In Re Michael C. Engelhart v. the State of Texas

Petition for Writ of Mandamus Denied and Memorandum Opinion filed
January 9, 2024.

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals

NO. 14-24-00015-CV

IN RE MICHAEL C. ENGELHART, Relator

ORIGINAL PROCEEDING
WRIT OF MANDAMUS
Chair of the Harris County Democratic Party
Harris County, Texas

MEMORANDUM OPINION

On Monday, January 8, 2024, relator Michael C. Engelhart filed a petition
for writ of mandamus in this court. See Tex. Elec. Code §§ 273.061–.063; see also
Tex. R. App. P. 52. In the petition, relator asks this court to compel respondent
Michael Patrick Doyle, Chair of the Harris County Democratic Party, to reject
Erica Roche Hughes’s application and remove her name from the ballot for the
151st Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas. Alternatively, relator
requests that the court “instruct respondent to: reexamine Engelhart’s Challenge
under a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard; properly review the ‘content’ of
Hughes’s petition; and reject signatures proven to be invalid.”

Because there are contested issues of fact that must be resolved after a
hearing on the merits, relator has not established that he is entitled to mandamus
relief. See In re Angelini, 186 S.W.3d 558, 559 (Tex. 2006). Accordingly, we deny
relator’s petition for writ of mandamus. Additionally, all pending motions are
denied as moot.

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Justices Wise, Jewell, and Wilson.

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