Background
Jaquan Wright appealed his convictions for engaging in organized criminal activity and murder, for which he received concurrent life sentences. The appeal originated in the Second Court of Appeals and was transferred to the Seventh Court of Appeals through the Texas Supreme Court’s docket-equalization process.
The reporter’s record was due August 17, 2026, but was not filed. After the appellate court notified the court reporter that the record was overdue and directed her to provide a status report by September 3, the reporter neither requested an extension nor filed the record.
The Court’s Holding
The Seventh Court of Appeals abated the appeal and remanded the case to the trial court for proceedings addressing the delayed reporter’s record. The trial court must determine what work remains, why it has not been completed, how much time completion reasonably requires, and whether the current reporter can finish within that period.
If completion will require more than 30 days, the trial court must arrange for a substitute reporter. It must enter appropriate orders and ensure that its findings are included in a supplemental clerk’s record filed with the appellate court by October 21, 2026. If the reporter files the record before the trial court acts, she must immediately notify the trial court in writing, and no further trial-court action will be required.
Key Takeaways
- The order addresses an incomplete appellate record and does not decide the merits of Wright’s convictions or sentences.
- The trial court must investigate the cause and expected duration of the delay and issue orders needed to secure the reporter’s record.
- A substitute reporter must be arranged if the current reporter will need more than 30 days to complete, certify, and file the record.
Why It Matters
The order illustrates the steps a Texas appellate court may take when a missing reporter’s record threatens to delay a criminal appeal. By abating and remanding, the court sought to preserve the parties’ appellate rights while requiring a concrete timetable and, if necessary, reassignment of the record.