In the interest of A.D., a Child Appeal from 324th District Court of Tarrant County (memorandum opinion)

Annotate this Case
Download PDF
COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICT OF TEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 02-17-00184-CV IN THE INTEREST OF A.D., A CHILD ---------FROM THE 324TH DISTRICT COURT OF TARRANT COUNTY TRIAL COURT NO. 324-257886-97 ---------- MEMORANDUM OPINION1 ---------Pro se appellant M.E.F. attempts to appeal from the trial court’s order establishing the parent-child relationship between him and A.D., which was signed by the special master on March 27, 1998, and adopted by the trial judge on April 7, 1998. M.E.F. filed his notice of appeal on March 29, 2017. On May 25, 2017, we notified M.E.F. that it appeared we lacked jurisdiction over this 1 See Tex. R. App. P. 47.4. appeal because his notice of appeal was not timely filed. See Tex. R. App. 26.1. We advised him that this appeal would be dismissed unless he or any party desiring to continue the appeal filed, on or before June 5, 2017, a response showing grounds for continuing the appeal. See Tex. R. App. P. 42.3(a), 44.3. M.E.F. filed a response, but it does not demonstrate grounds for continuing this appeal. In order to perfect an appeal from a trial court’s judgment in civil cases where, as here, no motion extending the trial court’s plenary power was filed, see Tex. R. Civ. P. 329b, a party must file a notice of appeal within thirty days after the judgment was signed, see Tex. R. App. P. 25.1(a), 26.1. We lack jurisdiction over an appeal absent a timely filed notice of appeal. Howlett v. Tarrant Cty., 301 S.W.3d 840, 843 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2009, pet. denied) (op. on reh’g) (citing Verburgt v. Dorner, 959 S.W.2d 615, 617 (Tex. 1997)). M.E.F.’s notice of appeal was filed more than thirty days after the trial court’s judgment. Thus, it was untimely filed, and consequently, we dismiss this appeal for want of jurisdiction. Tex. R. App. P. 42.3(a), 44.3; see Howlett, 301 S.W.3d at 843. /s/ Lee Gabriel LEE GABRIEL JUSTICE PANEL: GABRIEL, SUDDERTH, and KERR, JJ. DELIVERED: June 22, 2017 2

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.