Opinion
NO. 14-20-00377-CR NO. 14-20-00378-CR
06-16-2020
IN RE LISA MARIE SEARCY, Relator
ORIGINAL PROCEEDING WRIT OF HABEAS
212th District Court Galveston County, Texas
Trial Court Cause Nos. 19-CR-3596 & 19-CR-3597
MEMORANDUM OPINION
On May 19, 2020, relator Lisa Marie Searcy filed a document in this court, entitled "Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus Seeking Bail Reduction. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 22.221; see also Tex. R. App. P. 52. Relator claims that her bail is excess in violation of the United States Constitution, the Texas Constitution, and the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
The courts of appeal have no original habeas-corpus jurisdiction in criminal matters. In re Ayers, 515 S.W.3d 956, 956 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2016, orig. proceeding) (citing Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 22.221(d)). Original jurisdiction to grant a writ of habeas corpus in a criminal case is vested in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the district courts, the county courts, or a judge in those courts. Id. (citing Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art 11.05). Therefore, this court does not have original habeas corpus jurisdiction over a request to reduce bail in a criminal case. See Ortiz v. State, 299 S.W.3d 930, 932 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2009, orig. proceeding) (holding court of appeals did not have jurisdiction in original proceeding to consider challenge to denial of bail and dismissing petition for writ of habeas corpus).
Accordingly, relator's petition is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
PER CURIAM Panel consists of Chief Justice Frost and Justices Zimmerer and Poissant. Do Not Publish — Tex. R. App. P. 47.2(b).