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COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE

FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON

ORDER

Appellate case name: Johnny Diaz v. The State of Texas

Appellate case number: 01-18-00636-CR

Trial court case number: 1442380

Trial court: 178th District Court of Harris County

The complete record has been filed in the above-referenced appeal. Appellant’s 

appointed counsel, Natalie L. Schultz, has not filed a brief on appellant’s behalf. On April 

25, 2019, the Clerk of the Court notified appellant that if a brief was not filed by May 15, 

2019, the case will be abated. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b)(2). Appellant did not respond 

to our notice.

We therefore 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 

appellant’s counsel, Natalie L. Schultz, shall be present. TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b)(2). 

Appellant shall also be present for the hearing in person or, if appellant is incarcerated, at 

the trial court’s discretion, appellant may participate in the hearing by closed-circuit video 

teleconferencing.1

The trial court is directed to:

(1) determine whether appellant wishes to prosecute the appeal; 

 

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 representing the State or appellant. On request of appellant, appellant and 

his counsel shall be able to communicate privately without being recorded or heard 

by the trial court or the attorney representing the State.
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(2) if appellant does wish to prosecute the appeal, determine whether good cause 

exists to relieve Natalie L. Schultz of her duties as appellant’s counsel; 

(3) if good cause exists, enter a written order relieving Natalie L. Schultz of her

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 certain when appellant’s brief is due, 

regardless of 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 recommendations as to 

these issues, separate and apart from any docket sheet notations.

See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 1.051(a), (c), (d)(1), 26.04(j)(2); TEX. R. APP. 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 40 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 with this Court within 40 days of the date of this order. If the hearing is 

conducted by video teleconference, a certified video recording of the hearing shall also be 

filed in this Court within 40 days of the date of this order. 

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

docket. The appeal will be reinstated on this Court’s active docket when the supplemental 

clerk’s record and the reporter’s record of the hearing are filed in this Court. 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/ Sherry Radack____

  Acting individually  Acting for the Court

Date: __August 13, 2019__