Court Opinion

ID: 9950045
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-13 10:21:37.533184+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:35:06.523329
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                                                                                         05-24-00098-CV
                                                                                                                               FIFTH COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                                                                                         DALLAS, TEXAS
Appellate Docket Number: 05-24-00098-CV                                                                                               2/12/2024 11:58 AM
                                                                                                                                          RUBEN MORIN
     Appellate Case Style: In the Interest of R.H., A Child                                                                                       CLERK
                      Vs.
Companion
  Case(s):
Amended/Corrected Statement                                                                    FILED IN
                                                                                        5th COURT OF APPEALS
                                    DOCKETING STATEMENT (Civil) DALLAS, TEXAS
                                       Appellate Court: 5th Court of Appeals            2/12/2024 11:58:32 AM
                      (to be filed in the court of appeals upon perfection of appeal under TRAP   32)Morin
                                                                                              Ruben
                                                                                                 Clerk
NOTE: Because space for additional parties / attorneys is limited on this form, you can include the information on a separate document. As per TRAP
32.1DQG, please include party’s name and the name, address, HPDLODGGUHVVtelephone number, fax number, if any, and State Bar Number of the
party’s lead counsel. If the party is not represented by an attorney, that party’s name, address, telephone number, fax number should be provided.

I. Appellant                                                              II. Appellant Attorney(s) - Continued
       Person     Organization                                                Lead Attorney                     Select

Name: S.D..                                                               Name:
        Pro Se                                                            Bar No.
If Pro Se Party, enter the following information:                         Firm Name:
Address:                                                                  Address 1:
City/State/Zip:                                                           Address 2:
Tel.                      Ext.           Fax:                             City/State/Zip:
Email:                                                                    Tel.                       Ext.           Fax:
II. Appellant Attorney(s)                                                 Email:
   Lead Attorney                    Appointed                                                                   Select
                                                                              Lead Attorney
Name: April E. Smith                                                      Name:
Bar No. 18532800
                                                                          Bar No.
Firm Name:
                                                                          Firm Name:
Address 1: P.O. Box 870550
                                                                          Address 1:
Address 2:
                                                                          Address 2:
City/State/Zip: Mesquite, TX 75187
                                                                          City/State/Zip:
Tel. (972) 613-5751       Ext.           Fax: (972) 686-4714
                                                                          Tel.                       Ext.           Fax:
Email: april@aesmithlaw.com
                                                                          Email:
   Lead Attorney                     Select                                                                     Select
                                                                              Lead Attorney
Name:
                                                                          Name:
Bar No.
                                                                          Bar No.
Firm Name:
                                                                          Firm Name:
Address 1:
                                                                          Address 1:
Address 2:
                                                                          Address 2:
City/State/Zip:
                                                                          City/State/Zip:
Tel.                      Ext.           Fax:
                                                                          Tel.                       Ext.           Fax:
Email:
                                                                          Email:

                                                                  Page 1 of 10
III. Appellee                                                      IV. Appellee Attorney(s) - Continued
       Person     Organization                                        Lead Attorney          Select
Name: Appellee                                                     Name:
        Pro Se                                                     Bar No.
If Pro Se Party, enter the following information:                  Firm Name:
Address:                                                           Address 1:
City/State/Zip:                                                    Address 2:
Tel.                    Ext.         Fax:                          City/State/Zip:
Email:                                                             Tel.               Ext.       Fax:
IV. Appellee Attorney(s)                                           Email:
   Lead Attorney                 District/County Attorney
Name: John Creuzot                                                    Lead Attorney          Select

Bar No. 05069200                                                   Name:
Firm Name:                                                         Bar No.
Address 1: 133 N. Riverfront Blvd.                                 Firm Name:
Address 2: LB-19                                                   Address 1:
City/State/Zip: Dallas, TX 75207                                   Address 2:
Tel. (214) 653-3600     Ext.         Fax: (214) 653-3643           City/State/Zip:
Email: dcdaappeals@dallascounty.org                                Tel.               Ext.       Fax:
                                                                   Email:
   Lead Attorney                 Select
Name:                                                                 Lead Attorney          Select
Bar No.                                                            Name:
Firm Name:                                                         Bar No.
Address 1:                                                         Firm Name:
Address 2:                                                         Address 1:
City/State/Zip:                                                    Address 2:
Tel.                    Ext.         Fax:                          Tel.               Ext.       Fax:
Email:                                                             Fax:
                                                                   Email:

                                                            Page 2 of 10
V. Perfection of Appeal, Judgment and Sentencing
Nature of Case (Subject matter or type of case): Termination
Date Order or Judgment signed: 01/16/2024                         Type of Judgment: Bench Trial
Date Notice of Appeal filed in Trial Court: 01/29/2024
    If mailed to the Trial Court clerk, also give the date mailed:
Interlocutory appeal of appealable order:            Yes        No
     If yes, please specify statutory or other basis on which interlocutory order is appealable (See TRAP 28):

Accelerated Appeal (See TRAP 28):              Yes         No
    If yes, please specify statutory or other basis on which appeal is accelerated:
         Termination of Parental Rights

Parental Termination or Child Protection? (See TRAP 28.4):                   Yes           No
Permissive? (See TRAP 28.3):          Yes        No
    If yes, please specify statutory or other basis for such status:

Agreed? (See TRAP 28.2):           Yes      No
    If yes, please specify statutory or other basis for such status:

Appeal should receive precedence, preference, or priority under statute or rule?                Yes   No
    If yes, please specify statutory or other basis for such status:
         Termination of Parental Rights

Does this case involve an amount under $100,000?                         Yes          No
Judgment or Order disposes of all parties and issues?                    Yes          No
Appeal from final judgment?                                              Yes          No
Does the appeal involve the constitutionality or the validity of a statute, rule, or ordinance?        Yes   No

VI. Actions Extending Time To Perfect Appeal
Motion for New Trial:                    Yes     No             If yes, date filed:
Motion to Modify Judgment:               Yes     No             If yes, date filed:
Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law:
                                         Yes     No             If yes, date filed:
Motion to Reinstate:                     Yes     No             If yes, date filed:
Motion under TRCP 306a:                  Yes     No             If yes, date filed:
Other:                                   Yes     No
    If Other, please specify:

                                                                Page 3 of 10
VII. Indigency of Party (Attach file stamped copy of Statement and copy of the trial court order.)
Was Statement of Inability to Pay Court Costs filed in the trial court?          Yes       No
   If yes, date filed: 01/16/2024
Was a Motion Challenging the Statement filed in the trial court?                  Yes      No
   If yes, date filed:
Was there any hearing on appellant’s ability to afford court costs?               Yes      No
   Hearing Date:
Did trial court sign an order under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145?            Yes      No
   Date of Order:
   If yes, trial court finding:     Challenge Sustained     Overruled

VIII. Bankruptcy
Has any party to the court’s judgment filed for protection in bankruptcy which might affect this appeal?
        Yes      No
   If yes, please attach a copy of the petition.
   Date bankruptcy filed:
   Bankruptcy Case Number:

IX. Trial Court and Record
Court: 305th Judicial District Court                       Clerk’s Record
County: Dallas                                             Trial Court Clerk: ✔ District          County
Trial Court Docket No. (Cause No.):                        Was Clerk’s record requested?          Yes ✔ No
   JC-22-00857-X
                                                              If yes, date requested:
Trial Court Judge (who tried or disposed of the case):        If no, date it will be requested:
   Name: Cheryl Shannon
                                                           Were payment arrangements made with clerk?
   Address 1: 2600 Lone Star Drive
                                                                   Yes    No     ✔ Indigent
   Address 2:
                                                           (Note: No request required under TRAP 34.5(a),(b).)
   City/State/Zip: Dallas, TX 75212
   Tel. (214) 698-4330 Ext.            Fax:
   Email:

                                                    Page 4 of 10
IX. Trial Court and Record - Continued
Reporter’s or Recorder’s Record
Is there a Reporter’s Record?           Yes      No
Was Reporter’s Record requested?               Yes    No
         If yes, date requested:
         If no, date it will be requested
Was the Reporter’s Record electronically recorded?          Yes        No
Were payment arrangements made with the court reporter/court recorder?             Yes       No       Indigent

   Court Reporter           Court Recorder                        Court Reporter          Court Recorder
   Official                 Substitute                            Official                Substitute
Name: Arturo Neria, Jr.                                       Name:
Address 1: 2600 Lone Star Dr.                                 Address 1:
Address 2:                                                    Address 2:
City/State/Zip: Dallas, TX 75212                              City/State/Zip:
Tel. (214) 698-4951 Ext.           Fax:                       Tel.                 Ext.        Fax:
Email:                                                        Email:

X. Supersedeas Bond
Supersedeas bond filed?        Yes        No
   If yes, date filed:
   If no, will file?     Yes       No

XI. Extraordinary Relief
Will you request extraordinary relief (e.g., temporary or ancillary relief) from this Court?      Yes      No
   If yes, briefly state the basis for your request:

                                                       Page 5 of 10
XII. Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation
     (Complete section if filing in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 13th, or 14th Court of Appeals.)
Should this appeal be referred to mediation?     Yes       No
    If no, please specify:
Has this case been through an ADR procedure?         Yes        No
    If yes, who was the mediator? Unknown
    What type of ADR procedure? Mediation
    At what stage did the case go through ADR?          Pre-Trial    Post-Trial    Other
        If other, please specify:
Type of Case? Termination
    Give a brief description of the issue to be raised on appeal, the relief sought, and the applicable standard for review, if
    known (without prejudice to the right to raise additional issues or request additional relief):

    whether the parent's rights should have been termination or he/she was not named managing conservator

How was the case disposed of? Trial
Summary of relief granted, including amount of money judgment, and if any, damages awarded.
    If money judgment, what was the amount? Actual damages:
    Punitive (or similar) damages:
    Attorney’s fees (trial):
    Attorney’s fees (appellate):
    Other:
       If other, please specify:
Will you challenge this Court’s jurisdiction?     Yes      No
Does judgment have language that one or more parties “take nothing”?         Yes      No
Does judgment have a Mother Hubbard clause?          Yes        No
Other basis for finality:

                                                           Page 6 of 10
XII. Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation - Continued
     (Complete section if filing in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 13th, or 14th Court of Appeals.)
Rate the complexity of the case (use 1 for least and 5 for most complex):              1      2    3     4     5
Please make my answer to the preceding questions known to other parties in this case?                  Yes         No
Can the parties agree on an appellate mediator?           Yes       No
    If yes, please give the name, address, telephone, fax, and email address:
    Name:
    Address:
    Telephone:                             Ext.
    Fax:
    Email:
Languages other than English in which the mediator should be proficient:

Name of the person filling out mediation section of docketing statement:

XIII. Related Matters
List any pending or past related appeals before this, or any other Texas Appellate Court, by Court, Docket, and Style.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.
Court: Select Appellate Court                               Docket:
Style:
  Vs.

                                                          Page 7 of 10
XIV. Pro Bono Program:
     (Complete section if filing in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 13th or 14th Court of Appeals.)
The Courts of Appeals listed above, in conjunction with the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Pro Bono Committee
and local Bar Associations, are conducting a program to place a limited number of civil appeals with appellate counsel
who will represent the appellant in the appeal before this Court.
The Pro Bono Committee is solely responsible for screening and selecting the civil cases for inclusion in the Program
based upon a number of discretionary criteria, including the financial means of the appellant or appellee. If a case is
selected by the Committee, and can be matched with appellate counsel, that counsel will take over representation of the
appellant or appellee without charging legal fees. More information regarding this program can be found in the Pro Bono
Program Pamphlet available in paper form at the Clerk's Office or on the Internet at http://www.tex-app.org. If your case
is selected and matched with a volunteer lawyer, you will receive a letter from the Pro Bono Committee within thirty (30)
to forty-five (45) days after submitting this Docketing Statement.
Note: there is no guarantee that if you submit your case for possible inclusion in the Pro Bono Program, the Pro Bono
Committee will select your case and that pro bono counsel can be found to represent you. Accordingly, you should not
forego seeking other counsel to represent you in this proceeding. By signing your name below, you are authorizing the
Pro Bono committee to transmit publicly available facts and information about your case, including parties and
background, through selected Internet sites and Listserv to its pool of volunteer appellate attorneys.
Do you want this case to be considered for inclusion in the Pro Bono Program?       Yes     No
Do you authorize the Pro Bono Committee to contact your trial counsel of record in this matter to answer questions the
committee may have regarding the appeal?   Yes     No
Please note that any such conversations would be maintained as confidential by the Pro Bono Committee and the
information used solely for the purposes of considering the case for inclusion in the Pro Bono Program.
If you have not previously filed a Statement of Inability to Pay Court Costs and attached a file-stamped copy of that
Statement, does your income exceed 200% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty
Guidelines?    Yes     No
These guidelines can be found in the Pro Bono Program Pamphlet as well as on the internet at
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/06poverty.shtml.
Are you willing to disclose your financial circumstances to the Pro Bono Committee?       Yes      No
    If yes, please attach a Statement of Inability to Pay Court Costs completed and executed by the appellant or appellee.
    Sample forms may be found in the Clerk's Office or on the internet at http://www.tex-app.org. Your participation in
    the Pro Bono Program may be conditioned upon your execution of a Statement under oath as to your financial
    circumstances.

Give a brief description of the issues to be raised on appeal, the relief sought, and the applicable standard of review, if
known (without prejudice to the right to raise additional issues or request additional relief; use a separate attachment, if
necessary).

                                                        Page 8 of 10
XV. Signature
                                                                       02/12/2024
Signature of counsel (or Pro Se Party)                                Date
April E. Smith                                                         18532800
Printed Name                                                          State Bar No.
/s/ April E. Smith                                                     April E. Smith
Electronic Signature (Optional)                                       Name

XVI. Certificate of Service
The undersigned counsel certifies that this Docketing Statement has been served on the following lead counsel for all
parties to the Trial Court’s Order or Judgment as follows on:
                                                                       /s/ April E. Smith
Signature of counsel (or Pro Se Party)                                Electronic Signature (Optional)

18532800
State Bar No.

Certificate of Service Requirements (TRAP 9.5(e)): A certificate of service must be signed by the person who made the service and
must state:
                                   (1) the date and manner of service;
                                   (2) the name and address of each person served, and
                                   (3) if the person served is a party’s attorney, the name of the party represented by the attorney.

                                                            Page 9 of 10
Please enter the following for each person served:
Date Served: 02/12/2024                                           Date Served:
Manner Served: Select                                             Manner Served: Select
Name: John Creuzot                                                Name:
Bar No. 05069200                                                  Bar No.
Firm Name:                                                        Firm Name:
Address 1: 133 N. Riverfront Blvd.                                Address 1:
Address 2: LB-19                                                  Address 2:
City/State/Zip: Dallas, TX 75207                                  City/State/Zip:
Tel. (214) 653-3600   Ext.           Fax: (214) 653-3643          Tel.                    Ext.   Fax:
Email: dcdaappeals@dallascounty.org                               Email:
Party: Appellee                                                   Party: Appellee

Date Served:                                                      Date Served:
Manner Served: Select                                             Manner Served: Select
Name:                                                             Name:
Bar No.                                                           Bar No.
Firm Name:                                                        Firm Name:
Address 1:                                                        Address 1:
Address 2:                                                        Address 2:
City/State/Zip:                                                   City/State/Zip:
Tel.                  Ext.           Fax:                         Tel.                    Ext.   Fax:
Email:                                                            Email:
Party: Appellee                                                   Party: Appellee

Date Served:
Manner Served: Select
Name:
Bar No.
Firm Name:
Address 1:
Address 2:
City/State/Zip:
Tel.                  Ext.           Fax:
Email:
Party: Appellee

                                                           Page 10 of 10
                         Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

April Smith on behalf of April Elaine Smith
Bar No. 18532800
april@aesmithlaw.com
Envelope ID: 84400169
Filing Code Description: Docketing Statement
Filing Description: Docketing Statement
Status as of 2/12/2024 1:59 PM CST

Associated Case Party: SarahDean

Name            BarNumber       Email                     TimestampSubmitted       Status

April E.Smith                   april@aesmithlaw.com 2/12/2024 11:58:32 AM         SENT

Associated Case Party: Dallas County DA's Office

Name                                          BarNumber   Email                          TimestampSubmitted      Status

Dallas County DA's Office Appellate Divsion               dcdaappeals@dallascounty.org   2/12/2024 11:58:32 AM   SENT