Ex parte Sampson
Ex parte Sampson
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
This is an application for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to Art. 11.07, V.A.C.C.P. Applicant was convicted of forgery. He now contends his indictment was fundamentally defective for failure to allege that the purported maker of the forged instrument did not authorize applicant’s act.
Applicant relies upon cases which arose under the present penal code, but the instant case arises under the former penal code, Art. 996, which denounced forgery by passing.
Forgery cases which arise under V.A. T.S., Penal Code, Sec. 32.21 require an allegation that the purported maker did not authorize the act, Landry v. State, 583 S.W.2d 620, 626-27 (Opinion on Rehearing 1979). Those arising under former code Art. 979, which denounced forgery by making, required the allegation that the act was without lawful authority, Smith v. State, 282 S.W.2d 876, 162 Tex.Cr.R. 132
We decline to make retroactive the merger of the various species of forgery accomplished by the enactment of the current penal code. The relief sought is denied.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.