Court Opinion

ID: 9775857
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 19:11:09.508837+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:31.541344
License: Public Domain

OVERSTREET, Judge,
concurring.
I wholeheartedly concur with the majority that the current state of the law in Texas requires dismissal of all of appellant’s points because of the prohibition against appealing a determination to proceed with an adjudication of guilt.1 I write merely to express my concern that such a prohibition might have some potential constitutional problems.
As is well described in this Court’s majority opinion, our Legislature has expressly declared that in deferred adjudication practice “[n]o appeal may be taken from [the determination to proceed with adjudication of guilt].” TEX.CODE CRIM. PROC.ANN. art. 42.12 § 5(b) (Vernon Supp.1992).2 I am concerned about the possible unfettered discretion of trial courts in deciding to proceed with an adjudication of guilt irrespective of whether a violation of the terms and conditions of probation has been shown. A defendant given “regular” probation certainly has a right to appeal a revocation of his probated sentence. Such a “regular” probation can only be revoked based upon a violation which the trial court finds proven by a preponderance of the evidence. DeGay v. State, 741 S.W.2d 445, 449 (Tex.Cr.App.1987); Cardona v. State, 665 S.W.2d 492, 493 (Tex.Cr.App.1984). Certainly a deferred adjudication probationer should be entitled to the same protection from any such whimsical capricious revocation.
The treatment of one placed on deferred adjudication probation as compared to one placed on “regular” probation could be subject to a legitimate equal protection violation claim. As appellant makes no such claim, it is proper for this Court to refrain from addressing such. Nevertheless, I *943write simply to express my concern for a potential problem. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, either the Legislature or this Court will address this potential problem.
BAIRD, J., joins.

. Specifically, appellant’s points averred that various conditions of the probation were vague and indefinite such as to be unenforceable, and that some.of the allegations in the motion to adjudicate conflicted with the conditions of probation and failed to state a violation. All three enumerated violations involved appellant either failing to report to a probation officer as directed or advising such officer of his current address, or failing to remain at his residence. As noted by this Court's majority opinion, the trial court’s findings that these alleged violations were true resulted in a life sentence.

. Thus it would seem that a deferred adjudication probationer’s only avenue of recourse to complain of the adjudication is via Chapter Eleven of the Code of Criminal Procedure.