Wendall B. House, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas affirmed the conviction and sentence for voluntary manslaughter, holding that a violation of Texas Disciplinary Rule 3.08 does not require reversal of a conviction unless the defendant demonstrates actual prejudice or a denial of a fair trial. The Court declined to decide whether the State actually violated the rule, deeming that issue within the State Bar's domain. The decision was accompanied by a concurrence in part/dissent in part and a separate concurrence, both of which critiqued the majority's reliance on an actual‑prejudice standard.