in the Interest of G.C., J.C., A.C., A.C., Children

NUMBER 13-20-00566-CV
COURT OF APPEALS
THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
CORPUS CHRISTI – EDINBURG
IN THE INTEREST OF G.C., J.C., A.C., A.C., CHILDREN
On appeal from the 343rd District Court
of Bee 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. Appellee, the Texas
Department of Family and Protective Services, has filed a first motion for extension of
time to file a brief. Appellee’s brief was due on March 24, 2021. Appellee has requested
a fifteen-day extension to file a 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
these appeals are brought to final disposition within 180 days of the date the notice of
appeal is filed. TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). Given the nature of these cases and the
shortened appellate deadlines, it is the policy of this Court to limit extensions of time to
file a brief in such cases to one ten-day extension of time absent truly extraordinary
circumstances. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6(d).
This Court, having fully examined and considered appellee’s motion is of the
opinion that, in the interest of justice, appellee’s first motion for extension of time to file a
brief should be granted with order. The Court, however, requires strict adherence to the
briefing rules in appeals of parental termination cases, such as this appeal, and looks with
disfavor upon the delay caused by such extension requests. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.6;
see also id. at R. 28.4.
The Court GRANTS appellee’s first motion for extension of time. This motion is
GRANTED insofar as the Court will extend appellee’s deadline to file the brief for fifteen
(15) days as requested by appellee. No further motions for extensions of time will be
granted.
PER CURIAM
Delivered and filed on the
25th day of March, 2021.
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