Texas Cases May 03, 2024: In re Wernick

Case Description

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Original Proceeding from Dallas County, Texas

Before Justices Reichek, Goldstein, and Kennedy

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BONNIE LEE GOLDSTEIN, JUSTICE

Before the Court is relator's May 3, 2024 Emergency Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Injunction. Relator seeks mandamus and injunctive relief against Matt Rinaldi, in his official capacity as Chair, Texas Republican Party and Recount Coordinator, HD 108; Jennifer Stoddard-Hajdu, in her official capacity as Chair, Dallas County Republican Party, Recount Supervisor and Presiding Officer; and Heider Garcia, in his official capacity as Elections Administrator, Dallas County.

We do not have jurisdiction to grant any sort of writ other than a writ of mandamus in an original proceeding under the election code. See TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 22.221(A); In re Meyer , No. 05-16-00063-CV, 2016 WL 375033, at *5-*6 (Tex. App.-Dallas Feb. 1, 2016, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.) ("A suit for injunctive relief in an appropriate trial court is the proper avenue for relief if a person

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is in danger of being harmed by a threatened violation of the election code."). Thus, to the extent relator seeks a writ of injunction, we dismiss the petition for want of jurisdiction.

The Texas elections code grants this Court limited jurisdiction to consider a petition for writ of mandamus to "compel the performance of any duty imposed by law in connection with the holding of an election . . . regardless of whether the person responsible for performing the duty is a public officer." Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 273.061(a); see also In re Claire , No. 05-22-00018-CV, 2022 WL 71868, at *1 (Tex. App.-Dallas Jan. 7, 2022, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.). To the extent relator requests mandamus relief, we conclude that relator failed to show his entitlement to the relief requested and thus deny the petition for writ of mandamus.