Do I need to object at trial to preserve issues for appeal in Texas?
This question has been addressed in 2 Texas court opinions:
Bonilla v. Texas
COA14 — February 3, 2026
In Bonilla v. State, the Fourteenth Court of Appeals addressed discrepancies between an oral sentencing and a written criminal judgment involving charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault. The appellant’s written judgment included a $100 fine not pronounced in court and failed to note the submission of a victim impact statement. Applying Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 43.2(b), the court analyzed the record and held that oral pronouncements control over written orders. The court modified the judgment to delete the unauthorized fine and reform the record to accurately reflect the statutory citations and the victim's participation, ensuring the record "speaks the truth."
Litigation Takeaway
“A criminal judgment is a critical piece of evidence in family law; practitioners must verify that written judgments accurately reflect oral pronouncements and victim participation. Clerical errors, such as omitting a victim impact statement, can be weaponized by an opposing party to minimize a history of abuse during custody or divorce litigation, but such errors are reformable on appeal or via a motion nunc pro tunc.”
Martinez v. State
COA01 — February 24, 2026
In Martinez v. State, a defendant appealed his 50-year sentence, arguing that the trial court violated his constitutional rights by failing to appoint a Spanish-language interpreter despite a specific request for a "translation" during his adjudication hearing. The First Court of Appeals analyzed the "totality of the record," observing that the defendant had previously demonstrated functional English proficiency during his initial plea hearing, where he engaged in English colloquies and confirmed he could read and write the language "a little bit." Applying the abuse-of-discretion standard, the court held that a trial court is not required to provide the "best" interpretive services, but rather "constitutionally adequate" ones; because the record showed the defendant understood English "well enough" to participate in the proceedings and assist his counsel, no due process violation occurred.
Litigation Takeaway
“To defeat a tactical mid-trial request for an interpreter—or to preserve the right to one—practitioners must document a party's English proficiency early in the case through discovery of English-language texts, emails, and prior hearing transcripts, as Texas courts only require a litigant to understand English "well enough" to satisfy due process.”