Court Opinion

ID: 9893690
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-30 04:15:57.192286+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:04:03.575667
License: Public Domain

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
                         OF TEXAS
                                        NO. WR-94,714-01

                        EX PARTE DEREK STEVE BANKS, Applicant

                ON APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS
               CAUSE NO. 18-2491-K26 A IN THE 26TH DISTRICT COURT
                          FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY

       Per curiam. SLAUGHTER, J. filed a concurring opinion.

                                           OPINION

       Applicant was convicted of aggravated assault of a child and sentenced to 70 years’

imprisonment. He filed this application for a writ of habeas corpus in the county of conviction, and

the district clerk forwarded it to this Court. See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 11.07.

       Applicant contends that he was denied his right to an appeal through no fault of his own.

Based on the record after remand, the trial court finds that defense counsel’s usual practice of filing

a motion for new trial and a motion to withdraw, with the expectation that the trial court would

appoint appellate counsel to timely file a notice of appeal, was within the acceptable standard of

practice before the court. In this case, however, counsel’s practice broke down. The court states that

Applicant lost his opportunity to appeal due to a misunderstanding of the electronic filing process.
                                                                                                      2

The trial court concludes that Applicant desired to appeal his conviction and sentence but was denied

the right to appeal through no fault of his own.

        Relief is granted. Ex parte Riley, 193 S.W.3d 900, 902 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006). Applicant

may file an out-of-time appeal of his conviction in cause number 18-2491-K26 from the 26th District

Court of Williamson County. It appears that Applicant is represented by counsel. If Applicant is not

represented by counsel, then within ten days from the date of this Court’s mandate the trial court

shall determine whether Applicant is indigent. If Applicant is indigent and wants to be represented

by counsel, the trial court shall appoint counsel to represent him on direct appeal. Should Applicant

decide to appeal, he must file a written notice of appeal in the trial court within thirty days from the

date of this Court’s mandate.

        Copies of this opinion shall be sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice–Correctional

Institutions Division and the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Delivered: October 25, 2023

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