Final answer:
About D)two-thirds of the cases handled by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals are related to mandatory reviews of sentencing and direct death penalty appeals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The caseload of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals consists predominantly of cases involving mandatory review of sentencing and direct appeals in death penalty cases.
Specifically, about two-thirds of its cases involve these mandatory reviews and appeals. This high volume is reflective of the state's use of the death penalty, as outlined in the Jurek v.
Texas ruling which acknowledged the constitutionality of Texas's death penalty statute. Texas has a significant number of death penalty cases due in part to historical and cultural factors influencing its legal system.