Ex parte Herrera
| Decision Date | 05 December 1991 |
| Docket Number | No. B14-91-00800-CV,B14-91-00800-CV |
| Parties | Ex parte Ernest HERRERA, Relator. (14th Dist.) |
| Court | Texas Court of Appeals |
This is an original habeas corpus proceeding. Relator, Ernest Herrera, seeks relief from an order of commitment entered by the 245th District Court of Harris County, Texas on August 1, 1991 in cause no. 88-40026. We granted relator leave to file his petition and ordered the Sheriff of Harris County to release him on personal recognizance pending resolution of this cause. TEX.GOV'T CODE ANN. § 22.221(d) (Vernon 1988). We conclude that the commitment order is void and; therefore, grant the writ of habeas corpus and order relator discharged.
On August 1, 1991, the trial court conducted a hearing on respondent's motion for contempt for failure to pay child support pursuant to the terms of a child support order entered October 5, 1988. On that same date, the court found relator in contempt, and issued a written order of commitment which held relator in contempt. The court assessed punishment at 180 days confinement in the Harris County jail and to remain in confinement until he purged himself by paying $8,669. This $8,669 included $7000 in child support arrearage, $169 in accrued costs of court and $1500 in costs for attorney's fees.
Attached as part of the order of commitment was a schedule which specifically described the payments relator failed to pay in noncompliance of the October 5, 1988 order pursuant to the requirements of TEX.FAM.CODE ANN. § 14.33 (Vernon Supp.1991). The schedule reads as follows:
DATE ORDERED TO PAY APPLIED TO REGULAR ARREARS
SUPPORT
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10-15-1988 $250.00 00 00 $250.00
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11- 1-1988 250.00 00 00 250.00
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12- 1-1988 250.00 00 00 250.00
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1- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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2- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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3- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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4- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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5- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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6- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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7- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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8- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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9- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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10- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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11- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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12- 1-1989 250.00 00 00 250.00
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1- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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2- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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3- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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4- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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5- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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6- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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11- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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12- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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1- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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2- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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3- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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4- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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7- 1-1990 250.00 00 00 250.00
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Total: $7,000.00 00 00 $7,000.00
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Respondent concedes that at least one of the entries on this schedule (7-1-1990) is incorrect. On September 3, 1991, relator sought leave to file this petition for writ of habeas corpus. This court granted relator's petition on September 6, 1991, and released relator on personal recognizance.
For a contempt proceeding to be subject to collateral attack by a habeas corpus petition, it must be void, not merely voidable or erroneous. Ex parte Barnett, 600 S.W.2d 252, 254 (Tex.1980) (citations omitted); Ex parte Filemyr, 509 S.W.2d 731, 734 (Tex.Civ.App.--Austin 1974, orig. proceeding); Ex Parte Rhodes, 163 Tex. 31, 352 S.W.2d 249, 250 (1962). A commitment order is void if the trial court is without jurisdiction or because it deprived relator of his liberty without due process of law. Ex parte Barnett, supra, at 254 (citations omitted). To grant the petition for habeas corpus, relator must prove the order of contempt is void on its face or so completely without evidentiary support as to render it void. See Ex parte Davila, 718 S.W.2d 281, 282 (Tex.1986) (citing Ex parte Bethurum, 153 Tex. 563, 272 S.W.2d 85 (1954); See also Ex parte White, 154 Tex. 126, 274 S.W.2d 542 (1955)) (contempt order without support in the evidence is void and may be set aside); Ex parte Butler, 523 S.W.2d 309, 311 (Tex.Civ.App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1975, original proceeding) (citing Ex Parte Henderson, 512 S.W.2d 37 (Tex.Civ.App.--El Paso 1974,...
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