Bradley Oliver v. the State of Texas
Court
Court of Appeals of Texas
Decided
August 14, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Importance
46%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
Court of Appeals Tenth Appellate District of Texas 10-25-00240-CR Bradley Oliver, Appellant v. The State of Texas, Appellee On appeal from the 19th District Court of McLennan County, Texas Judge Thomas C. West, presiding Trial Court Cause No. 2021-499-C1 JUSTICE SMITH delivered the opinion of the Court. MEMORANDUM OPINION Appellant appeals from a judgment revoking community supervision which was imposed on May 15, 2025 and signed by the trial court on that same date. Appellant wrote a pro se letter to the trial court asking to appeal the judgment which was mailed on July 16, 2025 and filed by the trial court clerk on July 18, 2025. Appellant was represented by court-appointed counsel prior to the imposition of sentence, and nothing in the clerk’s record indicates that his attorney withdrew from his representation of Appellant after his sentence was imposed. The trial court appointed appellate counsel for Appellant on July 25, 2025, and counsel promptly filed a notice of appeal and motion for extension of time to file the notice of appeal. However, a motion for extension of time may be granted only if it is filed within 45 days of the imposition of sentence. Therefore, the pro se notice of appeal filed by Appellant on July 18, 2025 and later motion to extend and amended notice of appeal were not timely and this Court is unable to grant the motion for extension of time because we lack jurisdiction to do so. See TEX. R. APP. P. 26.2(a)(1), 26.3. See also Slaton v. State, 981 S.W.2d 208, 210 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998). Accordingly, this appeal is dismissed. See id. Appellant’s motion to extend time to file the notice of appeal is dismissed. STEVE SMITH Justice OPINION DELIVERED and FILED: August 14, 2025 Before Chief Justice Johnson, Justice Smith, and Justice Harris Appeal dismissed; motion dismissed Do not publish CR25 Oliver v. State Page 2
Case Details
Case Details
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Status
Decided
Date Decided
August 14, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
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Case Summary
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Case Overview
Case Name: Bradley Oliver v. The State of Texas
Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
Date: August 14, 2025
Jurisdiction: SA
This case involves an appeal by Bradley Oliver against the State of Texas concerning the revocation of his community supervision. The appeal was filed following a judgment rendered by the 19th District Court of McLennan County on May 15, 2025.
Key Legal Issues
- Timeliness of Appeal: Whether the notice of appeal filed by Oliver was timely under Texas law.
- Jurisdictional Constraints: The Court's jurisdiction to grant extensions for filing appeals.
Court's Decision
The Court of Appeals dismissed Oliver's appeal due to the untimely filing of his notice of appeal and subsequent motion for extension of time. The court found that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the appeal based on procedural grounds.
Legal Reasoning
Justice Steve Smith delivered the opinion of the Court, emphasizing the following points:
- Oliver submitted a pro se letter to the trial court requesting to appeal, which was dated July 16, 2025, and filed on July 18, 2025.
- The trial court had appointed counsel for Oliver on July 25, 2025, who filed a notice of appeal and a motion for extension of time.
- According to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 26.2(a)(1), a notice of appeal must be filed within 45 days of the imposition of sentence, which Oliver failed to do.
Key Holdings
- The Court ruled that Oliver's pro se notice of appeal was untimely and thus invalid.
- The motion for extension of time was also dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction, as it was not filed within the required timeframe.
Precedents and Citations
- TEX. R. APP. P. 26.2(a)(1): Governs the timeline for filing notices of appeal in Texas.
- Slaton v. State, 981 S.W.2d 208 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998): A precedent cited regarding the jurisdictional limits on appeals and extensions.
Practical Implications
This case underscores the importance of adhering to procedural timelines in the appellate process. Legal practitioners must ensure that clients are aware of the strict deadlines for filing notices of appeal to avoid dismissal based on jurisdictional grounds. The ruling also highlights the challenges faced by defendants who attempt to navigate the appeals process without legal representation, as seen in Oliver's pro se filing.
Overall, the dismissal of Bradley Oliver's appeal serves as a reminder of the critical nature of compliance with procedural rules in the Texas legal system, particularly in criminal cases involving community supervision revocation.
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
August 14, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
Quick Actions
Case management tools