Opinion
04-24-00579-CV
12-09-2024
IN THE INTEREST OF E.M.T., J.A.T., E.C.S., E.M.S., E.D.S., AND E.A.C., Children
From the 131st Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas Trial Court No. 2022PA01657 Honorable Raul Perales, Judge Presiding.
ORDER
PER CURIAM
This is an accelerated appeal from a final order terminating appellants' parental rights which must be disposed of by this court within 180 days of the date the notices of appeal were filed. See Tex. R. Jud. Admin. 6.2.
Four different parents appeal the trial court's termination order. Three of the parents have filed their respective appellant's briefs. Appellant D.S. has filed a third motion requesting an extension of time to file his brief. The motion is GRANTED. Appellant D.S.'s brief is due on or before December 11, 2024.
To protect the identity of minor children in an appeal from an order terminating parental rights, we refer to the parents using their initials. See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 109.002(d); Tex.R.App.P. 9.8(b)(2).
Given the time constraints governing disposition of this appeal, no further requests for extensions of time will be granted to appellant D.S. absent extenuating circumstances.
Appellee, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services ("the Department"), has filed a motion requesting we extend the time to file an appellee's brief responsive to the three appellant's briefs that have already been filed. The Department desires to file a single appellee's brief responsive to all four appellants' briefs and has filed a motion for extension of time seeking to align the appellee's briefing deadlines.
In light of the unique circumstances in this appeal, the Department's motion is GRANTED. The current due dates for the appellee's briefs responsive to the three appellants' briefs that have already been filed are SUSPENDED. The Department may file one appellee's brief responding to all four appellants' briefs or may file four separate appellee's briefs. In either case, we ORDER the appellee's brief(s) is/are due no later than twenty days after appellant D.S. files his appellant's brief.
It is so ORDERED.