Opinion issued November 17, 2015

In The

Court of Appeals 

For The 

First District of Texas 

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NO. 01-15-00525-CV

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IN THE INTEREST OF J.M., B.L.U., B.L.U., AND K.U., Children

On Appeal from the 314th District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Case No. 2013-05384J

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Appellant, S.P.M., challenges the trial court’s final order terminating her 

parental rights to her minor children. Appellant’s appointed counsel has filed a 

motion to withdraw and an Anders brief, asserting that the appeal is without merit 

and there are no arguable grounds for reversal. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 
2

738, 87 S. Ct. 1396 (1967). We affirm the trial court’s judgment and grant 

counsel’s motion to withdraw.

The procedures set forth in Anders are applicable to an appeal from a trial 

court’s order terminating parental rights when, as here, the appellant’s appointed 

appellate counsel concludes that there are no non-frivolous issues to assert on 

appeal. In re K.D., 127 S.W.3d 66, 67 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2003, no 

pet.). 

Counsel has filed an Anders brief in which he concludes that, after a 

thorough review of the record, appellant’s appeal of the termination of her parental 

rights is frivolous and without merit. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 

1400; In re K.D., 127 S.W.3d at 67. Counsel’s brief meets the minimum Anders

requirements by presenting a professional evaluation of the record and stating why 

there are no arguable grounds for reversal on appeal. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 

87 S. Ct. at 1400. Counsel has certified that he delivered a copy of the brief to 

appellant and has informed appellant of her right to obtain a copy of, and examine, 

the appellate record and file a response.1See In re K.D., 127 S.W.3d at 67. 

Additionally, this Court has notified appellant of her right to review the record and 

file a pro se response. Appellant has not filed a response.

 

1 Counsel subsequently notified the Clerk of this Court that, at appellant’s request, 

he sent her a copy of the appellate record.
3

When we receive an Anders brief from an appellant’s appointed attorney 

who asserts that no arguable grounds for appeal exist, we must determine that issue 

independently by conducting our own review of the entire record. Johnson v. 

Dep’t of Family & Protective Servs., No. 01-08-00749-CV, 2010 WL 5186806, at 

*1 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 23, 2010, no pet.) (mem. op.); see In re 

K.D., 127 S.W.3d at 67. We have independently reviewed the entire record and 

counsel’s Anders brief and agree with counsel’s assessment that the appeal is 

frivolous and without merit. 

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court and grant counsel’s 

motion to withdraw.2 Attorney, William M. Thursland, must immediately send 

appellant the required notice and file a copy of the notice with the Clerk of this 

Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5(c).

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Justices Higley, Huddle, and Lloyd.

 

2 Appointed counsel still has a duty to inform appellant of the result of this appeal 

and notify appellant that he may, on her own, pursue a petition for review in the 

Supreme Court of Texas. See In re K.D., 127 S.W.3d 66, 68 n.3 (Tex. App.—

Houston [1st Dist.] 2003, no pet.).