in the Interest of T.N.J., a Child

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: January 4, 2023
• Docket: 13-22-00553-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

NUMBER 13-22-00553-CV

COURT OF APPEALS

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS

CORPUS CHRISTI – EDINBURG

IN THE INTEREST OF T.N.J., A CHILD

On appeal from the 25th District Court of Gonzales County, Texas.

ORDER

Before Justices Benavides, Tijerina, and Peña Order Per Curiam

This is an appeal of a final order terminating parental rights. Appellant K.D.J. has

filed a first motion for extension of time to file a brief. Appellant’s brief was due on January

3, 2023. Appellant has requested a twenty-day extension to file a brief.

Appeals in parental termination and child protection cases are governed by the

rules of appellate procedure for accelerated appeals but include additional expedited

deadlines and procedures. See TEX. R. APP. P. 28.4; TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). The intermediate appellate courts are directed to ensure “as far as reasonably possible” that

these appeals are brought to final disposition within 180 days of the date the notice of

appeal is filed. TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). Given the nature of these cases and the

shortened appellate deadlines, it is the policy of this Court to limit extensions of time to

file a brief in such cases to one ten-day extension of time absent truly extraordinary

circumstances. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(d).

This Court, having fully examined and considered appellant’s motion is of the

opinion that, in the interest of justice, appellant’s first motion for extension of time to file a

brief should be granted in part with order. The Court, however, requires strict adherence

to the briefing rules in appeals of parental termination cases, such as this appeal, and

looks with disfavor upon the delay caused by such extension requests. See TEX. R. APP.

P. 38.6; see also id. at R. 28.4.

The Court grants in part appellant’s first motion for extension of time insofar as the

Court will extend appellant’s deadline to file the brief for ten (10) days, and we deny in

part appellant’s motion insofar as he requests a twenty-day extension of time to file the

brief. It is therefore ORDERED that Appellant’s brief is due on or before Friday, January

13, 2023. Further motions for extension of time will not be favorably entertained by this

Court, absent extraordinary circumstances.

PER CURIAM

Delivered and filed on the 4th day of January, 2023.