Jaime Casas Juarez, Jr., Appellant v. the State of Texas

Summary

The Court held that the confession and avoidance doctrine applies to Texas's necessity defense, requiring a defendant to admit both the act and the culpable mental state to receive a jury instruction. Because Juarez's testimony admitted both elements, the trial judge erred in refusing the instruction; the Court affirmed the Court of Appeals and remanded for a new trial with the proper instruction.