Oscar Zubia v. State ( 2005 )

COURT OF APPEALS

COURT OF APPEALS

EIGHTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS

EL PASO, TEXAS

OSCAR ZUBIA,                                                   )

                                                                              )     No.  08-04-00358-CR

Appellant,                          )

                                                                              )                    Appeal from the

v.                                                                           )

                                                                              )     384th District Court

THE STATE OF TEXAS,                                     )

                                                                              )            of El Paso County, Texas

Appellee.                           )

                                                                              )     (TC# 20020D04727)

                                                                              )

MEMORANDUM  OPINION

On November 30, 2004, the trial court denied Oscar Zubia=s application for writ of habeas corpus. In a letter dated December 10, 2004, we questioned our jurisdiction over the appeal, and provided Appellant ten days to show any grounds for continuing the appeal.  Appellant has failed to submit a response showing grounds for continuing the appeal.  There is no right of appeal if a trial court refuses to issue a writ of habeas corpus without addressing the merits of the application.  Ex parte Gonzales, 12 S.W.3d 913, 914 (Tex.App.--Austin 2000, pet ref=d); cf. Ex parte Hargett, 819 S.W.2d 866, 869 (Tex.Crim.App. 1991), holding that if a trial court reaches merits of habeas corpus application, its ruling is appealable even if the trial court refused to issue writ.  An examination of the record in this appeal reveals that the trial court denied the writ without hearing evidence or argument regarding Appellant=s claims, and without expressing an opinion on the merits of those claims. Since the court did not consider and resolve the merits of Appellant=s habeas corpus application, we hold that we have no jurisdiction over this appeal.  Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

January 13, 2005                                             

DAVID WELLINGTON CHEW, Justice

Before Barajas, C.J., McClure, and Chew, JJ.

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