Robinson v. State

783 S.W.2d 648, 1989 WL 168117
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 18, 1990
Docket05-88-01116-CR, 05-88-01117-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 783 S.W.2d 648 (Robinson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robinson v. State, 783 S.W.2d 648, 1989 WL 168117 (Tex. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinions

OPINION

OVARD, Justice.

John Robert Robinson appeals his convictions of unlawful possession with intent to deliver an analogue of a controlled substance under article 4476-15, also known as the Texas Controlled Substances Act.1 [650]*650Robinson received a five year sentence in each case, as well as fines of $1500 and $1250. Robinson, in three points of error, contends that section 3.10 of the Act is impermissibly vague and overbroad under both state and federal constitutions, that section 2.09 is an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority to the judiciary under the state and federal constitutions, and that there is no evidence to support the finding that the drug Robinson possessed was an analogue of 3, 4-methylenedioxy amphetamine.2 We affirm.

The case was submitted to the trial court on stipulated evidence, summarized as follows: Robinson was arrested by the Dallas Police Department outside a night club on February 19, 1988, after he sold a tablet of 3, 4-methylenedioxy ethamphetamine (MDEA or “Eve”) to an undercover officer for $25; Robinson was observed selling tablets in plastic baggies to several other persons prior to his arrest; the analysis report by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences stated that the tablets' were 3, 4-methylenedioxy ethamphetamine, an analogue of 3, 4-methylenedioxy amphetamine.

In his first point of error, Robinson argues that section 3.10 of the Act is imper-missibly vague and overbroad under both the Texas and federal constitutions. Specifically, Robinson points to the language “substantially similar” used to describe “a controlled substance analogue” mentioned in section 3.10(a).3 Robinson complains of the “definition” of the word “analogue” contained in section 3.10(a); however, the definition that Robinson objects to is actually contained in section 1.02(5)(A).

Robinson argues that the portion of section 3.10(a), which treats a substance with a chemical structure substantially similar to that of a controlled substance as illegal, is unconstitutionally vague, lie argues that, without a more specific definition of “substantially similar,” too much discretion is left to the prosecuting authorities to determine which substances are similar to controlled ones and which are not. Moreover, Robinson urges that a proper definition of “substantially similar,” when referring to chemical substances, should address such variables as the degree of discrepancy in valences and atomic weights allowable in determining similarity, whether mirror images constitute a “similar structure,” and whether atomic weight similarity is measured in absolute terms or by relative weight.

In addition to finding fault with the words “substantially similar,” as used to describe structural analogues, Robinson finds difficulty with the definition of “analogue.” Robinson claims that “analogue,” is inadequately defined in section 3.10; however, Robinson’s focus is misplaced because the words, “controlled substance analogue” are actually defined in sections 1.02(5)(A) and (B).4 Nevertheless, Robin[651]*651son contends that the Webster’s Dictionary definition of “analogue,” incompletely quoted in his brief, would be a more enlightening definition. Because of the alleged definitional deficiencies and ambiguity surrounding sections 1.02(5)(A) and 3.10(a) of the Act, Robinson concludes that the public is left to guess as to its criminal liability and that the statute encourages arbitrary and erratic arrests and convictions, rendering the statute void for vagueness. Papachristou v. City of Jacksonville, 405 U.S. 156, 162, 92 S.Ct. 839, 843, 31 L.Ed.2d 110 (1972).

Robinson contends that section 3.10(a) is both unconstitutionally overbroad and vague. We first address Robinson’s overbreadth contention. This type of statutory attack is normally reserved for alleged First Amendment violations. See, e.g., City of Houston v. Hill, 482 U.S. 451, 107 S.Ct. 2502, 96 L.Ed.2d 398 (1987) (discussing facial invalidation of statutes based upon overbreadth); Village of Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. 489, 102 S.Ct. 1186, 71 L.Ed.2d 362 (1981) (discussing prerequisites to over-breadth attacks); Bynum v. State, 767 S.W.2d 769, 772 (Tex.Crim.App.1989) (discussing applicability of overbreadth challenges). Because Robinson fails to show how section 3.10(a) inhibits or proscribes protected speech or conduct under the First Amendment, his contention that section 3.10(a) is unconstitutionally overbroad is without merit. Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 773.

However, a vagueness challenge is applicable to all criminal laws, because crimes must be defined in advance to give individuals fair notice of what activities are forbidden, which is essential to due process. See, e.g., Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 773; Engelking v. State, 750 S.W.2d 213, 215 (Tex.Crim.App.1988); Earls v. State, 707 S.W.2d 82, 86 (Tex.Crim.App.1986). The first inquiry, in focusing upon a due process fairness analysis, is whether the ordinary, law-abiding individual would have received sufficient information that his or her conduct risked violating a criminal law. See, e.g., United States v. Cardiff, 344 U.S. 174, 176, 73 S.Ct. 189, 190, 97 L.Ed. 200 (1952); Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 773-74; Ybarra v. State, 762 S.W.2d 368, 369-70 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1988, no pet.). Furthermore, because no First Amendment rights have been shown to have been violated, Robinson must show that the statute operates in an unconstitutional fashion as to him. Proof that the statute unconstitutionally harms others or is hypothetically unconstitutional is insufficient. Village of Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. at 494-96, 102 S.Ct. at 1191-92; Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 774.

The lack of specific definitions of words or phrases contained in statutes does not make the statutes unconstitutionally vague. Engelking, 750 S.W.2d at 215; Tovar v. State, 685 S.W.2d 707, 708 (Tex.App. —Dallas 1984, pet. ref’d.). A statute is not unconstitutionally vague, if after the application of well-accepted canons of statutory construction, the statute can be given a clear meaning. Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 774. Applying plain, ordinary, and well known meanings, as well as referring to dictionary definitions to construe statutory terms, are two such canons of statutory construction. Floyd v. State, 575 S.W.2d 21, 23 (Tex.Crim.App.1978), appeal dism’d, 442 U.S. 907, 99 S.Ct. 2817, 61 L.Ed.2d 272 (1979); Smithwick v. State, 762 S.W.2d 232, 234 (Tex.App.—Austin 1988, pet. ref’d).

The words “substantially” and “similar” are sufficiently defined in dictionaries and have such well-accepted meanings that their use singularly or in combination presents no claim that they are vague or indefinite. Bynum, 767 S.W.2d at 774; Floyd, 575 S.W.2d at 23. The word “analogue,” though not used as much nor having such a well-accepted meaning as the words “substantially” or “similar,” is also defined in dictionaries.

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Bluebook (online)
783 S.W.2d 648, 1989 WL 168117, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robinson-v-state-texapp-1990.