Court Opinion

ID: 9647576
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 13:41:19.736126+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:50.854117
License: Public Domain

ONION, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
The majority is not satisfied to rely upon the rule that allegations in a motion to revoke probation do not require the same particularity of an indictment, but seek to extend the erroneously decided Adams v. State, 707 S.W.2d 900 (Tex.Cr.App.1986), to the motions to quash or set aside motions to revoke probation. Such can only lead to more sloppy pleadings and even deliberate non-pleading of essential matters in revocation motions. Many probationers will be denied the rudiments of due process by virtue of today’s decision.
Adams held that where a trial court has erroneously overruled a valid motion to quash an indictment or information based upon notice grounds, the question in determining harm “is to decide whether, in the context of the case, this had an impact on the defendant’s ability to prepare a defense, and finally, how great an impact.” Adams at p. 903.
When a challenge to an accusation (indictment or information) for failure to give adequate notice on which to prepare a defense is properly and timely asserted with adequate statement of the manner in which notice is deficient, “fundamental constitutional protections are invoked.” Drumm v. State, 560 S.W.2d 944 (Tex.Cr.App.1977). Such a challenge “calls for examination of the criminal accusation from the perspective of the accused.” Id. “When the defendant petitions for sufficient notice of the state’s charge by motion to quash adequately setting out the manner in which notice is deficient, the presumption of innocence coupled with his right to notice requires that he be given such notice.” Id.
Further, Article I, § 10 of the Texas Constitution mandates that the notice petitioner for — information on which to prepare a defense — must come from the face of the indictment or information or charging instrument. Brasfield v. State, 600 S.W.2d 288 (Tex.Cr.App.1980) (Opinion on State’s Motion for Rehearing); Voelkel v. State, 501 S.W.2d 313 (Tex.Cr.App.1973); Baker v. State, 58 S.W.2d 534 (Tex.Cr.App.1933). It is improper to look to the evidence in the record of the case in order to determine whether the allegation in the charging instrument constitutes adequate notice. The adequacy of the allegations must be tested *111by its own terms. Bonner v. State, 640 S.W.2d 601 (Tex.Cr.App.1982). The indictment or other charging instrument “can neither be supported nor defeated as such by what evidence is introduced at trial.” Ritter v. State, 176 S.W. 727, 730 (Tex.Cr.App.1915), and this Court will not indulge in any presumption to complete the pleading. Sanchez v. State, 235 S.W.2d 149,153 (Tex.Cr.App.1951).
If the indictment is defective as to notice, and a defendant points out the defect in a timely motion to set aside or quash the charging instrument so that he can prepare his defense, it is error to overrule such valid motion. If a defendant is put to trial without the requisite notice to which he is entitled and which he requested, normally any ensuing conviction will be reversed on appeal.
Under Adams, to determine if the acknowledged error caused harm, you decide “in the context of case” (whatever that might be interpreted to mean) if the error had an “impact” on the defendant’s ability to prepare a defense, and then how great an “impact.” How great must the “impact” be to cause harm? Will a 51% “impact” suffice or will a 90% or more “impact” be required? And in determining harm, skip the fact that the defendant was convicted. It would appear that the tender mercies of each appellate court may be the only guiding light. Certainly no standard was set in Adams. And to make matters worse, Adams cannot be applied on appeal without a statement of facts. In such a case the former rule applies. The conviction is reversed if the trial court has erred in overruling the motion to quash based on the lack of adequate notice. Opdahl v. State, 705 S.W.2d 697 (Tex.Cr.App.1986).
Adams encourages poor pleadings. Bemoaning the necessity of repleading, prosecutors will encourage trial judges to overrule valid motions to quash and to err because under Adams it will all come out in the wash. Adams should be overruled, not sua sponte extended by this Court to revocation of probation cases. The allegations in a revocation motion do not require the same particularity of an indictment or information, but in fairness, when the allegations of the motion fail to fully inform the probationer as to that upon which he will be called to defend, and the trial court refuses to sustain a proper motion to quash, the probationer is denied the rudiments of due process. Garner v. State, 545 S.W.2d 178 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Kuenstler v. State, 486 S.W.2d 367 (Tex.Cr.App.1972). See also Bradley v. State, 608 S.W.2d 652 (Tex.Cr.App.1980). In the instant case the majority decided that “the instant motion to revoke failed to give appellant adequate information to enable him to prepare his defense.” The appellant was thus denied the rudiments of due process. The majority, however, applies Adams to probation revocation cases and finds the error that deprived appellant of due process harmless.1 I dissent vigorously to the reasoning of the majority.
The offense relied upon by the State in its motion to revoke probation to show a violation of the probationary condition that appellant not violate any laws is set forth in V.T.C.A., Penal Code, § 37.10, which reads in part:
“(a) A person commits an offense if he:
⅜ ⅜ s¡e * jje
“(3) intentionally destroys, conceals, removes, or otherwise impairs the verity, legibility, or availability of a governmental record.”
While the revocation motion in the instant case is no model, it does track the language of said § 37.10(a)(3), as the Court of Appeals observed in its opinion on remand. And while tracking the statute is normally sufficient to satisfy criminal pleading requirements, due process requires that a defendant be adequately informed of the nature of the accusation, and upon proper motion, he may be entitled to a *112more specific allegation. Drumm v. State, 560 S.W.2d 944 (Tex.Cr.App.1977). While, as earlier observed, a motion to revoke probation does not require the same particularity as an indictment or information, it must afford minimal due process by fair notice of the violation of the probationary condition alleged. Bradley v. State, 608 S.W.2d 652 (Tex.Cr.App.1980).
In Matte v. State, 572 S.W.2d 547 (Tex.Cr.App.1978), it was held that the concluso-ry allegation in the motion to revoke probation that probationer made a “false written statement” to a licensed firearm dealer, in violation of federal law was not sufficient, in the face of his timely motion to quash the revocation motion, to give the probationer sufficient notice to afford him an opportunity to defend against the charged violation, in that it did not inform him of the nature of the statement made, and thus probation was thus denied due process. See also Amaya v. State, 551 S.W.2d 385 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Garrett v. State, 68 S.W.2d 507 (Tex.Cr.App.1934). See and cf. Swabado v. State, 597 S.W.2d 361, 363 (Tex.Cr.App.1980) (where the indictment failed to sufficiently identify the alleged government records).
In Campbell v. State, 456 S.W.2d 918 (Tex.Cr.App.1970), the defendant’s probation was revoked upon a motion which alleged that he had failed “to avoid injurious or vicious habits.” This Court held that such an allegation was insufficient to inform the defendant how he had violated the condition of his probation. “The habit or habits were not spelled out nor was the appellant informed as to whether the habit or habits were injurious or vicious or both.” 456 S.W.2d at 921. Campbell then went on to point out that such a general allegation failed to enable the defendant to prepare a defense and in face of the timely exception denied him due process of law. See also Garner v. State, 545 S.W.2d 178 (Tex.Cr.App.1977). To the extent that Levya v. State, 552 S.W.2d 158 (Tex.Cr.App. 1977), is in conflict with the foregoing line of cases, I would overrule it.
By timely motion to quash the revocation motion, appellant complained that said motion failed to specify what “government record” appellant was supposed to have removed or destroyed. Was it a receipt, a contract, a personnel file, medical records, etc.? In my opinion due process compelled a more specific description of the “government record involved,” and the trial court erred in overruling the motion to quash as it related to the failure to specify what document the government record was. I would agree with the conclusion reached by the Court of Appeals and would affirm its judgment.
TEAGUE, J., with all the vigor he can muster, joins this opinion.

. Undoubtedly if Adams is applied to probation revocation cases many defendants upon appeal will make no effort to include the statement of facts in the appellate record, hoping the State will do likewise, and that Opdahl will apply.