Opinion
No. 05-18-00139-CR No. 05-18-00141-CR
02-14-2018
DENNIS EARL SIMS, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the County Criminal Court of Appeals No. 2 Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. MA16-14174-M & MA16-14175-M
ORDER
Appellant timely filed his pro se notice of appeal February 5, 2018.
We ORDER the trial court to conduct a hearing to determine whether appellant is entitled to court-appointed counsel in this appeal. If the trial court finds that appellant is entitled to court-appointed counsel, we ORDER the trial court to appoint an attorney to represent appellant in the appeal. If the trial court finds that appellant is not entitled to court-appointed counsel, the trial court shall determine whether appellant will retain counsel to represent him in the appeal and, if so, the name, State Bar number, and contact information for retained counsel.
We ORDER the trial court to transmit a record of the hearing, including findings of fact, any orders, and any supporting documentation, to this Court within THIRTY DAYS of the date of this order. We further ORDER that the supplemental clerk's record contain the trial court's completed certification of appellant's right to appeal in this case. See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a), (d).
We ABATE the appeal to allow the trial court to comply with the order. The appeal will be reinstated thirty days from the date of this order or when the findings are received, whichever is earlier.
/s/ CRAIG STODDART
JUSTICE