in the Interest of Y.T.L. and Y.J.L., Minors

Order entered December 6, 2018
In The
Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
No. 05-18-01331-CV
IN THE INTEREST OF Y.T.L. AND Y.J.L., MINORS
On Appeal from the 256th Judicial District Court
Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. DF-13-19785
ORDER
We REINSTATE this appeal which we abated to allow the trial court an opportunity to
conduct a hearing to determine whether an amicus attorney or attorney ad litem should be
appointed to represent the children. Our abatement order directed that a reporter’s record of the
hearing and a supplemental clerk’s record containing a copy of the trial court’s findings and any
order of appointment be filed no later than December 7, 2018. The reporter’s record has been
filed. It reflects the trial court conducted a hearing on November 29, 2018 and appointed
Stephanie Pond to represent the children. Accordingly, we DIRECT the Clerk of the Court to
designate Ms. Pond as counsel for the children.
As we stated in our abatement order, this appeal was filed by the children pro se
following the trial court’s October 24, 2018 order terminating parental rights and granting
adoption nunc pro tunc. The appeal, however, challenges the original order which was signed
October 27, 2015.
Because an appeal from a termination order must generally be filed within twenty days
from the date of judgment, we ORDER Ms. Pond, on behalf of the children, to file a letter brief
addressing our jurisdiction over the appeal. See TEX. R. APP. P. 26.1(b), 28.4(a); Brashear v.
Victoria Gardens of McKinney, L.L.C., 302 S.W.3d 542, 545 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2009, no pet.)
(op. on reh’g) (timely filing of notice of appeal is jurisdictional). The letter brief shall be filed no
later than December 16, 2018. Appellees may file any response within five days of the filing of
the children’s letter brief. If any party relies on documents not contained in the clerk’s record,
that party shall have filed a supplemental clerk’s record containing those documents.
Until the Court determines its jurisdiction, the children’s brief on the merits need not be
filed. The deadline for filing the brief will be reset if the Court determines it has jurisdiction
over the appeal. If the Court determines it does not have jurisdiction over the appeal, or the letter
brief is not filed, the appeal will be dismissed without further notice. See TEX. R. APP. P.
42.3(a),(c).
/s/ CAROLYN WRIGHT
CHIEF JUSTICE