Full Opinion

In The Court of Appeals Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo No. 07-24-00146-CV IN THE INTEREST OF K.N., K.L., K.L., AND K.L., CHILDREN On Appeal from the 223rd District Court Gray County, Texas Trial Court No. 40,562, Honorable Phil N. Vanderpool, Presiding September 17, 2026 ORDER OF ABATEMENT AND REMAND Before PARKER, C.J., and DOSS and PRATT, JJ. Mother, C.N., and Father, R.L., appeal the trial court’s orders entered in this suit affecting the parent-child relationship. We affirmed the trial court’s orders, but the Texas Supreme Court subsequently reversed this Court’s judgment, in part, and remanded the cause for further proceedings. On remand, we requested supplemental briefing from the parties. Now pending before the Court is C.N.’s “Amended Motion to Appoint Counsel for Appeals Purposes” in which C.N.’s counsel seeks appointment as counsel for R.L. and requests permission for R.L.’s present counsel to withdraw. We abate the appeal, suspend all pending appellate deadlines, and remand the cause to the trial court to rule on the motion and to determine whether new counsel should be appointed to represent R.L. In making its ruling, the trial court should carefully consider the history of this case and the standards for joint representation as outlined in the Texas Family Code. See TEX. FAM. CODE § 107.013(b). The trial court shall issue findings of fact and conclusions of law addressing the foregoing matters and shall cause to be developed (1) a clerk’s record containing the findings and conclusions and (2) a reporter’s record transcribing any evidence and argument presented at the hearing. Due to the time-sensitive nature of an appeal from a parental termination order, the record shall be filed with the Clerk of this Court on or before October 1, 2026. See TEX. R. JUD. ADMIN. 6.2(a). If the trial court determines that new appellate counsel should be appointed for R.L., the name, address, email address, telephone number, and state bar number of any newly appointed counsel shall be included in the aforementioned findings. Should the trial court determine that the appointment of new counsel is not required, the appeal shall proceed in due course upon reinstatement of the cause on this Court’s docket. It is so ordered. Per Curiam 2