Abatement Order filed February 14, 2013. 

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals

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NO. 14-12-00643-CR

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CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON, Appellant

V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 248th District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 1301887

ABATEMENT ORDER

Appellant is represented by appointed counsel, Emily Munoz-De Toto. On 

October 8, 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 October 12, 2012, that no brief had been received. 

Appellant filed no response. Accordingly, on November 8, 2012, this court abated 

the appeal and directed the trial court to conduct a hearing to determine why 

appellant’s brief had not been filed.
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On November 15, 2012, appellant filed a motion requesting an extension of 

time to file the brief. The court reinstated the appeal and granted an extension of 

time until January 22, 2013 for appellant to file his brief. No brief was filed. ). 

Counsel and the trial court were notified on January 25, 2013, that no brief had 

been received. Appellant filed no response. Accordingly, we issue the following 

order.

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

of the 248th 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) 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 15, 2013.

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 
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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.