In Re Bryan Stallworth v. the State of Texas ( 2023 )


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  •                                     IN THE
    TENTH COURT OF APPEALS
    No. 10-23-00213-CR
    IN RE BRYAN STALLWORTH
    Original Proceeding
    From the 12th District Court
    Walker County, Texas
    Trial Court No. 30582
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    In this original proceeding, Relator Bryan Stallworth seeks mandamus relief in the
    form of compelling the Respondent trial judge to hear and rule on several of his motions.
    A court with mandamus authority “will grant mandamus relief if relator can
    demonstrate that the act sought to be compelled is purely ‘ministerial’ and that relator
    has no other adequate legal remedy.” In re Piper, 
    105 S.W.3d 107
    , 109 (Tex. App.—Waco
    2003, orig. proceeding) (quoting State ex rel. Rosenthal v. Poe, 
    98 S.W.3d 194
    , 197–99 (Tex.
    Crim. App. 2003) (orig. proceeding)). Consideration of a motion properly filed and before
    the trial court is ministerial. State ex rel. Hill v. Court of Appeals for Fifth Dist., 
    34 S.W.3d 924
    , 927 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001) (orig. proceeding). A trial judge has a reasonable time to
    perform the ministerial duty of considering and ruling on a motion properly filed and
    before the judge. In re Chavez, 
    62 S.W.3d 225
    , 228 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2001, orig.
    proceeding). But that duty generally does not arise until the movant has brought the
    motion to the trial judge’s attention, and mandamus will not lie unless the movant makes
    such a showing, and the trial judge then fails or refuses to rule within a reasonable time.
    In re Rangel, 
    570 S.W.3d 968
    , 969 (Tex. App.—Waco 2019, orig. proceeding); see Chavez, 
    62 S.W.3d at 228
    .
    Stallworth bears the burden of providing this Court with a sufficient record to
    establish his right to mandamus relief. See Rangel, 
    570 S.W.3d at 969
    ; In re Blakeney, 
    254 S.W.3d 659
    , 661 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2008, orig. proceeding). The record here does not
    show that Stallworth has brought any of the motions in question to the attention of the
    trial judge and that the trial judge has then failed or refused to rule within a reasonable
    time. Accordingly, we deny Stallworth’s petition for writ of mandamus.
    MATT JOHNSON
    Justice
    Before Chief Justice Gray,*
    Justice Johnson, and
    Justice Smith
    *(Chief Justice Gray concurs in the judgment. A separate opinion will not issue.)
    Petition denied
    Opinion delivered and filed July 19, 2023
    Do not publish
    [OT06]
    In re Stallworth                                                                     Page 2