Antwon Carter v. State ( 2015 )

Order entered November 25, 2015
In The
Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
No. 05-14-00822-CR
ANTWON CARTER, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 296th Judicial District Court
Collin County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 296-81511-2013
ORDER
On September 1, 2015, we ordered that Stephanie Hudson be removed as appellant’s
attorney and that the trial court appoint new counsel to represent appellant on this appeal. On
September 2, 2015, we received the trial court’s order appointing Pamela Lakatos as appellant’s
new attorney and on September 4, 2015, we ordered counsel to file appellant’s brief within sixty
days. To date, however, Ms. Lakatos has neither filed appellant’s brief nor communicated with
the Court regarding the status of the brief.
Accordingly, we ORDER 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 appeal, whether
appellant is indigent, or if not indigent, whether retained counsel has abandoned the appeal. 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.
This appeal is ABATED to allow the trial court to comply with the above order. The
appeal shall be reinstated thirty days from the date of this order or when the findings are
received, whichever is earlier.
/s/ ADA BROWN
JUSTICE