in Re: Andrew Jackson

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: October 22, 2010
• Docket: 06-10-00111-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

                                                         In The

                                                Court of Appeals

                        Sixth Appellate District of Texas at Texarkana

                                                ______________________________

                                                             No. 06-10-00111-CV

                                                    IN RE:  ANDREW JACKSON

                                                     Original Mandamus Proceeding

                                          Before Morriss, C.J., Carter and Moseley, JJ.

                                        Memorandum Opinion by Chief Justice Morriss

                                                     MEMORANDUM  OPINION

            Inmate Andrew Jackson filed a civil suit against Gayle Hadaway in the 115th Judicial District Court of Upshur County, Texas.  His petition for writ of mandamus complains that the trial court allegedly failed to rule on a motion for default judgment.  Jackson asks this Court to compel the trial court to rule on the motion and award damages.  

            Mandamus is an extraordinary remedy that issues only to correct a clear abuse of discretion or violation of a duty imposed by law when no other adequate remedy by law is available.  In re Ford Motor Co., 988 S.W.2d 714, 721 (Tex. 1998) (orig. proceeding ) (citing Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 840 (Tex. 1992)).  Due to the nature of this remedy, it is Jackson’s burden to properly request and show entitlement to the mandamus relief.  Barnes v. State, 832 S.W.2d 424, 426 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1992, orig. proceeding) (per curiam) (“Even a pro se applicant for a writ of mandamus must show himself entitled to the extraordinary relief he seeks.”).

            The absence of a mandamus record prevents us from evaluating the circumstances of this case and, consequently, the merits of Jackson’s complaints.  Tex. R. App. P. 52.7; Barnes, 832 S.W.2d at 426.  Therefore, we must deny his petition for writ of mandamus. 

                                                                        Josh R. Morriss, III

                                                                        Chief Justice

Date Submitted:          October 21, 2010

Date Decided:             October 22, 2010