in Re: Ronald Eugene Repine

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: October 16, 2003
• Docket: 14-03-01133-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Denied and Memorandum Opinion filed October 16, 2003

Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Denied and Memorandum Opinion filed October  16, 2003.

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals

____________

NO. 14-03-01133-CV

IN RE RONALD EUGENE REPINE, Relator

ORIGINAL PROCEEDING

WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

M E M O R A N D U M  O P I N I O N

On October 10, 2003, relator, Ronald Eugene Repine, filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in this Court.  See Tex. Gov=t Code Ann. ' 22.221(d);  Tex. R. App. P. 52.  No record from any of the hearings at the trial court has been filed with this Court.  See Tex. R. App. P. 52.7(a)(2). 

A court will issue a writ of habeas corpus if the order underlying the contempt is void, Ex parte Shaffer, 649 S.W.2d 300, 302 (Tex. 1983), or if the contempt order itself is void. Ex parte Gordon, 584 S.W.2d 686, 688 (Tex. 1979).  An order is void if it is beyond the power of the court to enter it, or if it deprives the relator of liberty without due process of law.  In re Broussard, 112 S.W.3d 827, 831 (Tex. App.CHouston [14th Dist.] 2003, orig. proceeding).

A judgment of civil contempt is also void if the conditions for purging the contempt are impossible to perform.  Ex parte Ramzy, 424 S.W.2d 220, 223 (Tex.1968).  The burden is on relator to establish in the trial court that he cannot perform the act necessary to purge himself of contempt.  Ex parte Rohleder, 424 S.W.2d 891, 892 (Tex. 1967); see also Ex parte Rojo, 925 S.W.2d 654, 656 (Tex. 1996).

Relator has not established that the judgment of contempt is void.  Accordingly, we deny relator=s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

PER CURIAM

Petition Denied and Memorandum Opinion filed October 16, 2003.

Panel consists of Chief Justice Brister and Justices Anderson and Seymore.