Baggett v. State

691 S.W.2d 779, 1985 Tex. App. LEXIS 12914
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided May 8, 1985·No. No. 09 84 105 CR·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinions

OPINION

BROOKSHIRE, Justice.

This is the second appeal of a Class C misdemeanor in which Appellant was charged with an offense based on TEX. PARKS & WILD. CODE ANN Sec. 47.037 (Vernon 1976). The original complaint before the Justice of the Peace alleged that Baggett had unlawfully and wilfully refused to allow an inspection by a proper official of certain aquatic products in the possession of a licensed wholesale fish dealer.

The Appellant asked for a ruling on his motion to quash. See Jeffers v. State, 646 S.W.2d 185 (Tex.Crim.App.1981). No evidence was taken and no argument was presented. We find this dialogue at the hearing on the motion and the plea of guilty:

“THE COURT: Before we continue the plea, since this is a two-count information; I presume the third one, 101538, is a City [sic] appeal. We’ll go ahead and bring it up and have time to look at it. It’s a single count. Since we did catch the D.A. cold and I forgot the two-counts; let’s hold up on this.
“THE COURT: Remain seated.
“Now, let’s recall the various cause numbers and keep this all on the same record.
“At this particular time, Mr. D.A.; do you wish to elect as to which count?
“[PROSECUTOR]: Yes, your Honor. In 100875, the State elects to go on count one; in 100876, the State elects to go on count one.
“THE COURT: Okay. Back to where we were as to the Motion to Quash. In [781]*781100876 that Motion is denied and I am so making a notation on the order as to the motion. In Cause Number 100875, that Motion to Quash is also denied and I’m making a notation on the order. As to Cause Number 101538 — give me the complaint back.
“THE CLERK: It’s not in here.
“THE COURT: Here’s what I’m going to do. Cause Number 101538, I’m going to deny the Motion to Quash there also and so be noted on the order if we can find it. If not, it’s in the record. Now as to the three Motions to Quash, that is the Motion to Quash filed in each cause number, I am going to allow the Defendant, even though he is entering a plea of guilty to the three offenses, I’m going to allow him to reserve his right to appeal on those issues involved in each and every Motion to Quash.
“Now recalling, 101538, 100875 and 100876, does the Defendant waive the formalities in all those pleas?
“[DEFENSE ATTORNEY]: Yes, your Honor.
“THE COURT: How does he plead?
“[DEFENSE ATTORNEY]: Guilty, your Honor.”

The trial judge did not have the Complaint or the Motion to Quash in the Justice of the Peace appeal, No. 101538; the clerk dogmatically said: “It’s not in here.” The prosecutor said:

“I don’t show 101538, your Honor in any of the packages handed to me.”

At the same hearing, Mr. Baggett affirmed his signature on all the waivers and stated that he thoroughly understood them. He waived his right to a jury trial and he voluntarily entered a plea of guilty in each of the three cases; whereupon, the court found him guilty in all three cases.

There was no real argument or urging on these Motions to Quash. Upon the remand it was abundantly clear that the urging and the advancing of these Motions to Quash were merely perfunctory and formal.

“THE COURT: Are you requesting I go ahead and accept the plea in each of these cases but allow him to appeal on the Motion to Quash filed prior to the plea?
“[DEFENSE ATTORNEY]: Yes, your Honor. And I ask prior to accepting the plea, we obtain a ruling on the Motion to Quash.”

We find that the denial of the Motion to Quash was preserved for appeal. After assessing a fine of $105.00 and costs, in cause No. 101538 (originally filed in the Justice of the Peace Court), oral notice of appeal was given.

The opinion on the first appeal is reported as Baggett v. State, 673 S.W.2d 908 (Tex.App.—Beaumont 1984, no pet.). Thereafter, no motion for rehearing or petition for discretionary review was filed.

Again, Appellant complains that TEX.PARKS & WILD.CODE ANN Sec. 47.037 (Vernon 1976) violates the United States Constitution and the Texas Constitution. This ground of error is identical to a ground of error in the first appeal and we dealt with the question squarely in the prior opinion at page 913 of Baggett, supra. On this second appeal, in the state of this record, we are met at the threshold with the well-established and thoroughly entrenched “law of the case” doctrine. Generally, the “law of the case” is that principle or concept whereby, when there have been determinations of certain questions of law made on a first or prior appeal, then that ruling or decision will be held to govern the case or cause throughout its subsequent stages including a retrial on a remand and a subsequent appeal. 6 TEX. JUR.3d, Appellate Review, Sec. 901 (1980). The doctrine should be abandoned only if it is shown that the decision was clearly wrong and harmful. That has not been shown on this second appeal. The doctrine should be departed from only in exceptional cases. Warren v. State, 523 S.W.2d 237 (Tex.Crim.App.1975); Gragg v. State, 152 Tex.Cr.R. 386, 214 S.W.2d 292 (Tex.Crim.App.1948); Vargas v. State, 107 Tex.Cr.R. 666, 298 S.W. 591 (Tex.Crim.App.1927). [782] The Appellant in this second appeal makes no additional effort or record to demonstrate that the first opinion was clearly wrong. We sanguinely hold that the “law of the case” doctrine is applicable and controlling. We overrule Appellant’s Ground of Error No. One.

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Baggett v. State, 691 S.W.2d 779, 1985 Tex. App. LEXIS 12914 (Tex. Ct. App. 1985).

691 S.W.2d 779 (Baggett v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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