Raymon Steffani Lawrence v. State

• Court: Texas Supreme Court
• Decided: June 8, 2018
• Docket: 05-17-01178-CR
• Status: Published

Opinion

Order entered June 8, 2018

In The Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-17-01177-CR No. 05-17-01178-CR

RAYMON STEFFANI LAWRENCE, Appellant

V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 291st Judicial District Court Dallas County, Texas Trial Court Cause Nos. F16-20873-U, F17-00600-U

ORDER Before the Court is appellant’s June 6, 2018 third motion to extend the time to file

appellant’s brief. Appellant’s motion is DENIED.

We ORDER the trial court to conduct a hearing to determine why appellant’s brief has

not been filed. In this regard, the trial court shall make appropriate findings and

recommendations and determine whether appellant desires to prosecute the appeals, whether

appellant is indigent, or if not indigent, whether retained counsel has abandoned the appeal. See

TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b). If the trial court cannot obtain appellant’s presence at the hearing, the

trial court shall conduct the hearing in appellant’s absence. See Meza v. State, 742 S.W.2d 708

(Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 1987, no pet.) (per curiam). If appellant is indigent, the trial court is ORDERED to take such measures as may be necessary to assure effective representation, which

may include appointment of new counsel.

We ORDER the trial court to transmit a record of the proceedings, which shall include

written findings and recommendations, to this Court within THIRTY DAYS of the date of this

order.

This appeal is ABATED to allow the trial court to comply with the above order. The

appeals shall be reinstated thirty days from the date of this order or when the findings are

received, whichever is earlier.

/s/ CRAIG STODDART JUSTICE