Court Opinion

ID: 9755591
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:43:44.546087+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:09.387600
License: Public Domain

WITTIG, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
The majority opinion appropriately addresses and disposes of all issues, save one. I do not agree that Art. 46.03 of the Tex.Code CRiM. PROC. Ann. Art. (Vernon 2001) eliminates the requirements of Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. § 574.009 (Vernon 2001) for two certificates of medical exam for mental illness. Rather, I urge the two statutes must be read together. Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. § 311.026(a) (Vernon 2001). “If a general provision conflicts with a special or local provision, the provisions shall be construed, if possible, so that effect is given to both.” Id. We are not dealing with a situation where the trial court, on its own motion, held a hearing. Rather the state, relying at least in part upon the Tex. Health & Safety *765Code Ann., sought further involuntary commitment. The very Art. 46.03 relied upon by the majority opinion specifically and statutorily requires, in mandatory language, a hearing conducted pursuant to the Mental Health Code. “... on the motion of the district ... attorney or on its own motion shall hold a hearing, ... conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Mental Health Code.... ” Tex.Code Ceim. PROC. Ann. Art. 46.03 § 4(d)(5)(Vernon 2001).
Accordingly, rather than creating a third avenue between Lopez, supra and Weller, supra, I would follow Weller. In Weller, the Beaumont court correctly noted that the Mental Health Code requirements could be met at the time of the healing, but need not be filed with the motion. Weller v. State, 938 S.W.2d 787, 789. This reasonable reconciliation of the two statutes meets the expectations for appellate courts to give effect to both laws.9 Please note my concurrence and respectful dissent to the well written opinion of the majority.

. It is perhaps time our Supreme Court resolves the three way interpretations of these important laws.