COURT OF APPEALS
EIGHTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
EL PASO, TEXAS
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IN THE INTEREST OF I.L., A CHILD. |
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No. 08-08-00049-CV Appeal from the 65th Judicial District Court of El Paso County, Texas (TC# 2003CM5921) |
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Rigoberto Lerma attempts to appeal from the trial court's ruling, granting a petition to terminate his parental rights. Finding that the trial court has not entered a final order in the case, we dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction.
The trial court orally granted a petition terminating Mr. Lerma's parental rights regarding I.L. at the close of a termination hearing on January 17, 2008. Mr. Lerma filed a notice of appeal on January 24, 2008. There is no record that a final appealable order has been entered by the trial court.
Appellate courts generally have jurisdiction over final judgments, and such interlocutory orders as the Legislature deems appealable. Tex.Civ.Prac.&Rem.Code Ann. § 51.012 (Vernon 1997) and § 51.014 (Vernon Supp. 2007); Ruiz v. Ruiz, 946 S.W.2d 123, 124 (Tex.App.--El Paso 1997, no pet.). Given the absence of a final appealable order in this case, we dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction.
May 15, 2008
DAVID WELLINGTON CHEW, Chief Justice
Before Chew, C.J., McClure, and Carr, JJ.