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In The

Court of Appeals

Ninth District of Texas at Beaumont

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NO. 09-23-00141-CV

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IN THE INTEREST OF A.C.

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On Appeal from the 317th District Court

Jefferson County, Texas

Trial Cause No. C-241,267

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MEMORANDUM OPINION 

Following a trial to the bench, the trial court terminated Mother’s 

relationship with A.C., whom we will call Anna, their eighteen-monthold child.1 After the trial court signed the order terminating Anna’s 

relationship with her Mother, Mother filed her notice of appeal.2

1We have used pseudonyms to protect the identity of the minor. See

Tex. R. App. P. 9.8(a), (b). The trial court signed an interlocutory order 

that terminated Father’s parent-child relationship with Anna three 

months before the trial to the bench when Father failed to appear after 

being “duly and properly notified” by the Department of Family and 

Protective Services of the suit. 

2While Father didn’t appeal from the interlocutory order the trial 

court signed when it terminated his parental rights to Anna based on his 
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As to Mother, in its final order states the trial found by clear and 

convincing evidence “that Mother has knowingly placed or allowed 

[Anna] to remain in conditions that endangered her well-being and

engaged in conduct or knowingly placed [Anna] with persons who 

engaged in conduct which endanger[ed Anna’s] physical or emotional 

well-being[.]”3 The trial court also found that terminating the parentchild relationship between Mother and Anna is in Anna’s best interest.4

On appeal, Mother’s court-appointed attorney filed a brief. The 

brief provides the Court with a professional evaluation of the record. 

According to Mother’s brief, no arguable grounds exist to support 

Mother’s appeal.5 Mother’s attorney also provided the Court with a letter 

that she represents she sent to Mother upon filing the brief. The 

attorney’s letter says that the attorney provided Mother with a copy of 

failure to appear in response to the Department’s suit, we note the order 

the trial court signed terminating Mother’s rights in May 2023 contains 

language of finality. Thus, Father had the right to appeal from the trial 

court’s May 2023 order terminating Mother’s rights, as it denies all relief 

“not expressly granted[.]”

3See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 161.001(b)(1)(D), (E).

4Id. § 161.001(b)(2). 5See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967); In the Interest of 

L.D.T., 161 S.W.3d 728, 731 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2005, no pet.).
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the letter, the brief, the Reporter’s Record, and the Clerk’s Record that 

were filed in her appeal.

After receiving the Anders brief, the Clerk of the Ninth Court of 

Appeals notified Mother she had until September 21, 2023, to file a pro 

se response with the court. Yet the appellate record shows that Mother 

did not file a response after the Court sent her this notice.

We have independently reviewed the appellate record. Based on 

that review, we find Mother’s appeal is frivolous. Accordingly, we need 

not appoint another attorney to re-brief the appeal.6

Accordingly, the trial court’s final order is

AFFIRMED.

HOLLIS HORTON

Justice

Submitted on October 12, 2023

Opinion Delivered October 19, 2023

Before Horton, Johnson and Wright, JJ.

6Cf. Stafford v. State, 813 S.W.2d 503, 511 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991).