Abatement Order filed February 23, 2012. 

In The

 

Fourteenth Court of Appeals

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NO. 14-11-00653-CR

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LESLIE FOSTER, Appellant

V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 176th District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 1311757

ABATEMENT ORDER

Appellant is represented by appointed counsel, Jules Laird. On January 30, 2012, time 

to file appellant’s brief expired without a brief and no motion for extension of time was filed. 

See Tex. R. App. P. 38.6(a). Counsel and the trial court were notified on February 3, 2012, that 

no brief had been received. No response from appellant has been received.

Pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 38.8(b) (a copy of which is attached) the judge of the 176th 

District Court shall (1) immediately conduct a hearing, at which appellant, appellant’s counsel, 

and state’s counsel shall participate, either in person or by video teleconference, to determine (a) 
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whether appellant desires to prosecute his appeal; (b) whether appellant is indigent; (c) if not 

indigent, whether appellant has abandoned the appeal or whether appellant has failed to make 

necessary arrangements for filing a brief; (d) the reason for the failure to file a brief; (e) if 

appellant desires to continue the appeal, a date certain when appellant’s brief will be filed; and 

(2) prepare a record, in the form of a reporter’s record, of the hearing. If appellant is indigent, 

the judge shall take such measures as may be necessary to assure effective representation of 

counsel, which may include the appointment of new counsel. The judge shall see that a record of 

the hearing is made, shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and shall order the trial 

clerk to forward a transcribed record of the hearing, a videotape or compact disc, if any, 

containing a recording of the video teleconference, and a supplemental clerk’s record containing 

the findings and conclusions. Those records shall be filed with the clerk of this court on or 

before March 23, 2012.

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 trial court’s 

findings and recommendations are filed in this Court. The Court will also consider an 

appropriate motion to reinstate the appeal filed by either party, or the Court may reinstate the 

appeal on its own motion. It is the responsibility of any party seeking reinstatement to request a 

hearing date from the trial court and to schedule a hearing in compliance with this Court’s order. 

If the parties do not request a hearing, the court coordinator of the trial court shall set a hearing 

date and notify the parties of such date.

PER CURIAM
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RULE 38. REQUISITES OF BRIEFS

Tex. R. App. P. 38.8. Failure of Appellant to File Brief. 

(b) Criminal Cases.

(1) Effect. An appellant=s failure to timely file a brief does not authorize either 

dismissal of the appeal or, except as provided in (4), consideration of the appeal without briefs.

(2) Notice. If the appellant=s brief is not timely filed, the appellate clerk must 

notify counsel for the parties and the trial court of that fact. If the appellate court does not 

receive a satisfactory response within ten days, the court must order the trial court to 

immediately conduct a hearing to determine whether the appellant desires to prosecute his 

appeal, whether the appellant is indigent, or, if not indigent, whether retained counsel has 

abandoned the appeal, and to make appropriate findings and recommendations.

(3) Hearing. In accordance with (2), the trial court must conduct any necessary 

hearings, make appropriate findings and recommendations, and have a record of the proceedings 

prepared, which recordCincluding any order and findingsCmust be sent to the appellate court.

(4) Appellate Court Action. Based on the trial court=s record, the appellate court 

may act appropriately to ensure that the appellant=s rights are protected, including initiating 

contempt proceedings against appellant=s counsel. If the trial court has found that the appellant 

no longer desires to prosecute the appeal, or that the appellant is not indigent but has not made 

the necessary arrangements for filing a brief, the appellate court may consider the appeal without 

briefs, as justice may require.