C OURT OF A PPEALS FOR THE
F IRST D ISTRICT OF T EXAS AT H OUSTON

O RDER

Appellate case name: Ashford Smith v. The State of Texas

Appellate case number: 01

- 19

- 00 936

- CR

Trial court case number: 1 520594

Trial court: 209 th District Court of Harris County

The complete record was filed in this appeal on February 12 , 20 20

. Appellant’s
brief, therefore, was due on Ma rch 13 , 20 20

. See T EX

. R. A PP

. P . 38.6(a). On Ma rch 17

, 20 20 , the Clerk of this Court notified appellant that the time for filing his brief had expired and, unless the Court received a motion for an extension of time, with appellant’s brief, or a motion for an extension of time to file appellant’s brief within ten days of the date of the

notice , the Court would be required to order the trial court to conduct a hearing pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 38.8. See T EX

. R. A PP

. P. 38.8(b)(2), (3); see also id. 10.5(b). Appellant has not filed a brief, a mo tion for an extension of time, or otherwise responded to this Court’s notice.

Accordingly, we abate the appeal and remand for the trial court to immediately conduct a hearing at which a representative of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and ap pellant’s appointed counsel, Daniel J. Werlinger , shall be present. T EX

. R. A PP . P. 38.8(b)(2). Appellant shall also be present for the hearing in person or, if he is incarcerated, at the trial court’s discretion, he may participate in the hearing by clo sed

- circuit video teleconferencing. 1

The trial court is directed to:

(1) determine whether appellant wishes to prosecute the appeal; (2) if appellant wishes to prosecute the appeal, determine whether good cause

1 Any such teleconference must use a closed

- circuit video teleconferencing system that provides for a simultaneous compressed full motion video and interactive communication of image and sound between the trial court, appellant, and any attorneys representin g the State or appellant. On his request, appellant and his counsel shall be able to communicate privately without being recorded or heard by the trial court or the State’s attorney.exists to relieve Daniel J. Werlinger of his duties as appellant’s counsel;

(3) if good cause exists, enter a written order relieving Daniel J. Werlinger of his duties as appellant’s counsel, including in the order the basis for and finding of good cause, and appoint substitute appellate counsel at no expense to appellant; (4) if good cause does not exist, set a date when appellant’s brief is due, regardless o f whether this Court has yet reinstated the appeal and no later than 30 days from the date of the hearing; (5) make any other findings and recommendations the trial court deems appropriate; and (6) enter written findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommenda tions as

to these issues.

See T EX

. C ODE C RIM

. P ROC

. A NN . art. 1.051(a), (c), (d)(1), 26.04(j)(2) (West Supp. 2017);

T EX

. R. A PP

. P. 38.8(b).

The trial court shall have a court reporter record the hearing and file the reporter’s

record with this Court within 30 days of the date of this order. The trial court clerk is directed to file a supplemental clerk’s record containing the trial court’s findings and recommendations and any orders with this Court within 30 days of the date of this order

. The appe al is abated, treated as a closed case, and removed from this Court’s active

docket. The court coordinator of the trial court shall set a hearing date and notify the parties

and the Clerk of this Court of such date.

It is so ORDERED.

Judge’s signature:

_____ /s/ Ev elyn V. Keyes

______  Acting individually  Acting for the Court

Date: ____ May 5, 2020

___