Michael Choulat, Appellant v. The State of Texas, Appellee (2015)

MEMORANDUM OPINION

The jury convicted Appellant, Michael Choulat, of the offense of assaultfamily violence and assessed his punishment at confinement for a term of ten years and a $10,000 fine.   We dismiss the appeal.

Appellant's court-appointed counsel has filed a motion to withdraw in this appeal.   The motion is supported by a brief in which counsel professionally and conscientiously examines the record and applicable law and states that he has concluded that the appeal is frivolous.   Counsel has provided Appellant with a copy of the brief and a copy of the appellate record and has advised Appellant of his right to review the record and file a response to counsel's brief Court-appointed counsel has complied with the requirements of Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967);  Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313 (Tex.Crim.App.2014);  In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403 (Tex.Crim.App.2008);  Stafford v. State, 813 S.W.2d 503 (Tex.Crim.App.1991);  High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807 (Tex.Crim.App.1978);  Currie v. State, 516 S.W.2d 684 (Tex.Crim.App.1974);  Gainous v. State, 436 S.W.2d 137 (Tex.Crim.App.1969);  and Eaden v. State, 161 S.W.3d 173 (Tex.App.–Eastland 2005, no pet.).

Appellant has filed a pro se response to counsel's motion to withdraw and supporting brief.   In addressing an Anders brief and pro se response, a court of appeals may only determine (1) that the appeal is wholly frivolous and issue an opinion explaining that it has reviewed the record and finds no reversible error or (2) that arguable grounds for appeal exist and remand the cause to the trial court so that new counsel may be appointed to brief the issues.  Schulman, 252 S.W.3d at 409;  Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826–27 (Tex.Crim.App.2005).   Following the procedures outlined in Anders and Schulman, we have independently reviewed the record, and we agree that the appeal is without merit and should be dismissed.  Schulman, 252 S.W.3d at 409.

We note that counsel has the responsibility to advise Appellant that he may file a petition for discretionary review with the clerk of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals seeking review by that court.  Tex.R.App. P. 48.4 (“In criminal cases, the attorney representing the defendant on appeal shall, within five days after the opinion is handed down, send his client a copy of the opinion and judgment, along with notification of the defendant's right to file a pro se petition for discretionary review under Rule 68.”).   Likewise, this court advises Appellant that he may file a petition for discretionary review pursuant to Tex.R.App. P. 68.

The motion to withdraw is granted, and the appeal is dismissed.

PER CURIAM