This document explains the basic operation of the capital punishment system in Texas. It begins with the crime, and then includes a trial, incarceration, an appeals process, some final appeals, and finishes with the execution itself.
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Appeal
After the trial in district court, there are appeals. The first stage of appeals is the direct appeals stage, and the first appeal of that stage is always to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in the state. Every death penalty case is automatically sent to the Court of Criminal Appeals, even if the defendant wishes to waive his appeals.