Thomas Anthony Farina, Jr. v. State

Order entered January 8, 2014 In The Court of Appeals Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-13-00931-CR No. 05-13-00932-CR THOMAS ANTHONY FARINA, JR., Appellant V. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee On Appeal from the 363rd Judicial District Court Dallas County, Texas Trial Court Cause Nos. F10-35304-W, F10-35303-W ORDER Appellant’s brief is overdue in these appeals. Additionally, we note that none of the boxes is checked on the trial court’s certification of appeal in cause no. 05-13-00931-CR (trial court no. F10-35304-W). Accordingly, the Court ORDERS the trial court to conduct a hearing to determine why appellant’s brief has not been filed. In this regard, the trial court shall make appropriate findings and recommendations and determine whether appellant desires to prosecute the appeals, whether appellant is indigent, or if not indigent, whether retained counsel has abandoned the appeals. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b). If the trial court cannot obtain appellant’s presence at the hearing, the trial court shall conduct the hearing in appellant’s absence. See Meza v. State, 742 S.W.2d 708 (Tex. App.–Corpus Christi 1987, no pet.) (per curiam). If appellant is indigent, the trial court is ORDERED to take such measures as may be necessary to assure effective representation, which may include appointment of new counsel. We ORDER the trial court to transmit a record of the proceedings, which shall include written findings and recommendations, to this Court within THIRTY DAYS of the date of this order. The record shall contain a completed certification of appellant’s right to appeal in cause no. 05-13-00931-CR. See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a), (d); Cortez v. State, 2013 WL 5220904 (Tex. Crim. App. Sept. 18, 2013). The appeals are ABATED to allow the trial court to comply with the above order. The appeals shall be reinstated thirty days from the date of this order or when the findings are received, whichever is earlier. /s/ DAVID EVANS JUSTICE