NUMBER 13-19-00008-CV
COURT OF APPEALS
THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
CORPUS CHRISTI – EDINBURG
IN THE INTEREST OF C.D.L.R., C.D.L.R., E.M., CHILDREN
On Appellee’s Second Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief.
ORDER
Before Chief Justice Contreras and Justices Benavides and Hinojosa
Order Per Curiam
This is an appeal of a final order terminating parental rights. Appellee’s brief was
initially due to be filed on April 25, 2019. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(b). Appellee filed a
motion to extend time to file brief; we granted the motion and extended the deadline to
April 29, 2019. Appellee has now filed a second motion for extension of time seeking
sixteen additional days to file the brief. As a reason for the extension, appellee states
that “[t]here is no remaining member of the [appellee’s] Appellate Unit who could have
completed this brief in a timely manner.”
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, the Court does not favor extensions of time to file a
brief in such cases.
This Court, having fully examined and considered appellee’s motion, is of the
opinion that, in the interest of justice and given the circumstances, the motion should be
granted. Accordingly, we GRANT the motion and ORDER appellee’s brief to be filed on
or before the expiration of the business day on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Further
motions for extension of time by appellee will not be entertained.
PER CURIAM
Delivered and filed the
30th day of April, 2019.
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