In Re Bryant L Woods v. the State of Texas

Opinion issued March 26, 2026

In The

Court of Appeals
For The

First District of Texas
————————————
NO. 01-26-00210-CR
———————————
IN RE BRYANT L. WOODS, Relator

Original Proceeding on Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Relator Bryant L. Woods, incarcerated and proceeding pro se, has filed an

application for a writ of habeas corpus in this Court. See TEX. GOV’T CODE

§ 22.221; see also TEX. R. APP. P. 52. In his petition, relator asks this court to

discharge him from custody because he is being illegally restrained.

The courts of appeal have no original habeas-corpus jurisdiction in criminal

matters. In re Ayers, 515 S.W.3d 356, 356 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2016,

orig. proceeding) (citing TEX. GOV’T CODE § 22.221(d)). Original jurisdiction to
grant a writ of habeas corpus in a criminal case is vested in the Texas Court of

Criminal Appeals, the district courts, the county courts, or a judge in those courts.

Id. (citing TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 11.05). In his application, relator has not

alleged that he filed an application for writ of habeas corpus in the trial court.

Because relator is seeking direct relief from this Court, we lack original habeas

corpus jurisdiction over relator’s complaints. See Ayers, 515 S.W.3d at 356.

Accordingly, relator’s petition is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.1

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Chief Justice Adams and Justices Guerra and Guiney.

Do not publish. See TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).

1
The underlying case is State of Texas v. Bryant L. Woods, cause number 1777024,
pending in the 262nd District Court of Harris County, Texas, the Honorable Lori
Chambers Gray presiding.
2