Opinion
NO. 14-15-00190-CV
06-02-2015
CHRISTINE REULE, Appellant v. JOHN R. BELUS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 190th District Court Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 2014-37325
ABATEMENT ORDER
Marijane Stomberg, the court reporter has notified this court that a portion of the reporter's record has been lost or destroyed. She notified the court on May 26, 2015 that her "computer crashed in the Houston storm," and she has been unable to repair it, and is unable to retrieve the record of "a short status conference." Rule 34.6(f) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure provides that an appellant is entitled to a new trial when the reporter's record or exhibits are lost, under the following circumstances:
(1) if the appellant timely requested a reporter's record;Tex. R. App. P. 34.6(f).
(2) if, without the appellant's fault, a significant exhibit or a significant portion of the court reporter's notes and records has been lost or destroyed;
(3) if the lost, destroyed, or inaudible portion of the reporter's record, or the lost or destroyed exhibit, is necessary to the appeal's resolution; and
(4) if the lost, destroyed or inaudible portion of the reporter's record cannot be replaced by agreement of the parties, or the lost or destroyed exhibit cannot be replaced either by agreement of the parties or with a copy determined by the trial court to accurately duplicate with reasonable certainty the original exhibit.
Accordingly, the trial court is directed to conduct a hearing to determine the following: (1) whether appellant timely requested a reporter's record; (2) whether without the appellant's fault, a significant portion of the record have been lost or destroyed; (3) whether the portion of the record is necessary to appellant's appeal; and (4) whether the parties can agree on replacement of the missing record, or (5) if the trial court can determine that the missing portion of the reporter's record can be replaced by agreement. The court is directed to reduce its findings to writing and to have a supplemental clerk's record containing those findings filed with the clerk of this court, together with a reporter's record from the hearing, within 30 days of the date of this order.
The appeal is abated, treated as a closed case, and removed from this court's active docket. The appeal will be reinstated on this court's active docket when the trial court's findings and recommendations are filed in this court. The court will also consider an appropriate motion to reinstate the appeal filed by either party, or the court may reinstate the appeal on its own motion. It is the responsibility of any party seeking reinstatement to request a hearing date from the trial court and to schedule a hearing in compliance with this court's order. If the parties do not request a hearing, the court coordinator of the trial court shall set a hearing date and notify the parties of such date.
PER CURIAM