Court Opinion

ID: 9755607
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:44:14.363531+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:09.507309
License: Public Domain

CHARLES W. SEYMORE, Justice,
concurring.
It is undisputed that one or more of the respondents failed to timely comply with statutorily mandated duties to review the application and immediately give written notice of the reason for rejection. See Tex. Elec. Code. Ann. § 141.032(a)-(b), (e) (Vernon 1986 & Supp.2002). The real party sought and obtained an appropriate legal remedy from the 55th District Court of Harris County. It is my considered opinion that Judge P.K. Reiter’s order fulfilled the legislative intent of a “just and reasonable result” if the focus is solely on a remedy for respondents’ failure to timely comply with mandatory provisions in the Election Code. See In Re Bell, No. 02-0034, slip op. at 3, 2002 WL 87074, at *2, - S.W.3d -, - (Tex. Jan. 22, 2002) (orig. proceeding). However, I am persuaded by the majority that statutory interpretation which cures injustice to the real party will not further the legislative purpose to ensure equal treatment of all candidates and protect voters from fraud. See Bejarano v. Hunter, 899 S.W.2d 346, 353 (Tex.App. — -El Paso 1995, orig. proceeding). The Supreme Court, in Bell, did not provide sufficient guidance for application of the Code Construction Act to the facts presented in the instant case. Accordingly, I concur with the opinion of the majority.