Unreported / Non-Citable
Background
Terrick Denard Lockridge, proceeding without counsel, appealed from a judgment of the County Court at Law No. 1 of Tarrant County. The appeal was originally filed in the Second Court of Appeals and transferred to the Seventh Court of Appeals through the Texas Supreme Court’s docket-equalization process.
Lockridge’s appellate brief was due July 24, 2026, but he did not file it. On July 31, the court notified him that the appeal could be dismissed for want of prosecution without further notice unless it received his brief by August 10.
The Court’s Holding
The Seventh Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal for want of prosecution under Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure 38.8(a)(1) and 42.3(b).
The court explained that Lockridge neither filed a brief by the extended deadline nor communicated further with the court. Because he did not prosecute the appeal after receiving notice of the potential dismissal, the court dismissed it.
Key Takeaways
- An appellant’s failure to timely file a brief can result in dismissal for want of prosecution.
- The court gave Lockridge notice and an additional deadline before dismissing the appeal.
- Lockridge’s pro se status did not prevent dismissal under the appellate rules.
Why It Matters
The decision underscores that appellants must comply with briefing deadlines and respond to court notices to keep an appeal pending. When an appellant neither files the required brief nor communicates with the court after a dismissal warning, Texas appellate courts may dismiss without addressing the merits.