Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - CRIM P Art. 42.14. In Absence of Defendant

(a) In a misdemeanor case, the judgment and sentence may be rendered in the absence of the defendant.

(b) In a felony case, the judgment and sentence may be rendered in the absence of the defendant only if:

(c) A judgment and sentence may be rendered under this article in the absence of the defendant only after the defendant is notified by the court of original jurisdiction of the right to counsel and the defendant requests counsel or waives the right to counsel in accordance with Article 1.051.

(d) In this article, “deadly weapon” and “penal institution” have the meanings assigned by Section 1.07, Penal Code.

(e) If a defendant enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere under Article 27.19, the attorney representing the state may request at the time the plea is entered that the defendant submit a fingerprint of the defendant suitable for attachment to the judgment. On request for a fingerprint under this subsection, the county in which the defendant is confined shall obtain a fingerprint of the defendant and use first-class mail or other means acceptable to the attorney representing the state and the county to forward the fingerprint to the court accepting the plea.