Pannell v. State

666 S.W.2d 96
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 29, 1984
Docket61527
StatusPublished
Cited by62 cases

This text of 666 S.W.2d 96 (Pannell v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pannell v. State, 666 S.W.2d 96 (Tex. 1984).

Opinions

OPINION ON APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR REHEARING

McCORMICK, Judge.

On original submission, a panel of this Court held that appellant, after having counsel appointed for him, waived his right [97]*97to counsel and gave a voluntary confession to authorities. We granted appellant’s motion for leave to file his motion for rehearing to consider, among other things, the fourth ground of error which was raised in his original brief but not specifically addressed by the panel opinion.

Appellant contends that because the district attorney interviewed appellant without attempting to obtain the consent of his court-appointed attorneys the district attorney violated Disciplinary Rule 7-104(A)(l) of the Code of Professional Responsibility, a provision of the laws of the State of Texas. Appellant argues that since a law of the State of Texas was violated the admission of the confession into evidence violated Article 38.23, V.A.C.C.P.

Disciplinary Rule 7-104(A)(l) provides:
“(A) During the course of his representation of a client a lawyer shall not:
“(1) Communicate or cause to communicate on the subject of the representation with a party he knows to be represented by a lawyer in that matter unless he has the prior consent of the lawyer representing such other party or by law is authorized to do so.”

See also, State Bar of Texas, Committee on Interpretation of the Canons of Ethics, Opinion 137 (1956).

Article 38.23, V.A.C.C.P., provides as follows:

“No evidence obtained by an officer or other person in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or laws of the State of Texas, or of the Constitution or laws of the United States of America, shall be admitted in evidence against the accused on the trial of any criminal case.
“In any case where the legal evidence raises an issue hereunder, the jury shall be instructed that if it believes, or has a reasonable doubt, that the evidence was obtained in violation of the provisions of this Article, then and in such event, the jury shall disregard any such evidence so obtained.”

Initially, let us note that we have thoroughly reviewed the record and agree with the panel that appellant made a knowing and intelligent waiver of his right to counsel followed by a voluntary and knowing confession. The question before us is then the following: Does a violation of a disciplinary rule constitute a violation of State law?

The federal courts have been presented with a similar question in several cases. In United States v. Thomas, 474 F.2d 110 (10th Cir.1973), cert. denied 412 U.S. 932, 93 S.Ct. 2758, 37 L.Ed.2d 160 (1973), a special agent for the New Mexico Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs obtained a written statement from Thomas in the absence of and without the knowledge of Thomas’ attorney. After noting that Thomas had requested the interview and had read and signed a Miranda -type waiver of rights form, the Court of Appeals found that the canons of ethics governing the actions of attorneys in federal courts had been violated. However, the Court affirmed Thomas’ conviction on the following basis:

“A violation of the canon of ethics as here concerned need not be remedied by a reversal of the case wherein it is violated. This does not necessarily present a constitutional question, but this is an ethical and administrative one relating to attorneys practicing before the United States courts. The problem is initially one for the trial courts; however, in appeals such as this in the future the concerned attorneys will appear before this Court and consideration of the matter will be therein undertaken as to occurrences taking place after this opinion has been circulated.” 474 F.2d at 112.

See also: United States v. Four Star, 428 F.2d 1406 (9th Cir.1970), cert. denied 400 U.S. 947, 91 S.Ct. 255, 27 L.Ed.2d 253 (1970), in this the Court also found a violation of professional ethics but affirmed Four Star’s conviction. The Fifth Circuit has also found that ethical violations alone in these situations will not justify reversal when the record clearly shows that a defendant waived the presence of counsel. Wilson v. United States, 398 F.2d 331, 333 [98]*98(5th Cir.1968), cert. denied 398 U.S. 1069, 89 S.Ct. 727, 21 L.Ed.2d 712 (1969).

Let us now turn to the Texas scheme. In 1939, the Texas Legislature enacted the State Bar Act, Article 320a-l, V.A.C.S. This act created the State Bar, denominating it “an administrative agency of the Judicial Department of the State.” Article 320a-l, Section 2, supra. The act provided that the Supreme Court of Texas should promulgate rules and regulations for disciplining, suspending and disbarring attorneys. The Supreme Court was also to prescribe a code of ethics governing the professional conduct of attorneys. Article 320a-l, Section 4, supra. In February of 1940, the Supreme Court approved its first set of rules and code of ethics.

In 1971, a new Code of Professional Responsibility was promulgated by the Supreme Court. Section 8, Article XII, Rules Governing the State Bar of Texas, following Article 320a-l, V.A.C.S. (1973).

The 66th Legislature enacted a new State Bar Act effective June 11, 1979. This new act retained the administrative status of the State Bar and again empowered the Supreme Court to adopt rules and regulations pertaining to conduct of the members of the State Bar. Section 8, Article 320a-l, supra (Supp.1980). In an order dated June 11, 1979, the Supreme Court decreed that the Code of Professional Responsibility should continue to be in effect. See also, 7 Tex.Jur. 3rd, Attorneys at Law, Sections 8 and 9 (1980).

Are these rules governing the conduct of attorneys in Texas considered to be laws of the State of Texas? As noted above, the Code of Professional Responsibility was not promulgated by the Legislature, the law-making body of this State, but by the Supreme Court, part of the judicial branch of the state government. Article III, Section 1, Texas Constitution; Article V, Section 1, Texas Constitution. As noted in the very language of the State Bar Act, the Code of Professional Responsibility was prepared for an “administrative agency”— the State Bar of Texas. Thus, the rules contained therein were to be used and applied in an administrative capacity. Furthermore, several cases have found the State bar rules are “quasi-statutory” and “have the same force and legal effect upon matters to which they relate as the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure have to matters to which they relate.” Rattikin Title Company v. Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas, 272 S.W.2d 948 (Tex.App.— Ft. Worth, 1954, no writ history); Cochran v. Cochran, 333 S.W.2d 635 (Tex.Civ.App. —Houston, 1960, ref. n.r.e.); State v. Dancer, 391 S.W.2d 504 (Tex.App. — Corpus Christi, 1965, ref. n.r.e.). But see: Silverman v.

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666 S.W.2d 96, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pannell-v-state-texcrimapp-1984.