MIGUEL ANGEL DOMINGUEZ v. THE STATE OF TEXAS (2016)

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Appellant, Miguel Angel Dominguez, proceeding pro se, attempted to perfect an appeal from a conviction for aggravated assault. We dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction.

The trial court imposed sentence in this matter on February 3, 2015. Appellant filed a notice of appeal on June 6, 2016. On June 7, 2016, the Clerk of this Court notified appellant that it appeared that the appeal was not timely perfected and that the appeal would be dismissed if the defect was not corrected within ten days from the date of receipt of the Court's directive.¹ More than ten days have passed and appellant has not filed a response to this Court's notice.

Unless a motion for new trial has been timely filed, a notice of appeal must be filed within thirty days after the day sentence is imposed or suspended in open court, or after the day the trial court enters an appealable order. TEX. R. APP. P. 26.2(a)(1). Where a timely motion for new trial has been filed, the notice of appeal must be filed within ninety days after the day sentence is imposed or suspended in open court. See id. 26.2(a)(2). The time within which to file the notice may be enlarged if, within fifteen days after the deadline for filing the notice, the party files the notice of appeal and a motion complying with Rule 10.5(b) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. See id. 26.3.

Appellant's notice of appeal was not filed within the time provided by the appellate rules. This Court's appellate jurisdiction in a criminal case is invoked by a timely filed notice of appeal. Olivo v. State, 918 S.W.2d 519, 522 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996). Absent a timely filed notice of appeal, a court of appeals does not obtain jurisdiction to address the merits of the appeal in a criminal case and can take no action other than to dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. Slaton v. State, 981 S.W.2d 208, 210 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998).

Appellant may be entitled to an out-of-time appeal by filing a post-conviction writ of habeas corpus returnable to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; however, the availability of that remedy is beyond the jurisdiction of this Court. See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 11.07, § 3(a) (West, Westlaw through 2015 R.S.); see also Ex parte Garcia, 988 S.W.2d 240 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999).

The appeal is DISMISSED FOR WANT OF JURISDICTION. All pending motions are likewise DISMISSED FOR WANT OF JURISDICTION.

FOOTNOTES

1.   The trial court's certification of the defendant's right to appeal shows that this is a plea-bargain case and the defendant has no right of appeal and that the defendant has waived his right to appeal. See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a)(2).

PER CURIAM