John Nathaniel Thompson v. the State of Texas ( 2021 )

Dismiss and Opinion Filed September 21, 2021
In The
Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
No. 05-21-00751-CR
JOHN NATHANIEL THOMPSON, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 219th Judicial District Court
Collin County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 219-83205-2021
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Justices Molberg, Nowell, and Goldstein
Opinion by Justice Molberg
John Nathaniel Thompson filed a notice of appeal, seeking to challenge the
trial court’s “judgment rendered on August 16, 2021.” Filed with the notice of appeal
are copies of the true bill of indictment and the trial court’s docket sheet. The docket
sheet shows appellant was indicted on August 21, 2021. Four days later, the trial
court held a bond reduction hearing. According to the docket sheet, the trial court
made a “General Docket Entry” that the “bond reduction is denied.” Notably, the
docket sheet does not show appellant filed an application for a pretrial writ of habeas
corpus in this case.
Generally, this Court has jurisdiction to consider appeals by criminal
defendants only after a judgment of conviction. Wright v. State, 969 S.W.2d 588,
589 (Tex. App.—Dallas 1998, no pet.). We do not have jurisdiction to hear
interlocutory appeals from pretrial orders regarding the denial or reduction of bond
sought by motion. Ragston v. State, 424 S.W.3d 49, 52 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014)
(courts of appeals lack jurisdiction to review interlocutory orders regarding
excessive bail or the denial of bail). Furthermore, a written order or judgment is
necessary for a defendant to perfect an appeal. See State v. Sanavongxay, 407 S.W.3d
252, 258 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012); Westbrook v. State, 753 S.W.2d 158, 159‒60 &
n.1 (Tex. Crim. App. 1988); State v. Shaw, 4 S.W.3d 875, 878 (Tex. App.–Dallas
1999, no pet.) (docket sheet entry cannot stand as order).
Here, the trial court’s docket sheet states the bond reduction was denied but
the trial court did not sign a written order. Both the lack of a written order and the
nature of this proceeding, i.e., appealing the denial of bond reduction, deprive this
Court of jurisdiction.
We dismiss this appeal for want of jurisdiction.
/Ken Molberg//
210751f.u05 KEN MOLBERG
Do Not Publish JUSTICE
TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b)
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Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
JUDGMENT
JOHN NATHANIEL THOMPSON, On Appeal from the 219th Judicial
Appellant District Court, Collin County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 219-83205-
No. 05-21-00751-CR V. 2021.
Opinion delivered by Justice
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee Molberg. Justices Nowell and
Goldstein participating.
Based on the Court’s opinion of this date, we DISMISS this appeal.
Judgment entered this 21st day of September, 2021.
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