In Re CVG

112 S.W.3d 180, 2003 WL 21299818
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 5, 2003
Docket01-01-00456-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 112 S.W.3d 180 (In Re CVG) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re CVG, 112 S.W.3d 180, 2003 WL 21299818 (Tex. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

112 S.W.3d 180 (2003)

In the Interest of C.V.G. a/k/a C.V.S., a Minor Child.

No. 01-01-00456-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (1st Dist).

June 5, 2003.

Harry Wheeler Rhodes, Houston, TX, for Appellant.

Linda A. Thompson, Houston, TX, for Intervenor.

*181 Sandra D. Hachem, Assistant County Attorney, Sallee S. Smyth, Short & Jenkins, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Appellee.

Panel consists of Justices TAFT, MIRABAL,[*] and PRICE.[**]

OPINION ON REHEARING

FRANK C. PRICE, Justice.

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS), the appellee, and Allen C. and Pamela R. Gunter, the intervenors, filed motions for rehearing. We grant the motions, withdraw our opinion of October 31, 2002, and issue this one in its stead.

Maria Carolina Vicente Garcia appeals the final judgment terminating her parental rights as to C.V.G. (a.k.a. C.V.S.). In one point of error, Garcia argues that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to enter the final order because it failed to properly grant an order extending its jurisdiction beyond the dismissal date. We affirm.

FACTS

In August 1999, Allen and Pamela Gunter became foster parents of C.V.G. On August 24, 1999, the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) filed a suit affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR), seeking to terminate Garcia's and Hector Sotelo's[1] parental rights to C.V.G. The trial court named TDPRS temporary managing conservator of C.V.G. on September 8, 1999.[2]

On July 26, 2000, TDPRS requested, by motion, an extension of the dismissal deadline, which originally was August 30, 2000. That same day, the trial court made the following entry on the docketing sheet: "continue FH and ext. of D.D. Look for placement. FH-11-13-00. Blood test on all F." On November 13, 2000, the trial court signed an order granting TDPRS's motion for extension of time and ordered that the new dismissal date was to be February 24, 2001.

On January 25, 2001, the Gunters filed their petition in intervention seeking termination of Garcia's and Sotelo's parental rights. The trial court granted the Gunters's intervention without objection from Garcia. On February 5-7, 2001, a bench trial was conducted; at its conclusion, the trial court found that Garcia's conduct had endangered C.V.G. and ordered Garcia's parental rights terminated. On February 19, 2001, the trial court entered a final judgment that terminated Garcia's parental rights and appointed TDPRS as C.V.G.'s sole managing conservator.[3]

JURISDICTION

In her sole point of error, Garcia contends that the trial court did not have jurisdiction to enter a final order. Specifically, she argues that, because the trial court did not render an extension order that included a new dismissal date prior to the first Monday following the one-year anniversary of the date the trial court rendered a temporary order appointing *182 TDPRS as temporary managing conservator, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to enter the final order.

Waiver

TDPRS argues that Garcia did not preserve error to challenge the trial court's failure to dismiss the suit under section 263.401 of the Family Code. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 263.402(b) (Vernon 2002). Specifically, it argues that, because the Legislature amended sections 263.401 and 263.402 during the pendency of this appeal, Garcia was required to move for dismissal before TDPRS presented its evidence at trial.[4]See Act of June 11, 1997, 75th Leg., R.S., ch. 600, 1997 Tex. Gen. Laws 2108, 2113, amended by Act of May 22, 2001, 77th Leg., R.S., ch. 1090, §§ 8 and 9, 2001 Tex. Gen. Laws 2395, 2396. Garcia did not make a motion to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction.

These amendments, however, do not affect Garcia's ability to bring this appeal. The enacting legislation provides: "An appeal of a final order under Subchapter E, Chapter 263, Family Code, filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the appeal was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose." Act of May 22, 2001, 77th Leg., R.S., ch. 1090, §§ 8 and 9, 2001 Tex. Gen. Laws 2395, 2396. Garcia filed her notice of appeal on March 26, 2001, and the amendments to sections 263.401 and 263.402 became effective September 1, 2001. Therefore, Garcia was not required to move for dismissal to preserve error for appeal. We conclude that Garcia's appeal is properly before this Court.

TDPRS

In her sole point of error, Garcia argues

The trial court had no jurisdiction to enter a final order after the first Monday following the anniversary of the date the court rendered a temporary order appointing Appellee as Temporary Managing Conservator, because the trial court failed to render an extension order scheduling a new date for dismissal prior to the aforesaid first anniversary.

Appellant's argument is based on section 263.401(a) of the Family Code, which provides that, unless the trial court renders a final order by the first Monday after the first anniversary of the date the trial court rendered a temporary order appointing TDPRS as temporary managing conservator in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR), the trial court shall dismiss the suit. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 263.401(a) (Vernon 2002); In re Neal, 4 S.W.3d 443, 445 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist] 1999, no pet.).

Here, the trial court rendered its temporary order appointing a temporary managing conservator on September 8, 1999. The first Monday after the first anniversary of the trial court's signing of the order was on September 11, 2000. On July 26, 2000, the trial court made an entry on the docket sheet, which we construe as a continuance of the final hearing of the case until November 13, 2000 and an extension of the dismissal date. The docket sheet does not show the newly-scheduled dismissal date. On November 13, the trial *183 court signed an order granting the extension of the dismissal date until February 24, 2001. The order stated, in part, that, "on July 26, 2000, the [trial court] considered [TDPRS's] Motion for Extension of Dismissal date."

Garcia argues that, because the new dismissal date (February 24, 2001) was not included in the docket notation, the trial court failed to properly render the order extending the dismissal date. She also argues that, because the trial court did not properly extend its jurisdiction by making the docket entry, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to enter a final order terminating Garcia's parental rights in February.

Garcia relies on In re Ruiz, 16 S.W.3d 921, 924 (Tex.App.-Waco 2000, orig. proceeding), and In re Bishop, 8 S.W.3d 412, 419 (Tex.App.-Waco 2000, orig. proceeding), in support of her argument.

In Ruiz, the court considered whether the trial court's signed docket notation constituted a rendition of final judgment by written memorandum. In re Ruiz, 16 S.W.3d at 924.

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Related

In Re Ruiz
16 S.W.3d 921 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Leach v. Brown
292 S.W.2d 329 (Texas Supreme Court, 1956)
In Re Bishop
8 S.W.3d 412 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
In Re Neal
4 S.W.3d 443 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
in the Interest of C.V.G. A/K/A C.V.S. A/K/A C.V.S.
112 S.W.3d 180 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)

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112 S.W.3d 180, 2003 WL 21299818, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-cvg-texapp-2003.