Court Opinion

ID: 9773262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:40:52.115027+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:51.361958
License: Public Domain

CLINTON, Judge,
concurring.
Article 28.10, V.A.C.C.P., is part and parcel of Acts 1985, 69th Leg., Ch. 577, p. 2196 effective December 1, 1985. That legislation amended Articles 1.14, 28.09 and 28.10, Y.A.C.C.P. to implement the constitutional amendment proposed by S.J.R. 16 and approved November 5, 1985.
Article 1.14(b) requires defendant to object to a faulty charging instrument “before the date on which the trial on the merits commences” — or forfeit the right to object.
Article 28.09, V.A.C.C.P., contemplates the situation where a trial court sustains an exception by defendant to a charging instrument; the State may amend its allegations “if permitted by Article 28.10[.]”
Article 28.10(a) provides that “[ajfter notice to the defendant” the State may amend a charging instrument “at any time before the date the trial on the merits commences.” 1 It further provides that upon request “the court shall allow the defendant not less than 10 days to respond to the amended [charging instrument].”
Viewed separately, Articles 28.09 and 28.10(a) seem to create different scenarios. One, on initiative of defendant the State is called on to “respond” to an order sustaining an exception to the charging instrument.2 Another, on its own initiative the State amends a charging instrument, and the defendant is given an opportunity to “respond.”
Taken together, however, arguably the separate provisions are related in that Article 28.09 says the charging instrument may be amended “if permitted by Article 28.10.” Indeed, as to the first scenario, Judge Miller argues that should the State “respond” by amending the charging instrument it must still give notice to defendant and then he, in turn, is entitled to claim ten days in which to “respond” to the amended charging instrument. See Miller, J., concurring opinion, at 491, n 3. That formulation is not persuasive.
Article 28.11 continues to require all amendments to be made “with the leave of the court and under its direction.” Whether the trial court sustains an exception to a *490matter of form or substance, any amendment proffered by the State should be framed to correct the defect, error or irregularity excepted to by defendant. An amendment may not be made over his objection if it charges “an additional or different offense or if [his] substantial rights ... are prejudiced.” Article 28.10(c). See majority opinion, at 488.3 Surely the Legislature expected, as we do, that a trial court would deny leave to make a prohibited amendment under its direction.
Given all those limitations and restrictions, it is difficult to accept that, having authorized a defendant to object to matters of form and substance as late as the day before trial, the Legislature would build in an automatic mandatory ten day period for defendant to respond to curative amendment directly related to his objection. Compare Sodipo v. State (Tex.Cr.App. No. 1390-88, delivered September 12, 1990). Moreover, in Article 28.09 the Legislature provided that if a pretrial amendment is properly made “the cause may proceed upon the amended [charging instrument].” 4
With those observations and cautions, I join the opinion of the Court.

. All emphasis here and throughout this opinion is mine unless otherwise indicated.

. With the advent of State v. Moreno, 807 S.W.2d 327 (Tex.Cr.App.1991), however, the State’s "response" may well be a notice of appeal pursuant to Article 44.01(a)(1). Whether the Legislature contemplated that alternative and consequential delay when it implemented the constitutional amendment granting the State the right to appeal, see S.J.R. No. 34, 70th Leg., Regular Session, 1987, is an open (but probably moot) question. In any event, the issue is not presented in this cause.

. The majority limits its considerations to Article 28.10 because the court of appeals did the same. At 487. Thus its conclusion that "an analysis pursuant to Section (c) could only be logically applied to an indictment amendment which falls under the purview of Section (a)," id., at 488, does not purport to rule out application of § (c) to a responsive curative amendment under Article 28.09. Clearly, such an amendment may not charge an additional or different offense or prejudice substantial rights since that kind is not "permitted” by Article 28.10(c). Accord: Miller, J., concurring opinion, at 491, n 3.

. Accordingly, I do not agree with Judge Miller that when an exception is sustained the State may "as a matter of right” amend the charging instrument. See his concurring opinion, n. 3. It must first obtain leave of court pursuant to Article 28.11, and a motion for leave ought not even be considered without reasonable notice to defendant and a hearing thereon. For reasons already stated, however, this need not be an Article 28.10(a) proceeding in which defendant is entitled to ten days to respond. The purpose of the hearing is to provide defendant an opportunity to object to proffered amendment(s) on any and all grounds deemed germane, including proscriptions in Article 28.10(c); to insist that any amendment allowed be made under direction of the court in accordance with Article 28.11; and to take all other actions to protect the due process rights of defendant in the premises before the cause proceeds to trial upon an improperly amended charging instrument. To deal with proposed amendments in that fashion before the day of trial should not only satisfy those legislative concerns Judge Miller perceives but serve to obviate a “reset” as well.