Court Opinion

ID: 9370587
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-14 12:09:04.956272+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:22.490766
License: Public Domain

Fourth Court of Appeals
                                   San Antonio, Texas
                                        February 13, 2023

                                       No. 04-22-00729-CR

                                    James Joshua GRIFFIN,
                                           Appellant

                                                 v.

                                      The STATE of Texas,
                                            Appellee

                  From the 290th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas
                                Trial Court No. 2019CR11589
                           Honorable Jennifer Pena, Judge Presiding

                                         ORDER
        Appellant James Joshua Griffin entered into a plea bargain with the State pursuant to
which he pleaded no contest to injury to a child. The trial court deferred adjudication of guilt
and placed appellant on community supervision. The trial court initially signed a certificate
stating this “is a plea-bargain case, but matters were raised by written motion filed and ruled on
before trial and not withdrawn or waived, and the defendant has the right of appeal.” See TEX. R.
APP. P. 25.2(a)(2). Appellant filed a notice of appeal, and the district clerk filed a copy of the
clerk’s record, which includes the trial court’s Rule 25.2(a)(2) certification. See id. R. 25.2(d).
On February 10, 2023, the district clerk filed a copy of a supplemental clerk’s record, which
includes a new Rule 25.2(a)(2) certification stating that this “is a plea bargain case, and the
defendant has NO right of appeal.” We must dismiss an appeal “if a certification that shows the
defendant has the right of appeal has not been made part of the record.” Id.

         Here, the clerk’s record establishes the punishment assessed by the trial court does not
exceed the punishment recommended by the prosecutor and agreed to by the defendant. See id.
R. 25.2(a)(2). The record also supports the trial court’s certification that appellant does not have
a right to appeal. See Dears v. State, 154 S.W.3d 610 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (holding that court
of appeals should review clerk’s record to determine whether trial court’s certification is
accurate).

       Accordingly, appellant is given notice that this appeal will be dismissed pursuant to Rule
25.2(d) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure unless an amended certification showing that
appellant has the right to appeal is made part of the appellate record by March 15, 2023. See
TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(d), 37.1; Daniels v. State, 110 S.W.3d 174 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2003,
order), disp. on merits, No. 04-03-00176-CR, 2003 WL 21508347 (July 2, 2003, pet. ref’d) (not
designated for publication).

        We ORDER all appellate deadlines are suspended until further order of the court. We
further ORDER the clerk of this court to serve copies of this order on the attorneys of record and
the court reporter.

                                                    _________________________________
                                                    Beth Watkins, Justice

       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said
court on this 13th day of February, 2023.

                                                    ___________________________________
                                                    MICHAEL A. CRUZ, Clerk of Court