in the Interest of R.J.V.R., a Child

Opinion

NUMBER 13-20-00370-CV

COURT OF APPEALS

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS

CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG ____________________________________________________________

IN THE INTEREST OF R.J.V.R., A CHILD ____________________________________________________________

On appeal from the 377th District Court of Victoria County, Texas. ____________________________________________________________

MEMORANDUM OPINION Before Justices Benavides, Longoria, and Tijerina Memorandum Opinion by Justice Longoria

Appellant filed a notice of appeal on August 25, 2020, attempting to appeal an

order of termination of appellant’s parental rights entered on July 14, 2020. On August

25, 2020 and September 29, 2020, the clerk of this court informed appellant the notice of

appeal was not timely filed. The Clerk of this Court notified appellant of this defect so that

steps could be taken to correct the defect, if it could be done. See TEX. R. APP. P. 37.1,

42.3. Appellant was advised that, if the defect was not corrected within fifteen days from

the date of receipt of this notice, the appeal would be dismissed for want of jurisdiction. Appellant failed to respond to the Court’s notice. Subsequently, on October 15, 2020, this

Court abated the appeal for a determination of whether appellant had abandoned the

appeal. The trial court appointed new appellate counsel and this Court notified the newly

appointed counsel of the defect in the notice of appeal and advised counsel that, if the

defect was not corrected within ten days from the date of receipt of the notice, the appeal

would be dismissed for want of jurisdiction.

Appellant’s counsel has responded, informing this Court that the defect cannot be

cured. The Court, having considered the documents on file and appellant’s inability

correct the defect in this matter, is of the opinion that the appeal should be dismissed for

want of jurisdiction. Accordingly, the appeal is DISMISSED FOR WANT OF

JURISDICTION. See TEX. R. APP. P. 42.3(a),(c).

NORA L. LONGORIA Justice

Delivered and filed the 17th day of December, 2020.