Court Opinion

ID: 9777684
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:19:47.074852+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:59.257870
License: Public Domain

BAIRD, Judge,
dissenting to denial of appellee’s motion for rehearing.
The holding on original submission, namely that the State is not the State, is patently absurd. Nevertheless, that holding garnered five votes, the fifth of which was Judge Tom Price. Today, Judge Price recognizes the absurdity of that holding and states that he should have joined Judge Mansfield and concurred only in the judgment. Post at 206 (Price dissenting to denial of appellee’s motion for rehearing). Therefore, only a plurality of this ‘ Court (McCormick, Keller, Holland, and Womack, JJ.) favors the holding on original submission. However, that plurality holding stands in direct conflict with State v. Aguilar, where a majority held an administrative license revocation (ALR) proceeding can have collateral estoppel affect in a later criminal proceeding. 947 S.W.2d 257, 259 (Tex.Cr.App.1997). This conflict was made known on original submission, Ante at 190 (Baird, J., dissenting), but the majority failed to distinguish, mention or even cite Aguilar.
This Court should issue opinions which clarify the law, not confuse it. What is the trial judge to do when defense counsel cites Aguilar in support of his motion to suppress and the State counters that argument by citing Brabson ?
The only reason to deny rehearing is to permit the State to win. As I noted in my original dissent, this ease is a model of result oriented jurisprudence. Ante, at 191. We should grant rehearing, withdraw our earlier *203opinion and, consistent with Aguilar, hold that an ALR proceeding can have collateral estoppel affect. ■ Because a majority of this Court fails in its duty to follow established precedent and respect the rule of law, I dissent.