Court Opinion

ID: 9777976
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:29:27.820208+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:02.889035
License: Public Domain

MILLER, Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the result reached by the majority. As correctly stated in the majority opinion, the “Order of Referral”1 dated October 1, 1981, does not encompass extradition matters so this case was never properly sent to the magistrate by the district judge. I cannot, however, agree with the second, third and fourth reasons given by the majority to support the statement that there was no order of referral by the district judge.
Reading the Dallas County Magistrate’s Act, Article 1918c2, especially .Sections 4(c), 5(b) and 5(d), it is clear to me that a general order of referral is a proper vehicle under the act. I see no requirement to name a particular magistrate or *191issue an order of referral separately for each case. I would rely on the presumption of regularity of judgments and only arrive at the results reached here because this case is an extradition proceeding, not a criminal case “which has been indicted or which has had such indictment duly waived by the defendant” as required by the general transfer order.
For these reasons I concur in the result.
W.C. DAVIS, CAMPBELL and WHITE, JJ., join.
APPENDIX A
IN RE: REFERRAL TO MAGISTRATE’S COURT
IN THE CRIMINAL COURT # 1, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
ORDER OF REFERRAL
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all cases which have been indicted, or have had such indictment duly waived by the defendant, and assigned to this Court are hereby referred to the Magistrate’s Court of Dallas County, Texas pursuant to Art. 1918c V.A.C.S., for the following proceedings:
(1)negotiated pleas of guilty before the Court, and the Magistrate shall exercise all of the powers enumerated in Art. 1918c V.A.C.S. as may be deemed necessary and proper by such Magistrate, and in addition, the Court deems that it is necessary and proper for the efficient performance of the duties herein required that such Magistrate be, and is hereby, authorized to:
(a) render a judgment in such plea;
(b) sentence the defendant;
(c) provide for such conditions of probation, including restitution, as may be deemed appropriate by the Magistrate, if applicable;
(d) approve such waivers or documents as might be appropriate; and
(e) sign on behalf of the Court and cause to be delivered to defendant the Condition of Probation, if applicable.
(2) Agreed probation revocations, and the Magistrate shall exercise all of the powers enumerated in 1918c V.A.C.S. as may be deemed necessary and proper by such Magistrate, and in addition, the Court deems that it is necessary and proper for the efficient performance of the duties herein required that such Magistrate be, and is hereby, authorized to:
(a) make a finding as to whether such probation is revoked; •
(b) authorize bonds if such hearing is continued;
(c) change the conditions of probation;
(d) reduce the sentence of the defendant pursuant to an agreement;
(e) sentence the defendant;
(f) approve such waivers or documents as might be appropriate; and
(g) sign on behalf of the Court the Order Revoking Probation.
(3) Such other hearings and matters as may be determined by the Court and not prohibited by law, including, but not limited to, hearings on bond forfeitures.
(4) The Court may, under this general order of referral, execute, by original or facsimile signature, additional Orders of Referral to said Magistrate’s Court as to specific causes and directing that said Magistrate’s Court report only on specific issues, do particular acts, or receive and report on evidence only.
(5) Each Magistrate is hereby empowered, in my place and stead, to take acknowledgments and file said documents as are required to be filed by the District Clerk of Dallas County, Texas, as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes here-inabove set forth.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Court shall maintain control and authority over all causes covered by this Order unless and until the same is delivered to the Magistrate’s Court for action by said Magistrate’s Court.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Order shall be and hereby is effective October 1, 1981.
*192s/ Ron Chapman JUDGE

. Attached hereto as addendum.

. Repealed by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., p. 4085, ch. 480 § 26(1), eff. Sept. 1, 1985. The material quoted in footnote 1 of the majority opinion has been substantially changed. See revised V.T. C.A., Government Code, §§ 54.301-54.313, Ch. 480. Section 54.307 deals specifically with orders of referral.