COURT OF APPEALS

REBECA C. MARTINEZ

 CHIEF JUSTICE

PATRICIA O. ALVAREZ

LUZ ELENA D. CHAPA

IRENE RIOS

BETH WATKINS

LIZA A. RODRIGUEZ

LORI I. VALENZUELA

 JUSTICES

FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT

CADENA-REEVES JUSTICE CENTER 

300 DOLOROSA, SUITE 3200

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78205-3037

WWW.TXCOURTS.GOV/4THCOA.ASPX

MICHAEL A. CRUZ, 

CLERK OF COURT

TELEPHONE

(210) 335-2635

FACSIMILE NO.

(210) 335-2762

January 28, 2022

Audrey E. Manriquez

Department of Family and Protective 

Services

300 Dolorosa, 5th Floor

San Antonio, TX 78205

* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *

Georgina Escobedo

123 Fridell Street

San Antonio, TX 78237

* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL & 

POSTAL *

M. Cecilia Hellrung

Attorney at Law

2600 McCullough Avenue

San Antonio, TX 78212

* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *

Jay Brandon

Assistant District Attorney

Paul Elizondo Tower

101 W. Nueva, 3rd Floor

San Antonio, TX 78205

* DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL *

RE: Court of Appeals Number: 04-21-00502-CV

Trial Court Case Number: 2020PA01973

Style: In the Interest of N.J.E. Jr., N.J.E., E.M.E., and E.J.E.

 

Enclosed please find the order which the Honorable Court of Appeals has 

issued in reference to the above styled and numbered cause.

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Very truly yours,

MICHAEL A. CRUZ, Clerk of 

Court

_____________________________

Veronica L. Gonzalez

Deputy Clerk, Ext. 5-3220

cc: Joe D. Gonzales (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)

Ryan G. Anderson (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)

Shawn Sheffield (DELIVERED VIA E-MAIL)

Fourth Court of Appeals

San Antonio, Texas

January 28, 2022

No. 04-21-00502-CV

IN THE INTEREST OF N.J.E. JR., N.J.E., E.M.E., AND E.J.E.,

From the 150th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas

Trial Court No. 2020PA01973

Honorable Kimberly Burley, Judge Presiding

O R D E R

Appellant G.E. appeals the trial court’s termination of his parental rights. Appellant’s 

court-appointed attorney has filed a brief and motion to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. 

California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), in which she asserts there are no meritorious issues to raise on 

appeal. We have held that in parental-termination appeals, a procedure akin to Anders is 

necessary to best protect the statutory right to counsel on appeal, to provide a procedural 

mechanism for counsel to fulfill her ethical obligations, to assist the court in deciding appeals, 

and to provide consistent procedures for all indigent litigants. In re R.R., No. 04-03-00096-CV, 

2003 WL 21157944, at *4 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2003, no pet.); see In re P.M., 520 S.W.3d 

24, 27 n.10 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam) (applying Anders procedures in appeal from order

terminating parental rights). In compliance with the procedure set out in Anders, appellant’s 

attorney has shown that she sent a letter to appellant, which explained his right to review the 

record and file a pro se brief. See Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014); In re 

A.L.H., No. 04-18-00153-CV, 2018 WL 3861695, at *2 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Aug. 15, 

2018, no pet.); In re R.R., 2003 WL 21157944, at *4. In the letter to appellant, counsel stated that 

she had enclosed copies of the brief and motion to withdraw. See Kelly, 436 S.W.3d at 313; In re 

A.L.H., 2018 WL 3861695, at *2; In re R.R., 2003 WL 21157944, at *4. 

Counsel also enclosed a copy of a form motion for access to the appellate record. See 

Kelly, 436 S.W.3d at 313; In re A.L.H., 2018 WL 3861695, at *2; In re R.R., 2003 WL 

21157944, at *4. If appellant wishes to review the appellate record, she must file a motion within 

ten days from the date of this order. 

Further, if appellant desires to file a pro se brief, we ORDER that she do so on or before 

February 17, 2022. If appellant files a pro se brief, appellee may file a responsive brief no later 

than twenty days after the date appellant’s pro se brief is filed in this court. We ORDER the 

motion to withdraw, filed by appellant’s counsel, to be HELD IN ABEYANCE pending further 

order of the court.
_________________________________

Liza A. Rodriguez, Justice

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said 

court on this 28th day of January, 2022.

___________________________________

MICHAEL A. CRUZ, Clerk of Court

MINUTES

Court of Appeals

Fourth Court of Appeals District

San Antonio, Texas

January 28, 2022

No. 04-21-00502-CV

IN THE INTEREST OF N.J.E. JR., N.J.E., E.M.E., AND E.J.E.,

From the 150th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas

Trial Court No. 2020PA01973

Honorable Kimberly Burley, Judge Presiding

O R D E R

Appellant G.E. appeals the trial court’s termination of his parental rights. Appellant’s 

court-appointed attorney has filed a brief and motion to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. 

California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), in which she asserts there are no meritorious issues to raise on 

appeal. We have held that in parental-termination appeals, a procedure akin to Anders is 

necessary to best protect the statutory right to counsel on appeal, to provide a procedural 

mechanism for counsel to fulfill her ethical obligations, to assist the court in deciding appeals, 

and to provide consistent procedures for all indigent litigants. In re R.R., No. 04-03-00096-CV, 

2003 WL 21157944, at *4 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2003, no pet.); see In re P.M., 520 S.W.3d 

24, 27 n.10 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam) (applying Anders procedures in appeal from order

terminating parental rights). In compliance with the procedure set out in Anders, appellant’s 

attorney has shown that she sent a letter to appellant, which explained his right to review the 

record and file a pro se brief. See Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014); In re 

A.L.H., No. 04-18-00153-CV, 2018 WL 3861695, at *2 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Aug. 15, 

2018, no pet.); In re R.R., 2003 WL 21157944, at *4. In the letter to appellant, counsel stated that 

she had enclosed copies of the brief and motion to withdraw. See Kelly, 436 S.W.3d at 313; In re 

A.L.H., 2018 WL 3861695, at *2; In re R.R., 2003 WL 21157944, at *4. 

Counsel also enclosed a copy of a form motion for access to the appellate record. See 

Kelly, 436 S.W.3d at 313; In re A.L.H., 2018 WL 3861695, at *2; In re R.R., 2003 WL 

21157944, at *4. If appellant wishes to review the appellate record, she must file a motion within 

ten days from the date of this order. 

Further, if appellant desires to file a pro se brief, we ORDER that she do so on or before 

February 17, 2022. If appellant files a pro se brief, appellee may file a responsive brief no later 

than twenty days after the date appellant’s pro se brief is filed in this court. We ORDER the 

motion to withdraw, filed by appellant’s counsel, to be HELD IN ABEYANCE pending further 

order of the court.

/s/ Liza A. Rodriguez

Liza A. Rodriguez, Justice

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said 

court on this 28th day of January, 2022.
/s/ Michael A. Cruz

MICHAEL A. CRUZ, Clerk of Court

Entered this 28th day of January, 2022. Vol _Page_