Court Opinion

ID: 4069634
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-30 00:43:51.05315+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:02:29.964046
License: Public Domain

Order entered May 20, 2015

                                              In The
                                  Court of Appeals
                           Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                      No. 05-14-01606-CR
                                      No. 05-14-01607-CR
                                      No. 05-14-01608-CR

                                    JOE LEWIS, Appellant

                                                V.

                              THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

                       On Appeal from the Criminal District Court No. 6
                                    Dallas County, Texas
                Trial Court Cause Nos. F13-41242-X, F13-41243-X, F13-41244-X

                                            ORDER
       The reporter’s record is overdue in these appeals. We also note that the trial court’s

certification of appellant’s right to appeal in each case is incomplete because none of the boxes is

checked.

       Accordingly, we ORDER the trial court to prepare certifications of appellant’s right to

appeal for these cases that accurately reflect the trial court proceedings. See TEX. R. APP. P.

25.2(a), (d); Cortez v. State, 420 S.W.3d 803 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013).

       We further ORDER the trial court to make findings of fact regarding whether appellant

has been deprived of the reporter’s record because of ineffective counsel, indigence, or for any

other reason.
      The trial court shall first determine whether appellant desires to prosecute the appeals. If
       the trial court determines that appellant does not desire to prosecute the appeals, it shall
       make a finding to that effect.

      If the trial court determines that appellant desires to prosecute the appeals, it shall next
       determine whether appellant is indigent and entitled to proceed without payment of costs
       for the reporter’s record. If appellant is entitled to proceed without payment of costs, the
       trial court shall make a finding to that effect. Moreover, if appellant is indigent, the trial
       court is ORDERED to take such measures as may be necessary to assure effective
       representation, which may include appointment of new counsel. If the trial court finds
       appellant is not indigent, it shall determine whether retained counsel has abandoned the
       appeals.

      The trial court shall next determine: (1) the name and address of each court reporter who
       recorded the proceedings in this cause; (2) the court reporter’s explanation for the delay
       in filing the reporter’s record; and (3) the earliest date by which the reporter’s record can
       be filed.

       We ORDER the trial court to transmit a record, containing the written findings of fact,

any supporting documentation, and any orders, to this Court within THIRTY DAYS of the date

of this order.   We further ORDER that the supplemental record contain the trial court’s

completed certifications of appellant’s right to appeal.

       The appeals are ABATED to allow the trial court to comply with this order. The appeals

shall be reinstated thirty days from the date of this order or when the findings are received,

whichever is earlier.

                                                      /s/    ADA BROWN
                                                             JUSTICE