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Texas Appeals / Appellate Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law and Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: Can I find out the total sum owed on a charges with each case number? If not, how do I find that information
John Cucci Jr.
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answered on Dec 29, 2023

Each State has its own system of allowing access to criminal records and judgments. Usually, fines and criminal penalties are part of a guilty finding and the attendant Judgment. So yes, usually a simple telephone call to the clerk of the court in which your case was held, will get you the details... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law and Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: What options do we have. What motions are worth filing? Any suggestions on how to proceed

My husband signed for a 16yr prison sentence for probation revoke for Possession of Controlled Substance. Later we learned there was a Deadly Weapon Finding, which we were unaware of. It was not mentioned when he was sentenced nor is it in the court transcript of the sentencing.

John Cucci Jr.
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answered on Dec 29, 2023

First: The date of the sentencing and guilty plea is important. The longer you wait to contest your sentence, the harder it will be to fix it or overturn it.

When he pled guilty, there was probably a plea "package" of paperwork, Notices of rights, and waivers of rights, that the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law and Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: My son's court appointed appellate lawyer resigned from his case what can we(family) do next.

My son was convicted of capital murder in Tarrant County earlier this year.

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Dec 7, 2023

Your son can appeal pro se or hire a private attorney.

If a court-appointed attorney does not see a good faith basis for an appeal in the trial record, he/she can file what is called an Anders brief. In a famous case (Anders v. California), a court-appointed attorney filed a motion to...
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1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: I am currently in the appeal process right now for unemployment
Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Dec 6, 2023

A Texas attorney could advise best, but your post is a few days old, and time may be of the essence in your matter. You may want to repost and add "Employment Law" as a category. Not all questions here are ultimately picked up, but you might have better chances of a reply with that... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: I was never served papers (citation) and now i have a default judgement agaisnt me. What can i do?

This is on a civil forfeiture/seizure of my truck. The district attorney knew how to get ahold of me cause ive went up there twice to try to get the papers they were trying to serve me, both times she was gone early and they took a copy of my ID, my phone number, and the case number. Nobody has... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Nov 29, 2023

You should hire an appellate lawyer to file a motion for new trial within 30 days of the entry of the default judgment against you, or a restricted appeal within six months of the default judgment, or a bill or review within four years of the default judgment. There are differing requirements... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: I exhausted all my remedies in federal courts and wanted to know could I still bring up old and new arguments in Supreme
Theodore M. Cooperstein
Theodore M. Cooperstein
answered on Oct 29, 2023

To bring a matter before the United States Supreme Court, it must be within ninety days of the final judgment in the appeals court whose decision you are challenging. That can be from a federal appeals court, called the United States Court of Appeals (they are divided geographically in 12... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation, Contracts, Consumer Law and Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: Small claim court judge skipped the default hearing & set it for bench trial, why didn't they move forward with hearing?

Small claims court never got a response from plaintiff, so I filed the necessary paperwork which was the paperwork for the default hearing. The plaintiff showed up for the default hearing and the judge resets it for a bench trial. my question is why wasn't a default hearing given and why... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Oct 9, 2023

A default is usually only granted when a party clearly shows a deliberate intent not to defend or prosecute a case. The plaintiff appearing at your hearing indicates the opposite.

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law and Health Care Law for Texas on
Q: Hello, I inadvertently forgot to renew my home health license for the first time in over 18 years. Can I appeal?

My Home Health License was inadvertently not renewed for the first time in about 18 years. It expired on 09/30/2023. It is now being renewed every 2 years. It used to be every 3 years, and we used to get reminders to renew. Honestly, I do not know what happened this time. I was still expecting to... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Oct 21, 2023

A Texas attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. Until you're able to consult with a local attorney, one option might be to either research the issuing agency's conditions or to contact them for information and options. Good luck

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights, Appeals / Appellate Law and Civil Litigation for Texas on
Q: I have a judgment on Texas civil practice in remedies code section 31.002.(b)(3) which has seized my bank account

law, firm out of Dallas, is the one to put judgment on my bank account, which has seized all my money and able for me to live. The law firm they brought this on, cannot provide not one documentation stating that they were doing Nash they undermined Lee went to the courts without informing me and... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Sep 27, 2023

I don’t understand what you mean by doing Nash and undermined Lee.

As far as notice, check the court records in the case number in which the law firm got the judgment against you to see what it says about how you were served.

Then contact an experienced civil litigation and...
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1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Appeals / Appellate Law, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law for Texas on
Q: ipoted bail on felony andfiled motion forexaminingtrial hearing before indictment andcourt returned no actiontaken

does district courtloose jurisdiction and indictment void? denial meaningful dueprocess by prose ada defendant? texas waxahachie case 50369cr. vaccp art 16.01etseq. note tx att gen opinion june 7, 1972 opinion no. m-1151. if An Examining Trial is mandatory for juveniles that (are/had been)... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Oct 15, 2023

Under Texas law, an adult defendant does have the right to request an examining trial before indictment. If the court failed to take action on your motion for an examining trial, it could raise procedural concerns. If you believe your rights were violated, it's crucial to promptly raise these... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: Need an aggressive attorney to appeal my case regarding encroachment. Several yrs back our neighbor built 20 inches into

our property. Dad complained to code enforcement, but nothing was done. Trying to hire an attorney but they seem to shy away. My deadline for appeal is Sept 17,2023.

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Sep 1, 2023

I do handle appeals to any of our state’s appellate courts. As I’m sure you have learned, the upfront retainer for an appeal is at least $25,000, but most of an appellate lawyer’s work is done in the first few months of an appeal.

One issue I can foresee likely played a role in the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law, Appeals / Appellate Law and Juvenile Law for Texas on
Q: Can I have a warrant for a citation back in 2011 in Texas even though I was in prison back then?

Citation is disruption of class which was never broken to my attention till this week. Individual is still in prison and has been incarcerated since 2013/2014. Individual is getting out on parole. Would he be taken to county?

John Cucci Jr.
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answered on Aug 26, 2023

I am confused a bit by your question.

Anyway, If there is a warrant out for anyone, it stays a warrant until it is dismissed or it is executed (by arrest).

If it was made unlawfully, it can be quashed, but that may take a while, and quashing it would require you to go to court to...
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2 Answers | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: I turned in my appellate brief to First Court Of Appeals Harris county, Tx. Will court accept anymore documents.

Not new evidence but documented merits that support my vital truth and testimony towards the respondent?

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Aug 25, 2023

The court of appeals will only consider what is in the clerk’s record and reporter’s record as evidence and what is in the appellate briefs as argument. It would be rare for anything else to be useful or proper to submit to an appellate court.

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2 Answers | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: I need help on writing my appeallette breif

I'm the appeallette and and have written brief or argument. With my evidence and cited each law that applies from trial by era

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Aug 24, 2023

Depending on the nature of the subject matter, one option is to look into pro bono or legal aid. But in general, it could be difficult to find economical help because appeals tend to be costly and complex investments of a law firm's time. Check with local and state bar associations if they... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law and Criminal Law for Texas on
Q: In an appeal whàt does set for submission on briefs mean?

Agg. Assault with deadly weapon charge during trial my rights were violated

Susan J. Clouthier
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answered on Sep 3, 2023

Intermediate courts of appeals do not grant oral argument often, and if the briefing provides the facts and law needed to resolve the issues raised on appeal, they will set the case for submission on the briefs. Not setting for oral argument does not indicate which way they are leaning or whether... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: Is a appeal a retrial or mistrial?
John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Jun 23, 2023

Neither.

An appeal is an appeal. On appeal, the court of appeals will evaluate the complaints raised in the appellate briefs to determine whether the trial court committed an error of law which was properly preserved by a complaint and ruling in the trial court which was not cured by the...
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2 Answers | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: When you file an appeal will it be in the same county? Same judge?
John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Jun 23, 2023

An appeal typically goes initially to the court of appeals for the appellate district of the county in which the trial court is located. If the trial court is in a county that is assigned to more than one appellate district, the appeal will be randomly assigned to one of the applicable appellate... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: What happens if you win a appeal what happens next?
Charles William Michaels
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Charles William Michaels
answered on Jun 23, 2023

If you succeed on appeal, the appeal court will issue an order detailing the next steps: remand, remand with instructions, reversal, dismissal, etc. The trial court will have to follow that order,

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law for Texas on
Q: Can you win an appeal if your rights were violated?

Unlawful arrest, Unlawful search, Right to an attorney, and in handcuffs on front of a jury.

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Jun 22, 2023

Yes, if you were found guilty by a jury following an unlawful arrest and unlawful search, and were denied your right to have an attorney, you may have valid grounds for a successful appeal.

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law and Civil Litigation for Texas on
Q: I an looking for a civil attorney to represent me on the court of the fifth court of appeal. I was sued by an individual

Autopedia Inc sold a used vehicle to a customer who signed a form acknowledging that the odometer reading was not accurate. The buyer later filed a lawsuit in the 192nd District Court, and despite our filing a motion to compel arbitration, the court issued a default judgment without allowing us to... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Jun 7, 2023

I am an appellate lawyer who regularly practices before the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas. I charge $450 per hour. Because the time spent on an appeal is heavily front-loaded, I typically require an initial retainer of $25,000 to handle a direct or restricted appeal from a default judgment.... View More

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