The Texas Court of Appeals recently ruled on the case of Trevor Dallas Blankenship, who faced two misdemeanor convictions for unlawful carrying of a weapon and driving while intoxicated (DWI). The court's decision, delivered on June 18, 2026, affects Blankenship's sentences and the related fines and fees imposed by the trial court.
Blankenship's case began when he pleaded guilty to the two misdemeanors and was placed in the Veterans Treatment Court. After being removed from the program, the trial court sentenced him to one year of confinement in the Tarrant County Jail for each offense. Blankenship subsequently appealed the trial court's decision, prompting the review by the Texas Court of Appeals.
The parties involved in this case are Trevor Dallas Blankenship, the appellant, and the State of Texas, the appellee. Blankenship's appeal reached the Texas Court of Appeals after he was sentenced in the County Criminal Court No. 7 in Tarrant County. His appointed appellate counsel filed a motion to withdraw, claiming that there were no non-frivolous issues to raise in the appeal, which is a standard procedure in such cases.
In the court's ruling, Justice Wade Birdwell stated that after reviewing the appellate records, the court agreed with the appointed counsel's assessment. The court found that the appeals were "wholly frivolous and without merit," except for a few minor errors in the judgments. The court noted, "We delete the $100 fine assessed in the judgment in trial court number 1784261, the DWI case, because it was not orally pronounced." Additionally, the court addressed reimbursement fees and court costs that were improperly assessed.
Specifically, the court removed a $2 reimbursement fee from each judgment, citing that there was no basis for these fees as no payments had been received by the county clerk's office. The court also clarified that in cases involving multiple offenses, court costs should only be assessed once against the defendant. Therefore, the court deleted the $270 in court costs from one of the judgments, affirming the other judgment as modified.
The impact of this ruling is significant for Blankenship, as it modifies the financial penalties associated with his convictions. The court's decision clarifies the handling of fines and fees in misdemeanor cases, particularly when multiple offenses are involved. This ruling may provide guidance for future cases involving similar circumstances, ensuring that defendants are not unfairly burdened by duplicate costs.
Moving forward, this ruling sets a precedent for how courts should assess fines and fees in cases with multiple convictions. It emphasizes the importance of proper legal procedures in pronouncing sentences and assessing costs. This decision may also affect other defendants in Texas who find themselves in similar situations regarding fines and fees.
As for what’s next for Blankenship, he has the option to appeal this decision to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, should he choose to pursue further legal action. There are no related cases currently pending that were mentioned in the court's opinion.