M. M. L.-U. v. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services ( 2019 )

TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN
NO. 03-19-00089-CV
M. M. L.-U., Appellant
v.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Appellee
FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF BELL COUNTY, 146TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
NO. 295,133-B, HONORABLE CHARLES H. VAN ORDEN, JUDGE PRESIDING
MEMORANDUM OPINION
M.M.L.-U. appeals from the trial court’s decree terminating her parental rights to her
child.1 See Tex. Fam. Code § 161.001. Following a bench trial, the trial court found by clear and
convincing evidence that a statutory ground for terminating her parental rights existed and that
termination was in the child’s best interest. See id. § 161.001(b)(1)(O), (2).
On appeal, M.M.L.-U.’s court-appointed attorney has filed a motion to withdraw
and a brief concluding that the appeal is frivolous and without merit. See Anders v. California,
386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967); Taylor v. Texas Dep’t of Protective & Regulatory Servs., 160 S.W.3d 641,
646–47 (Tex. App.—Austin 2005, pet. denied) (applying Anders procedure in appeal from
termination of parental rights). The brief meets the requirements of Anders by presenting a
1
We refer to appellant, who is the mother of the child, by her initials only. See Tex. Fam.
Code § 109.002(d); Tex. R. App. P. 9.8.
professional evaluation of the record demonstrating why there are no arguable grounds to be
advanced on appeal. See 386 U.S. at 744; Taylor, 160 S.W.3d at 646–47. Appellant’s counsel has
certified to this Court that she provided M.M.L.-U. with a copy of the Anders brief and motion to
withdraw as counsel and informed her of her right to examine the appellate record and to file a pro
se brief. To date, M.M.L.-U. has not filed a pro se brief. The Department of Family and Protective
Services has filed a response to the Anders brief, stating that it will not file a response unless this
Court requests one.
Upon receiving an Anders brief, we must conduct a full examination of all of the
proceedings to determine whether the appeal is wholly frivolous. Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 80
(1988). We have reviewed the entire record, including the Anders brief submitted on M.M.L.-U.’s
behalf, and have found nothing that would arguably support an appeal. We agree that the appeal is
frivolous and without merit. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s decree terminating M.M.L.-U.’s
parental rights. We deny counsel’s motion to withdraw.2
2
See In re P.M., 520 S.W.3d 24 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam). In In re P.M., the Texas Supreme
Court held that the right to counsel in suits seeking the termination of parental rights extends to “all
proceedings in [the Texas Supreme Court], including the filing of a petition for review.” Id. at 27.
Accordingly, counsel’s obligation to M.M.L.-U. has not yet been discharged. See id. If M.M.L.-U.,
after consulting with counsel, desires to file a petition for review, counsel should timely file with the
Texas Supreme Court “a petition for review that satisfies the standards for an Anders brief.” See id.
at 27–28.
2
_____________________________________________
Melissa Goodwin, Justice
Before Justices Goodwin, Baker, and Triana
Affirmed
Filed: April 11, 2019
3