Amanda Laneace Howard v. State





               



In The

Court of Appeals

For The

First District of Texas

____________


NO. 01-03-01149-CR

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AMANDA LANEACE HOWARD, Appellant


V.


THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee





On Appeal from the 337th District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 882116




 

MEMORANDUM OPINION

               Appellant pleaded guilty to forgery of a commercial instrument and, in accordance with a plea bargain agreement with the State, the trial court deferred adjudication and placed appellant on community supervision for two years. The State filed a motion to adjudicate guilt to which appellant pleaded true with a plea agreement of confinement in state jail for 10 months. The trial court followed this agreement in pronouncing sentence. Appellant filed a timely pro se notice of appeal.

               Rule 25.2(a) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure provides that, in a plea-bargained case in which the punishment assessed does not exceed the plea agreement, a defendant may appeal only those matters that were raised by written motion filed and ruled on before trial, or after getting the trial court’s permission to appeal. Tex. R. App. P. 25.2(a)(2).

               Appellant pleaded guilty to the charge; she entered into a punishment agreement with the State when she was adjudged guilty; and the trial court did not exceed that agreement at sentencing. This appeal is therefore limited by Rule 25.2(a). Comb v. State, 101 S.W.3d 724, 725-26 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2003, no pet.); see also Teel v. State, 104 S.W.3d 266, 267-68 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2003, no pet.). The trial court’s certification of appellant’s right to appeal states that this is a plea-bargained case, and appellant has no right to appeal. See Tex. R. App. P. 25.2(d).

               We also note that appellant affirmatively waived the right to appeal from the adjudication if the trial court followed the plea agreement. See Buck v. State, 45 S.W.3d 275, 278 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2001, no pet.). Appellant initialed this written admonishment:

I ask the Court to accept this plea bargain agreement and understand that if the punishment assessed does not exceed this recommendation, the court will not give me permission to appeal. I hereby give up any and all rights that I may have to appeal this case, including any right that I may have to file a motion for new trial.


               Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Justices Nuchia, Alcala, and Hanks.

Do not publish. Tex. R. App. P. 47.2(b).