Opinion
04-21-00281-CV
09-14-2021
IN THE INTEREST OF Z.M.M., A CHILD
From the 25th Judicial District Court, Guadalupe County, Texas Trial Court No. 20-0370-CV-A Honorable Thomas Nathaniel Stuckey, Judge Presiding
ORDER
Beth Watkins, Justice.
Appellant appeals the trial court's termination of his parental rights. Appellant's court-appointed attorney has filed a brief and motion to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 US. 738 (1967), in which he asserts there are no meritorious issues to raise on appeal. Counsel certifies he served copies of the brief and motion on appellant, informed appellant of his right to review the record and file his own brief, and provided appellant with a form for requesting the record and explained to appellant the procedure for obtaining the record. See Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313, 319 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014); In re P.M., 520 S W.3d 24, 27 n.10 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam) (applying Anders procedures in appeal from order terminating parental rights). As of the date of this order, appellant has not filed the record-request motion provided to him by his counsel.
If appellant desires to file a pro se brief, we ORDER that he do so by October 4, 2021. At this time the State has filed a notice waiving its right to file a brief in this case unless appellant files a pro se brief. If appellant files a timely pro se brief, the State may file a responsive brief no later than twenty days after appellant's pro se brief is filed in this court.
We further ORDER the motion to withdraw filed by appellant's counsel held in abeyance pending further order of the court.