Court Opinion

ID: 9368829
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-07 12:09:10.553487+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:11.034186
License: Public Domain

Fourth Court of Appeals
                                       San Antonio, Texas
                                             February 2, 2023

                                           No. 04-22-00391-CR

                                         Juan Antonio RIVERA,
                                               Appellant

                                                     v.

                                          The STATE of Texas,
                                                Appellee

                    From the 379th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas
                                  Trial Court No. 2019CR11753
                             Honorable Ron Rangel, Judge Presiding

                                              ORDER
        After appellant’s new counsel was appointed, appellant’s brief was due December 7,
2022; however, neither the brief nor a motion for extension of time was filed. On December 8,
2022, the clerk of this court notified appellant’s counsel, Karl A. Basile, of the deficiency. The
letter required a response by December 19, 2022. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b)(2). We did not
receive a response from counsel and the brief was not filed. Thereafter, on January 6, 2023, we
ordered appellant’s counsel to file the brief by January 17, 2023. Counsel has not filed either a
brief or a motion for extension of time.
         Therefore, pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 38.8(b)(2), we abate this case
to the trial court and order the trial court to conduct a hearing to answer the following questions:
               1.        Does appellant desire to prosecute his appeal?

               2.        Is appellant indigent?

                    a.      If appellant is indigent, the trial court shall take such measures as may
                          be necessary to assure the effective assistance of counsel, which may
                          include the appointment of new counsel.

                    b.       If the trial court finds that appellant is not indigent, the trial court should
                          determine whether appellant has made the necessary arrangements for
                          filing a brief.
               3.     Has appointed or retained counsel abandoned the appeal? Because initiating
                    contempt proceedings against appellant’s counsel may be necessary, the trial
                    court should address this issue even if new counsel is retained or substituted
                    before the date of the hearing. See Tex. R. App. P. 38.8 (b)(4).

        The trial court may, in its discretion, receive evidence on the first two questions by sworn
affidavit from appellant. The trial court shall, however, order appellant’s counsel to be present at
the hearing.
        We order the trial court to file its written findings of fact and conclusions of law with the
trial court clerk no later than March 6, 2023. We order the trial court clerk to file a
supplemental clerk’s record in this court no later than March 14, 2023. We further order the
court reporter to file in this court a supplemental reporter’s record of the hearing, along with
copies of any documentary evidence admitted, no later than twenty days after the date of the
hearing.

                                                      _________________________________
                                                      Luz Elena D. Chapa, Justice

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said
court on this 2nd day of February, 2023.

                                                      ___________________________________
                                                      MICHAEL A. CRUZ, Clerk of Court