Ex Parte Jesse Ruiz v. the State of Texas ( 2024 )

TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN
NO. 03-24-00604-CR
Ex parte Jesse Ruiz
FROM THE 403RD DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY
NO. D-1-DC-23-300413, BRANDY MUELLER, JUDGE PRESIDING
ORDER AND MEMORANDUM OPINION
PER CURIAM
Appellant Jesse Ruiz has filed a notice of appeal from the trial court’s purported
denial of his application for writ of habeas corpus. The record before us contains neither a
signed written order on Ruiz’s application nor the necessary certification of his right of appeal.
See Tex. R. App. P. 25.2(a)(2) (requiring trial court to enter certification of defendant’s right of
appeal “each time it enters a judgment of guilt or other appealable order”), (d) (requiring record
to include trial court’s certification). On October 11, 2024, we requested that the trial court clerk
file a supplemental clerk’s record containing both the order and certification. Although a
supplemental clerk’s record was filed on October 14, it contained neither document.
A written and signed appealable order is a prerequisite to invoking this Court’s
appellate jurisdiction.” Dewalt v. State, 417 S.W.3d 678, 685 n.32 (Tex. App.—Austin 2013,
pet. ref’d); see Tex. R. App. P. 26.2(a)(1); State v. Rosenbaum, 818 S.W.2d 398, 402 (Tex. Crim.
App. 1991); Ortiz v. State, 299 S.W.3d 930, 933 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2009, no pet.); State
v. Cox, 235 S.W.3d 283, 285 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2007, no pet.).
The lack of a signed written order is, however, curable: we treat the notice of
appeal as prematurely filed, abate the appeal, and remand the case to the trial court for
preparation of an appealable order. Dewalt, 417 S.W.3d at 685 n.32 (citing Tex. R. App. P.
27.1(b); State v. Rollins, 4 S.W.3d 453, 454 & n.1 (Tex. App.—Austin 1999, no pet.)).
Accordingly, we abate this appeal and remand the cause to the trial court for entry
of a signed written order on appellant’s application for writ of habeas corpus as well as entry of a
certification of his right of appeal. See Tex. R. App. P. 44.4(b) (requiring appellate court to
direct trial court to correct remediable error that prevents proper presentation of appeal). A
supplemental clerk’s record containing the signed order and certification shall be prepared and
filed with this Court no later than October 30, 2024. See Tex. R. App. P. 34.5(c)(2).
Before Justices Baker, Smith, and Theofanis
Abated and Remanded
Filed: October 18, 2024
Do Not Publish
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