Wyatt, Brittany
PD-1452-15
Tex. App.Dec 10, 2015Background
- Wyatt was charged with DWI in 2007 (cause 2007-0624-3) in Nueces County with BAC .177.
- The 2007 case was set for multiple pretrial hearings and jury trial dates over four years before dismissal.
- The State dismissed the 2007 case with prejudice after the arresting officer failed to appear at a pretrial hearing.
- The State refiled the case in 2011 as cause 2011-5202-3; Wyatt filed a motion for sanctions and/or suppression.
- The trial court later dismissed the 2011 case with prejudice, finding the officer’s absence and related prejudice; the Court of Appeals reversed, and the State sought discretionary review.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside-record factual assertions | Wyatt | State | Court of Appeals erred; cannot rely on non-record State assertions. |
| Addressing all issues | Wyatt | State | Court of Appeals failed to address preserved error and due process claim. |
| Error preservation | Wyatt | State | Court of Appeals misapplied Rule 33.1; error preservation issues must be examined. |
| Speedy trial analysis | Wyatt | State | Speedy-trial claim not properly preserved; dismissal on speedy-trial grounds improper. |
Key Cases Cited
- Jack v. State, 149 S.W.3d 119 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004) (appellate courts may not consider facts outside the record)
- Hernandez v. State, 116 S.W.3d 26 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003) (Daubert/kinetic gatekeeping; trial record primary evidence)
- Keehn v. State, 233 S.W.3d 348 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007) (requires addressing all issues under Rule 47.1)
- Gipson v. State, 383 S.W.3d 152 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012) (error preservation and standard of review on appeals)
- Alford v. State, 400 S.W.3d 924 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013) (defer to trial court findings; uphold under any record-supported theory)
- Turrubiate v. State, 415 S.W.3d 433 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2013) (approve considering alternative theories on appeal)
- Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514 (1972) (four-factor speedy trial test)
- State v. Kelly, 204 S.W.3d 808 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006) (speedy trial considerations in Texas)
