TaiLexi AI U.S. Case Law

Ex Parte Usener

Ex Parte Lonzo USENER

Ex Parte Usener, 391 S.W.2d 735 (Tex. Crim. App. 1965)
Download
Format
Include

Star paging (*137) is kept for pin cites.

Court
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · State Highest Courts
Decided
June 23, 1965
Docket
No. 38388
Judges
Morrison
Citations
391 S.W.2d 735

Opinion — Morrison

MORRISON, Judge.

This is an appeal from an order of the District Court of Gillespie County refusing to discharge appellant after hearing and remanding him to the custody of the Sheriff of Gillespie County, Texas.

The application for writ of habeas corpus alleged that appellant had been convicted under a complaint, the charging part thereof reading as follows: “Made an improper approach for a left turn in that he did not use that portion of the right half of the road nearest to the center line thereof to make the said approach * * * ”, had been fined in the sum of $75.00, and that appellant was being held under a capias pro fine.

The sole issue, which has not heretofore been presented for the determination of this Court, is the constitutionality and validity of Section 65(b) of Article 6701d, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St., which states:

“Approach for a left turn shall be made in that portion of the right half of the roadway nearest the center line thereof and after entering the intersection the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection to the right of the center line of the roadway being entered.”

Appellant urges in his brief that this Court also determine the Constitutional validity of Section 65(d) of Article 6701d, V.A.C.S. The record before us does not reflect that Subsection (d) was involved in the offense charged. We have held that it is incumbent upon an accused to show that he was convicted or charged under that portion of the statute the constitutionality of which he questions. We do not write declaratory judgments. Donahoo v. State, 162 Tex.Cr.R. 388 , 285 S.W.2d 952 .

We now discuss appellant’s contention that Subsection (b) is so general and indefinite as to fail to define the offense with which he is charged with the degree of definiteness required by the Constitution and Laws of the -State of Texas and the United States.

The statute sets a standard sufficiently definite so that an ordinary and interested person might ascertain therefrom what offense he might commit by failing to comply therewith relative to the proper approach for a left turn. Ex Parte Trafton, 160 Tex.Cr.R. 407 , 271 S.W.2d 814 .

We overrule the contention that the statute in question is invalid for indefiniteness.

The judgment remanding appellant to the custody of the Sheriff of Gillespie County is affirmed.

How later courts describe this case

Explanatory parentheticals written by citing courts — 2 in all; the most informative distinct ones are shown.

Cited by 22 cases

View all citing references →
1970: 11977: 11978: 11980: 21981: 21983: 12002: 12011: 22015: 52018: 12021: 32022: 12023: 119702026peak 2015 · 5

Relies on it most ⓘ

  1. Ex Parte James Richard "Rick" Perry471 S.W.3d 63 (Tex. App.—Austin 2015)
  2. Perry, Ex Parte James Richard "Rick"No. PD-1067-15 (Tex. App. Sept. 10, 2015)
  3. Perry, Ex Parte James Richard "Rick"No. PD-1067-15 (Tex. App. Aug. 18, 2015)
  4. Perry, Ex Parte James Richard "Rick"No. PD-1067-15 (Tex. App. Sept. 1, 2015)
  5. Perry, Ex Parte James Richard "Rick"No. PD-1067-15 (Tex. App. Sept. 8, 2015)
  6. Ex Parte Destin Spearman v. the State of TexasNo. 01-22-00735-CR (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 24, 2023)

Most recent

  1. Ex Parte Destin Spearman v. the State of TexasNo. 01-22-00735-CR (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 24, 2023)
  2. Ex Parte Medger Chauncey DuckensNo. 14-21-00575-CR (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 4, 2022)
  3. Steven Elmer Hinds v. the State of TexasNo. 03-19-00500-CR (Tex. App.—Austin July 8, 2021)
  4. Ex Parte: Jordan JonesNo. 12-17-00346-CR (Tex. App.—Tyler May 26, 2021)
  5. Jones v. StateNo. PD-0552-18 (Tex. Crim. App. May 26, 2021)
  6. Ex Parte: Marco Antonio HinojosNo. 08-17-00077-CR (Tex. App.—El Paso Dec. 19, 2018)

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 4

DepthCaseCited by
Donahoe v. State, 285 S.W.2d 952 (Tex. Crim. App. 1955) 8
Donahoo v. State, 285 S.W.2d 952 (Tex. Crim. App. 1955) 8
Ex parte Trafton, 160 Tex. Crim. 407 (1953) 7
Ex Parte Trafton, 271 S.W.2d 814 (Tex. Crim. App. 1954) 6

Keyboard shortcuts

/Focus the search box
j kNext / previous result
EnterOpen the selected result
xAdd / remove the selected result from the download list
n pNext / previous search term in a case
cCopy the citation of the current case
+ −Larger / smaller reading text
?Show this list