Sergio Reyes v. State

Opinion

NUMBER 13-17-00035-CR

COURT OF APPEALS

THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS

CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG

SERGIO REYES, Appellant,

v.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee.

On appeal from the 331st District Court of Travis County, Texas.

ORDER OF ABATEMENT Before Chief Justice Valdez and Justices Contreras and Benavides Order Per Curiam

Appellant’s brief was originally due on September 1, 2017. 1 On December 7,

2017, this Court granted appellant’s fourth motion for extension of time and directed

1 This case is before the Court on transfer from the Third Court of Appeals in Austin pursuant to a

docket equalization order issued by the Supreme Court of Texas. See TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 73.001 (West, Westlaw through 2015 R.S.). appellant to file the brief on or before December 19, 2017. On December 21, 2017, the

Clerk of the Court notified appellant’s counsel that the brief had not been filed and

requested a response concerning the failure to file the brief within ten days. Counsel

has nevertheless failed to file an appellate brief in this matter.

Accordingly, we now ABATE this appeal and REMAND the cause to the trial court

for further proceedings pursuant to Rule 38.8(b)(2) and (3) of the Texas Rules of Appellate

Procedure. Upon remand, the trial court shall utilize whatever means necessary to make

appropriate findings and recommendations concerning the following: (1) whether

appellant desires to prosecute this appeal; (2) why appellant's counsel has failed to file a

brief and whether counsel has effectively abandoned the appeal; (3) whether appellant

has been denied effective assistance of counsel; (4) whether appellant's counsel should

be removed; and (5) whether appellant is indigent and entitled to court-appointed counsel.

If the trial court determines that appellant does want to continue the appeal, that

present counsel should be removed, and that appellant is indigent and entitled to

court-appointed counsel, the trial court shall appoint new counsel to represent appellant

in this appeal. If new counsel is appointed, the name, address, email address, telephone

number, and state bar number of said counsel shall be included in an order appointing

counsel.

The trial court shall cause its findings and recommendations, together with any

orders it may enter regarding the aforementioned issues, to be included in a supplemental

clerk's record. Furthermore, the trial court shall cause a supplemental reporter's record

of any proceedings to be prepared. The supplemental clerk's record and supplemental

2 reporter's record, if any, shall be filed with the Clerk of this Court on or before the

expiration of thirty days from the date of this order.

It is so ORDERED.

PER CURIAM

Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).

Delivered and filed the 25th day of January, 2018.