Opinion
01-24-00106-CV
05-21-2024
In the Interest of L.S. and O.S., Children
Trial court: 314th District Court of Harris County case number: 2023-00153J
ORDER
April Farris Judge.
Appellant, father, filed a notice of appeal from the trial court's January 29, 2024 Final Decree in Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship. Father, through counsel, filed his appellant's brief on April 9, 2024.
Separately, appellant, mother, proceeding pro se, filed a notice of appeal from the trial court's January 29, 2024 Final Decree in Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship. Mother's brief was due to be filed no later than March 11, 2024. See Tex. R. App. P. 38.6(a). Mother failed to file a brief by this deadline. On April 23, 2024, the Clerk of this Court notified mother that the deadline for filing her appellant's brief had passed, and directed her to file a brief, along with a motion to extend time to file a brief, within ten days of the Court's notice. Mother was further notified that the failure to file a brief could result in the dismissal of her appeal for want of prosecution. Mother did not adequately respond to the Court's notice.
Accordingly, we direct appellee, the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services, to file its appellee's brief within twenty days of the date of this order. Because this appeal involves the termination of the parent-child relationship, this Court is required, so far as reasonably possible, to bring the appeal to final disposition no later than August 6, 2024, which is 180 days from the date father's notice of appeal was filed, February 8, 2024. See Tex. R. Jud. Admin. 6.2, reprinted in Tex. Gov't. Code Ann., tit. 2, subtit. F app. Accordingly, absent extraordinary circumstances, no extensions of time will be granted.
It is so ORDERED.