Court Opinion

ID: 2987700
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-23 00:54:36.753702+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:46:26.062602
License: Public Domain

Abatement Order filed February 14, 2013.

                                        In The

                     Fourteenth Court of Appeals
                                    ____________

                               NO. 14-12-00643-CR
                                 ____________

                  CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON, Appellant

                                         V.

                       THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

                    On Appeal from the 248th District Court
                            Harris County, Texas
                        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 court were notified on October 12, 2012, that 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 determine why
appellant’s brief had not been filed.
         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 file 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 desires 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 brief; (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 forward 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 this
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 the

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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 CURIAM

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                          RULE 38. REQUISITES 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 make 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 recordCincluding any order and findingsCmust 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 proceedings 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 consider the appeal without briefs, as justice may require.

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