Kevin Arick Brice O'dell v. The State of Texas

San Antonio, Texas - Criminal defense attorney represented Kevin Arick Brice O'dell with seeking to appeal an order of deferred adjudication.

A timely notice of appeal is necessary to invoke this court's jurisdiction. Olivo v. State,

918 S.W.2d 519, 522 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996). In absence of a timely motion for new trial, a

defendant must file a notice of appeal within thirty days after the day the trial court enters an

appealable order. TEX. R. APP. P. 26.2(a). A late notice of appeal may be considered timely so as

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to invoke our jurisdiction if (1) it is filed within fifteen days of the last day allowed for filing, (2)

a motion for extension of time is filed in the court of appeals within fifteen days of the last day

allowed for filing the notice of appeal, and (3) the court of appeals grants the motion for extension

of time. See Olivo, 918 S.W.3d at 522.

In this case, the clerk's record shows the trial court signed an order of deferred adjudication

pursuant to a plea bargain on February 12, 2020. O'Dell did not file either a timely motion for

new trial or motion for extension of time to file the notice of appeal. See TEX. R. APP. P. 26.2(a),

26.3. Therefore, his notice of appeal was due by March 13, 2020, but was not filed until September

28, 2020.

Because O'Dell did not timely file a notice of appeal, we ordered his court appointed

attorney to show cause why this appeal should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. See TEX.

CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art 26.04 (providing court appointed counsel represents appellant until

his appeal is exhausted or until the trial court grants appointed counsel the right to withdraw and

appoints new counsel). Counsel filed a response admitting the notice of appeal is untimely and

this court does not have jurisdiction over this appeal.

Because O'Dell did not timely file the notice of appeal, we lack jurisdiction to entertain

this appeal. See Slaton v. State, 981 S.W.2d 208, 210 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998) (holding that if

appeal is not timely perfected, court of appeals does not obtain jurisdiction to address merits of

appeal, and court may take no action other than to dismiss appeal; court may not suspend rules to

alter time for perfecting appeal); Olivo v. State, 918 S.W.2d 519, 522 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996); see

also Ater v. Eighth Court of Appeals, 802 S.W.2d 241 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991) (explaining that

writ of habeas corpus pursuant to article 11.07 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure governs

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out-of-time appeals from felony convictions).

We therefore dismiss this appeal for lack of jurisdiction.