Opinion ID: 4058027
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Serving capias

Text: Article 102.011 of the Code of Criminal Procedure requires a convicted person to pay certain fees for services performed in the case by a peace officer, including $50.00 for executing or processing an arrest warrant or capias. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 102.011(a) (West Supp. 2014). As used in this case, capias means “a writ that is (1) issued by a judge of the court having jurisdiction of the case after commitment or bail and before trial, or by a clerk at the direction of the judge; and (2) directed ‘To any peace officer of the State of Texas’, commanding the officer to arrest a person accused of an offense and bring the arrested person before that court immediately or on a day or at a term stated in the writ.” Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 23.01 (West 2009) (definition of capias); Ex parte Moss, 446 S.W.3d 786, 792 & n.6 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014) (noting that although capias is also defined in chapter 43 of Code of Criminal Procedure, which governs execution of judgment, appropriate definition of capias in pre-judgment proceedings is that in article 23.01). Article 102.011 provides in relevant part: 4 (a) A defendant convicted of a felony or misdemeanor shall pay the following fees for services performed in the case by a peace officer: ... (2) $50 for executing or processing an issued arrest warrant, capias, or capias pro fine with the fee imposed for the services of: (A) the law enforcement agency that processed the arrest warrant or capias, if the agency requests of the court, not later than the 15th day after the date of the execution of the arrest warrant or capias, the imposition of the fee on conviction; or (B) the law enforcement agency that processed the arrest warrant or capias, if: (i) the arrest warrant or capias was not executed; or (ii) the executing law enforcement agency failed to request the fee within the period required by Paragraph (A) of this subdivision. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 102.011(a). Again relying on the First Court of Appeals’ opinion in Peraza, appellant argues the cost for “serving capias” should be removed from the judgment because “[t]he record is without any supporting documentation as to whether any capias was actually served.” See Peraza, 2014 WL 7476214 at . His argument fails for two reasons. First, we are to determine only if the cost has a basis, not if sufficient evidence was offered to prove the cost. Johnson, 423 S.W.3d at 390. The inclusion of the fee on each bill of costs is a factual basis for the fee. A bill of costs “documents reimbursable court costs already accrued in connection with a defendant’s case.” Johnson, 423 S.W.3d at 392. As such, it is “the most expedient, and therefore, preferable method” to “sustain statutorily authorized and assessed court 5 costs.” Id. at 395–96. See also Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 103.001 (West 2006) (cost is payable when “a written bill is produced or ready to be produced, containing the items of cost . . . .”). Moreover, the record reflects a warrant was issued on February 14, 2014, and was delivered to Officer Nicholas Thatcher of the Deer Park Police Department the same day. Appellant does not dispute the legal basis for the cost, which is article 102.011(a)(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Second, the fee is required under article 102.011(a)(2) regardless of whether a processed warrant or capias was executed. Execution of the warrant or capias is relevant only to the determination of which law enforcement agency is entitled to the fee. Compare Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 102.011(a)(2)(A) (fee goes to law enforcement agency that executed warrant or capias if it timely requests fee) with id. art. 102.011(a)(2)(B) (fee goes to law enforcement agency that processed warrant or capias if it is not executed or if executing law enforcement agency does not properly request fee). Therefore, even if the warrant was not executed, article 102.011(a)(2) still requires appellant to pay the fee. We overrule appellant’s second issue.