Opinion
NUMBER 13-18-00005-CV
02-07-2018
IN THE INTEREST OF A. L., J. L., AND W. L., CHILDREN
On Appellant's Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief.
ORDER
Before Chief Justice Valdez and Justices Contreras and Benavides
Order Per Curiam
This is an appeal of a final order terminating parental rights. The brief of appellant J.L. is due to be filed on February 6, 2018. Appellant has filed a motion for extension of time seeking ten days of additional time to file the brief.
Appeals in parental termination and child protection cases are governed by the rules of appellate procedure for accelerated appeals, but include additional expedited deadlines and procedures. See TEX. R. APP. P. 28.4; TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). The intermediate appellate courts are directed to ensure "as far as reasonably possible" that these appeals are brought to final disposition within 180 days of the date the notice of appeal is filed. See TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). Given the nature of these cases and the shortened appellate deadlines, it is the policy of this Court to limit extensions of time to file a brief in such cases to one ten-day extension of time absent truly extraordinary circumstances. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(d).
Accordingly, we GRANT appellant's motion for extension of time and ORDER the brief to be filed on or before Friday, February 16, 2018. No further extensions of time will be granted absent truly exigent and extraordinary circumstances.
PER CURIAM Delivered and filed the 7th day of February, 2018.