Court Opinion

ID: 9771401
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:42:12.739528+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:30.338783
License: Public Domain

BUTTS, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The trial judge in this case assessed punishment. A trial judge has authority to grant probation in instances when a jury cannot. See Tex. *328Code CRim.PROc.Ann. art. 42.12 § 3 (Vernon Supp.1992).
The judge signed the first judgment on May 23,1991. The amended judgment was signed on June 21, 1991. The first judgment was not “final” for purpose of appeal when the amended one was substituted. This was clearly within the judge’s period of plenary power to sign and substitute an amended judgment. This could be properly done whether the judgment corrected a clerical error or changed the substantive terms.
Therefore, this case meets both of the necessary two grounds of authority to support the trial judge’s action, that is, plenary power to amend the judgment and the unobstructed power of a trial judge to grant probation even when a defendant has admitted two prior convictions. This trial judge committed no error.
The judgment should be affirmed. I respectfully dissent.