In the Interest of Z.J., N. J., Children v. the State of Texas ( 2023 )

Fourth Court of Appeals
San Antonio, Texas
MEMORANDUM OPINION
No. 04-23-00667-CV
IN THE INTEREST OF Z.J. and N.J., Children
From the 45th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas
Trial Court No. 2022-PA-00579
Honorable Raul Perales, Judge Presiding
Opinion by: Beth Watkins, Justice
Sitting: Luz Elena D. Chapa, Justice
Beth Watkins, Justice
Lori I. Valenzuela, Justice
Delivered and Filed: December 20, 2023
AFFIRMED; MOTION TO WITHDRAW DENIED
Appellant R.C. appeals the trial court’s June 21, 2023 order terminating his parental rights
to his son, N.J., and appointing him possessory conservator of his daughter, Z.J. His court-
appointed appellate counsel filed a motion to withdraw and a brief containing a professional
evaluation of the record, concluding there are no arguable grounds for reversal of the trial court’s
order. The brief satisfies the requirements of Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967). See In re
P.M., 520 S.W.3d 24, 27 n.10 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam) (recognizing that Anders procedures apply
in parental termination cases). Additionally, counsel represents that he provided R.C. with a copy
of the brief and the motion to withdraw, advised R.C. of his right to review the record and file his
own brief, and informed R.C. how to obtain a copy of the record, providing him with a form motion
04-23-00667-CV
for access to the appellate record. On September 27, 2023, we granted R.C.’s request for a copy of
the appellate record, and on November 7, 2023, R.C. filed a pro se brief.
After reviewing the appellate record, appointed counsel’s Anders brief, and R.C.’s pro se
brief, we conclude no plausible grounds exist for reversal of the trial court’s order. Accordingly,
we affirm the trial court’s order. We deny counsel’s motion to withdraw because it does not show
good cause for withdrawal. See id. at 27 & n.7 (holding that counsel’s obligations in a parental
termination case extend through exhaustion or waiver of all appeals and that withdrawal should be
permitted by a court of appeals “only for good cause” (citing TEX. R. CIV. P. 10)).
Beth Watkins, Justice
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