What did the court decide?

The court dismissed the appeal because the defendant pleaded guilty under a plea agreement, received the agreed sentence, and the trial court certified the defendant had no right to appeal.

Who is affected by this decision?

Appellant Bobbie Hall Wooldridge is affected because his appeal is dismissed; the State's conviction and sentence remain in place.

Could Wooldridge appeal this judgment later?

Not on the current grounds without the trial court's permission or a statute allowing the appeal; he could seek other post-conviction remedies if applicable, such as habeas corpus, depending on circumstances.

Why does a plea bargain limit appeals?

Under Texas procedure, entering a plea bargain and receiving the agreed punishment generally waives the right to appeal except for specific, narrow exceptions to promote finality and reflect the parties' agreement.

Bobbie Hall Wooldridge v. the State of Texas

Docket 11-26-00090-CR

Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research

Criminal AppealDismissed

Filed: Apr 9, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Jurisdiction: Texas
Court: Texas Court of Appeals, 11th District (Eastland)
Type: Lead Opinion
Case type: Criminal Appeal
Disposition: Dismissed
Docket: 11-26-00090-CR

Appeal from a conviction and sentence entered following a guilty plea pursuant to a negotiated plea bargain in a third-degree felony possession-of-methamphetamine case

Summary

The Court dismissed Bobbie Hall Wooldridge’s appeal of a guilty plea conviction for possession of methamphetamine because the trial court certified this was a plea-bargain case in which Wooldridge had no right to appeal. Wooldridge pleaded guilty pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement and received the agreed three-year sentence. The appellate court found no statutory or procedural basis to continue the appeal, noting the certification was signed by the defendant, defense counsel, and the judge, and that the record supported the certification.

Issues Decided

Whether a defendant who pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea bargain and received the agreed punishment has a right to appeal without the trial court's permission or a statute expressly allowing the appeal
Whether the trial court's certification that the case is a plea-bargain case and that the defendant has no right of appeal is supported by the record

Court's Reasoning

Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 25.2(a)(2) limits appeals in plea-bargain cases to narrow circumstances: pretrial motions ruled on, the trial court's permission, or an express statutory authorization. The record showed Wooldridge entered a plea bargain and received the agreed sentence, and the trial court certified that he had no right to appeal. The certification was signed by the defendant, his counsel, and the judge, and the appellate record supported that certification, so the court dismissed the appeal.

Authorities Cited

TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a)(2), (d)
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 44.02
Dears v. State154 S.W.3d 610 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005)
Chavez v. State183 S.W.3d 675 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006)
Cooper v. State45 S.W.3d 77 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001)

Parties

Appellant: Bobbie Hall Wooldridge
Appellee: The State of Texas
Judge: W. Stacy Trotter

Key Dates

Opinion filed: 2026-04-09

What You Should Do Next

1
Consult criminal defense counsel
Discuss possible post-conviction options such as filing an application for writ of habeas corpus or, if appropriate, seeking the trial court's permission to file a delayed appeal or other relief.
2
Review trial record and plea paperwork
Have counsel examine the plea agreement, certification, and trial transcripts for any preserved pretrial motions or procedural defects that could support relief.
3
Consider time limits for collateral relief
If pursuing habeas or other post-conviction remedies, promptly determine and meet statutory deadlines to avoid forfeiture of claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the court decide?: The court dismissed the appeal because the defendant pleaded guilty under a plea agreement, received the agreed sentence, and the trial court certified the defendant had no right to appeal.
Who is affected by this decision?: Appellant Bobbie Hall Wooldridge is affected because his appeal is dismissed; the State's conviction and sentence remain in place.
Could Wooldridge appeal this judgment later?: Not on the current grounds without the trial court's permission or a statute allowing the appeal; he could seek other post-conviction remedies if applicable, such as habeas corpus, depending on circumstances.
Why does a plea bargain limit appeals?: Under Texas procedure, entering a plea bargain and receiving the agreed punishment generally waives the right to appeal except for specific, narrow exceptions to promote finality and reflect the parties' agreement.

The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.

Full Filing Text

Opinion filed April 9, 2026

In The

Eleventh Court of Appeals
___________

No. 11-26-00090-CR
___________

BOBBIE HALL WOOLDRIDGE, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 42nd District Court
Taylor County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 31714-A

MEMORANDUM OPINION
Appellant, Bobbie Hall Wooldridge, pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony
offense of possession of methamphetamine. See TEX. HEALTH & SAFETY CODE ANN.
§ 481.115(c) (West Supp. 2025). Pursuant to a negotiated plea bargain agreement
between Appellant and the State, the trial court sentenced Appellant to imprisonment
in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for three
years. Appellant filed a pro se notice of appeal from the trial court’s judgment. We
dismiss the appeal.
When this appeal was docketed, we notified Appellant that the trial court had
certified that this is a plea bargain case in which Appellant has no right of appeal.
See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a)(2), (d); see also TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 44.02
(West 2018). In our letter, we requested that Appellant’s counsel respond and show
grounds to continue the appeal. Appellant’s counsel responded and confirmed that
“there do[es] not appear to be any grounds to continue this appeal.”
Rule 25.2(a)(2) provides that, in a plea bargain case in which the punishment
imposed does not exceed the punishment agreed to by the parties, “a defendant may
appeal only: (A) those matters that were raised by written motion filed and ruled on
before trial, (B) after getting the trial court’s permission to appeal, or (C) where the
specific appeal is expressly authorized by statute.” TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a)(2); see
also CRIM. PROC. art. 44.02. Subsections (A), (B), and (C) are not applicable here.
Further, Rule 25.2 does not permit a plea-bargaining defendant to appeal matters
related to the voluntariness of his plea unless the defendant has obtained the trial
court’s permission to appeal. See Cooper v. State, 45 S.W.3d 77, 83 (Tex. Crim.
App. 2001); Carender v. State, 155 S.W.3d 929, 931 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2005, no
pet.).
The documents on file show that Appellant entered into a plea bargain
agreement, and the trial court assessed his punishment in accordance with the
parties’ agreement. Further, the trial court certified that this case is a plea bargain
case, and that Appellant has no right of appeal. The trial court’s certification was
signed by Appellant, Appellant’s trial counsel, and the presiding judge. The
documents on file in this court support the trial court’s certification. See Dears v.
State, 154 S.W.3d 610, 613–14 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005). Accordingly, we must

2
dismiss this appeal without further action. TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(d); Chavez v. State,
183 S.W.3d 675, 680 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006).
This appeal is dismissed.

W. STACY TROTTER
JUSTICE

April 9, 2026
Do not publish. See TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).
Panel consists of: Bailey, C.J.,
Trotter, J., and Williams, J.