in the Interest of A.T.M., G.B., and P.F.L., Children ( 2021 )

NUMBER 13-21-00008-CV COURT OF APPEALS THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI – EDINBURG IN THE INTEREST OF A.T.M., G.B., AND P.F.L., CHILDREN On appeal from the 377th District Court of Victoria County, Texas. ORDER Before Chief Justice Contreras and Justices Longoria and Tijerina Order Per Curiam This is an appeal of a final order terminating parental rights. Appellants’ briefs were filed on March 15 and 16, 2021. The brief of appellee, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, was due on April 6, 2021. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(b). Appellee has filed a motion for extension of time seeking fifteen additional days to file the brief. 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 appeals in such cases 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). Accordingly, it is the policy of this Court to limit extensions of time in such cases. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(d). We GRANT appellee’s motion for extension of time and ORDER appellee’s brief to be filed on or before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. No further extensions of time will be granted absent truly extraordinary circumstances. PER CURIAM Delivered and filed on the 7th day of April, 2021. 2