NUMBER 13-14-00116-CR
COURT OF APPEALS
THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG
IN RE DAVID ALVAREZ
On Petition for Writ of Mandamus.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Justices Rodriguez, Garza, and Perkes
Memorandum Opinion Per Curiam1
Relator, David Alvarez, filed a petition for writ of mandamus in the above cause on
February 21, 2014, seeking to compel the trial court to withdraw its order denying bond
and to release relator on a personal bond, or in the alternative, to set a reasonable bond.
See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. CODE ANN. Art. 44.04 §1 (West, Westlaw through 2013 3d
C.S.). The Court requested and received a response to the petition for writ of mandamus
from the real party in interest, the State of Texas, acting by and through the District
Attorney in and for Nueces County, Texas.
1 See TEX. R. APP. P. 52.8(d) (“When denying relief, the court may hand down an opinion but is not
required to do so.”); TEX. R. APP. P. 47.4 (distinguishing opinions and memorandum opinions).
To be entitled to mandamus relief, the relator must show: (1) that he has no
adequate remedy at law, and (2) that what he seeks to compel is a ministerial act. In re
State ex rel. Weeks, 391 S.W.3d 117, 122 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013) (orig. proceeding). If
the relator fails to meet both of these requirements, then the petition for writ of mandamus
should be denied. State ex rel. Young v. Sixth Jud. Dist. Ct. of App. at Texarkana, 236
S.W.3d 207, 210 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007) (orig. proceeding).
A remedy at law, though it technically exists, "may nevertheless be so uncertain,
tedious, burdensome, slow, inconvenient, inappropriate, or ineffective as to be deemed
inadequate." Greenwell v. Ct. of App. for the Thirteenth Jud. Dist., 159 S.W.3d 645, 648–
49 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (orig. proceeding). The act sought to be compelled must be a
ministerial act that does not involve a discretionary or judicial decision. State ex rel.
Young, 236 S.W.3d at 210. The ministerial-act requirement is satisfied if the relator can
show a clear right to the relief sought. In re State ex rel. Weeks, 391 S.W.3d at 122. A
clear right to relief is shown when the facts and circumstances dictate but one rational
decision "under unequivocal, well-settled (i.e., from extant statutory, constitutional, or
case law sources), and clearly controlling legal principles." Bowen v. Carnes, 343 S.W.3d
805, 810 n.6 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011); see In re State ex rel. Weeks, 391 S.W.3d at 122.
The Court, having examined and fully considered the petition for writ of mandamus
and the response thereto, is of the opinion that relator has not met his burden to obtain
mandamus relief. See State ex rel. Young, 236 S.W.3d at 210. Accordingly, relator’s
petition for writ of mandamus is denied. See TEX. R. APP. P. 52.8(a).
PER CURIAM
Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).
Delivered and filed the
10th day of March, 2014.
2