Vern William Scott v. State Texas

Appellant was indicted for the offense of forgery. See V.T.C.A. Penal Code, § 32.21(a)(1)(b). He pled guilty before a Dallas County District Court magistrate. The district court judge pronounced appellant guilty, and sentenced him to ten years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections and a $5,000.00 fine. On appeal to the Dallas Court of Appeals, appellants conviction was reversed and remanded for a new trial. We granted the States petition for discretionary review to determine whether the Dallas Court of Appeals was correct holding that the magistrate lacked the statutory authority to preside over the hearing at which the guilty plea was accepted because the plea was not negotiated within the meaning of Article 1918c, V.A.C.S.