Court Opinion

ID: 9621152
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:52:12.169101+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:58.269803
License: Public Domain

TOM GRAY, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
A majority of this Court has previously found unassigned error. E.g., Hailey v. State, 50 S.W.3d 636 (Tex.App.-Waco 2001), rev’d, 87 S.W.3d 118 (Tex.Crim.App.2002); In re B.L.D., 56 S.W.3d 203 (Tex.App.-Waco 2001) (per curiam), rev’d, 113 S.W.3d 340 (Tex.2003). The Court has been reversed. E.g., Hailey v. State, 87 S.W.3d 118, 121-22 (Tex.Crim.App.2002), cert. denied, 538 U.S. 1060, 123 S.Ct. 2218, 155 L.Ed.2d 1111 (2003); In re B.L.D., 113 S.W.3d 340, 350-51 (Tex.2003), cert. denied sub nom. Dossey v. Tex. Dep’t of Protective & Reg. Servs., 541 U.S. 945, 124 S.Ct. 1674, 158 L.Ed.2d 371 (2004). There is virtually no such thing as unassigned error. Id. There is none to be addressed here.
A majority of this Court has previously found fundamental error. E.g., Rushing v. State, 50 S.W.3d 715, 722-25 (Tex.App.-Waco 2001), aff'd on other grounds, 85 S.W.3d 283, 284-87 (Tex.Crim.App.2002); B.L.D., 56 S.W.3d at 214-15; In re J.F.C., 57 S.W.3d 66, 74 (Tex.App.-Waco 2001), rev’d, 96 S.W.3d 256 (Tex.2002). The Court has been reversed and been held to have erred. E.g., Rushing v. State, 85 S.W.3d 283, 284-87 (Tex.Crim.App.2002); B.L.D., 113 S.W.3d at 350-51; In re J.F.C., 96 S.W.3d 256, 272-74, 277-79 (Tex.2002). There is almost no such thing as fundamental error. Mendez v. State, 138 S.W.3d 334, 340-42 (Tex.Crim.App.2004); Saldano v. State, 70 S.W.3d 873, 887-89 (Tex.Crim.App.2002); Paulson v. State, 28 S.W.3d 570, 573 (Tex.Crim.App.2000) (reasonable doubt instruction not absolute systemic requirement). There is no fundamental error in the charge without egregious harm. Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157, 171 (Tex.Crim.App.1985) (op. on reh’g). There is no fundamental error here.
The majority again finds unassigned and fundamental error here. I dissent.