May 4. The variance between the date of the original contempt order (May 4) and the mistaken date (May 7) does not invalidate the order remanding Benitez to the sheriff because of his failure to purge himself of contempt. The May 4 contempt order was described in both the motion to show cause and the order remanding Benitez to the sheriff in identical terms except for the date. Criminal convictions are sustained notwithstanding greater variance in dates. In Jackson v. State, 501 S.W.2d 660 (Tex.Cr. App.1973), an indictment charged the defendant with an offense committed on August 29, 1972, and the conviction was affirmed even though the proof was that the offense occurred on July 29, 1972. In Washington v. State, 492 S.W.2d 473 (Tex. Cr.App.1973), the indictment stated the date of the offense was on or about May 5, 1968, but the evidence was that it happened on May 5, 1967. The one-year variance did not defeat the clarity and specificity required for a charge against the defendant.