Abatement Order filed February 14, 2013

.

In The 

## Fourteenth Court of Appeals

____________ NO. 14

- 12

- 00643

- CR

____________ CHRISTOPHER WASHINGT ON , Appellant

V. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 248th District Court

Harris County, Texa s 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 c ourt were notified on October 12 , 2012, th at 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 de termine why appellant’s brief had not been filed.2

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 fil e 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 des ires 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 bri ef; (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 for ward 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 th is
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 the3

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 CURIAM4 R ULE 38. REQ UISITES 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 ma ke 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 record

C including any order and findings

C must 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 proceeding s 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 conside r the appeal without briefs, as justice may require.