Court Opinion

ID: 4045717
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-28 23:56:19.926307+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:29:56.422261
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                          06-14-00225-CR
                                                                SIXTH COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                     TEXARKANA, TEXAS
                                                                     4/13/2015 4:07:49 PM
                                                                          DEBBIE AUTREY
                                                                                   CLERK

                     CAUSE NO. 06-14-00225-CR
                     CAUSE NO. 06-14-00226-CR
                     CAUSE NO. 06-14-00227-CR          FILED IN
                                                6th COURT OF APPEALS
                                                  TEXARKANA, TEXAS
                      THE COURT OF APPEALS      4/13/2015 4:07:49 PM
               FOR   THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DEBBIE AUTREY
                         AT TEXARKANA                   Clerk
_______________________________________________________________

                      ELIZABETH MENDOZA
                          APPELLANT,

                                  V.

                      THE STATE OF TEXAS,
                            APPELLEE.
________________________________________________________________

                   CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT #6
                      DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
               NO. F12-61870-X; F13-34344-X; F13-40734-X
__________________________________________________________________

                   APPELLANT’S BRIEF
__________________________________________________________________

                                       BRUCE ANTON
                                       STATE BAR NO. 01274700

                                       SORRELS, UDASHEN & ANTON
                                       2311 Cedar Springs Road
                                       Suite 250
                                       Dallas, Texas 75201
                                       214/468-8100
                                       214/468-8104 - fax
                                       ba@sualaw.com

                                       Attorney for Appellant
                                         TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................... ii

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL ....................................................... iii

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES ............................................................................. iv-vi

PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
(CHRONOLOGY) ................................................................................................ vii

STATEMENT OF FACTS ...................................................................................... 1

POINT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE .................................................................... 2

         Relevant Facts ................................................................................................ 2
         Reformation of Judgment ............................................................................. 2

PRAYER ................................................................................................................... 2

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE .............................................................................. 3

                                                                ii
                    IDENTITIES OF PARTIES

APPELLANT                               Elizabeth Mendoza

DEFENSE COUNSEL AT TRIAL                Winston Shepherd
                                        Roger Lennox

APPELLANT’S ATTORNEY ON APPEAL Bruce Anton
                                     Sorrels, Udashen & Anton
                                     2311 Cedar Springs Rd #250
                                     Dallas, Texas 75201

STATE’S ATTORNEYS AT TRIAL              Josh Healy
                                        Brandi Mitchell
                                        Jody Warner
                                        Kenna Miller
                                        Caitlin Paver
                                        Assistant District Attorney
                                        133 N. Riverside Drive
                                        Dallas, Texas 75207

STATE’S ATTORNEY ON APPEAL              not yet designated

JUDGE                                   Honorable Anthony Randall
                                        Magistrate Judge
                                        Honorable Dorothy Shead
                                        Magistrate Judge
                                        Honorable Jeanine Howard
                                        Criminal District Court #6
                                        Dallas County, Texas

                                 iii
                                      INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

CASES                                                                                                         PAGE

Asberry v. State, 813 S.W.2d 526, 529 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, pet. ref'd)………2
Bigley v. State, 865 S.W.2d 26, 27–28 (Tex.Crim.App.1993)……………………2
Christian v. State _S.W.3d_, 2013 WL 5969565 (Tex.App.-Dallas,2013)……….2
Ramirez v. State, 336 S.W.3d 846, 852 (Tex.App.-Amarillo 2011, pet. ref'd)……2

                                           CODES AND RULES

Tex.R.App. P. 43.2(b) ................................................................................................ 6

                                                            iv
           PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
                  (CASE CHRONOLOGY)
                       F12-61870-X

CHARGE                        Aggravated assault w/deadly weapon
                              Offense date: October 27, 2012
                              Arrest date: October 27, 2012
                              Indictment: November 26, 2012
                              (CR.13)

PLEA                          Guilty (RR2.8)
                              May 2, 2013

PLEA BARGAIN                  2 years deferred probation (CR.35)

JURY WAIVED                   (CR.35-36)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE         May 22, 2013(CR.40-41)

MOTION TO ADJUDICATE          Filed September 10, 2014 (CR.47-
                              48,53-53)
                              Heard November 13, 2014

PLEA                          True (CR.60-61,RR5.8)

VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT         6 years TDC (RR5.19)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE         November 13,2014 (CR.56-57)

MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL          Filed November 18, 2014 (CR.63)

NOTICE OF APPEAL              November 18, 2014 (CR.62)

                          v
           PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
                  (CASE CHRONOLOGY)
                       F13-34344-X

CHARGE                         Possession of controlled substance
                               Less than 1 gram
                               Offense date: March 18, 2014
                               Arrest date: April 16, 2014
                               Indictment: May 2, 2014(CR.7)

MOTION TO REDUCE CHARGE
TO ATTEMPTED POSSESSION        July 2, 2014(CR.27)

PLEA                           Guilty (CR.19)
                               July 2, 2014

PLEA BARGAIN                   10 months deferred probation (CR.19)

JURY WAIVED                    July 2, 2104 (CR.19)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE          July 2, 2014(CR.21-22)

MOTION TO ADJUDICATE           Filed September 10, 2014(CR.36)
                               Heard November 13, 2014

PLEA                           True (CR. 44,RR5.8)

VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT          1 year county jail(RR5.19)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE          November 13,2014 (CR.38-39)

MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL           Filed November 18, 2014 (CR.46)

NOTICE OF APPEAL               November 18, 2014 (CR.47)

                          vi
           PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
                  (CASE CHRONOLOGY)
                       F13-40734-X

CHARGE                          Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
                                Offense date: April 10, 2012
                                Arrest date: April 10, 2012
                                Indictment: waived (CR.11)

PLEA                            Guilty
                                May 2, 2013(RR2.8)

PLEA BARGAIN                    2 years deferred probation (CR.25)

JURY WAIVED                     (CR.25)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE           May 22, 2013 (CR.34-35)

MOTION TO ADJUDICATE            Filed September 10, 2014(CR.40-
                                41,47-48)
                                Heard November 13, 2014

PLEA                            True (RR5.8)

VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT           10 months State jail (RR5.20)

JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE           November 13,2014 (CR.50-51)

MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL            Filed November 18, 2014(CR.55)

NOTICE OF APPEAL                November 18, 2014(CR.56)

                          vii
                           STATEMENT OF FACTS

      Elizabeth Mendoza, the appellant, was placed on probation for three separate

offenses: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor

vehicle, and attempted possession of a controlled substance. Subsequently, the State

moved to adjudicate her guilt on these offenses. Mendoza entered a plea of true to

the violations in each offense and proceeded without benefit of a plea bargain.

(RR5.8) After hearing testimony from Ms. Mendoza, the court revoked her probation

and assessed the following punishments: in Cause No. F12-61870-X, 6 years

confinement in TDC for the offense of aggravated assault; in Cause No. F13-40734-

X 10 months confinement in State jail for the offense of unauthorized use of a motor

vehicle; and in Cause No. F13-34344-X 10 months in the county jail for the offense

of attempted possession of a controlled substance. (RR5.19-20) These appeals are

taken therefrom.

                      POINT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

THE JUDGMENTS AND SENTENCES IN EACH CAUSE INCORRECTLY
STATE THAT APPELLANT ENTERED INTO A PLEA BARGAIN
AGREEMENT.

                                  Relevant Facts

      Appellant Mendoza was charged in three causes: aggravated assault with a

deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and attempted possession of a

controlled substance. Although Mendoza entered into plea agreements for probation

                                         1
in each cause, when the State moved to adjudicate her guilt, she entered pleas of true

without benefit of a plea bargain. Nonetheless, the judgments and sentences reflect

that the sentences were based upon agreed pleas.

                               Reformation of Judgment

      Appellate courts have the power to modify the judgment of the trial court to

make the record speak the truth when the court has the necessary information to do

so. Tex.R.App. P. 43.2(b). Ramirez v. State, 336 S.W.3d 846, 852 (Tex.App.-

Amarillo 2011, pet. ref'd) (citing Bigley v. State, 865 S.W.2d 26, 27–28

(Tex.Crim.App.1993)). Appellate courts have the power to reform whatever the trial

court could have corrected by a judgment nunc pro tunc where the evidence

necessary to correct the judgment appears in the record. Asberry v. State, 813 S.W.2d
526, 529 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, pet. ref'd). The power to reform a judgment is “not

dependent upon the request of any party, nor does it turn on the question of whether

a party has or has not objected in the trial court.” Id. at 529–30. This includes the

power to correct an incorrect statement of the existence of a plea bargain. Compare

Christian      v.      State       ___S.W.3d___,        2013 WL 5969565

(Tex.App.-Dallas,2013).

                                      PRAYER

      WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Appellant prays that this

Court will reform the judgment in this case.

                                          2
                                       Respectfully Submitted,

                                         /s/ Bruce Anton
                                       BRUCE ANTON
                                       State Bar No. 01274700
                                       Sorrels Udashen & Anton
                                       2311 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 250
                                       Dallas, Texas 75201
                                       214/468-8100
                                       214/468-8104 facsimile

                                       ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

                         CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
      This is to certify that a true and correct copy of Appellant’s brief was served
on District Attorney of Dallas County via email to dcdaappeals@dallascounty.org
on the 13th day of April, 2015.

                                               /s/ Bruce Anton
                                              BRUCE ANTON

                      CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
       Pursuant to TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(i)(3), undersigned counsel certifies
that this brief complies with:

       1. the type-volume limitation of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(i)(2)(B) because this
brief contains 896 words, excluding the parts of the brief exempted by TEX. R. APP.
P. 9.4(i)(1).
      2. the typeface requirements of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(e) and the type style
requirements of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(e) because this brief has been prepared in a
proportionally spaced typeface using Microsoft Word 2011 in 14-point Times New
Roman.

                                              /s/ Bruce Anton
                                              BRUCE ANTON

 
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