Full Opinion

Cite as 2026 Ark. 126 SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS No. CR-25-467 Opinion Delivered: October 1, 2026 JAMES ANTHONY BARRON, JR. APPELLANT V. STATE OF ARKANSAS APPELLEE SHOW-CAUSE ORDER ISSUED. PER CURIAM James Barron was convicted of first-degree murder on April 10, 2025, and was sentenced to life in prison with a fifteen-year enhancement. Barron’s trial counsel filed a timely notice of appeal, but Barron’s retained appellate counsel, Angela Kendrick, failed to file an appellant’s brief after receiving three extensions, including a final extension setting the brief due on February 25, 2026. On July 7, 2026, the State moved to dismiss the appeal for failure to file an appellant’s brief and failure to prosecute the appeal. In response, Barron filed a pro se motion to remove Ms. Kendrick as counsel and to request the appointment of new appellate counsel. The court granted Barron’s motion and appointed new counsel. By separate order, we deny the State’s motion to dismiss. Yet we are concerned with Ms. Kendrick’s failure to file a brief after receiving multiple extensions, and in the now seven months since, she has failed to remedy the situation and has, apparently, abandoned her client. “It is well settled that under no circumstances may an attorney who has not been relieved by this court abandon an appeal.” Trowbridge v. State, 368 Ark. 36, 38, 242 S.W.3d 613, 614 (2006) (cleaned up); Johnson v. State, 342 Ark. 709, 30 S.W.3d 715 (2000); Ragsdale v. State, 341 Ark. 744, 19 S.W.3d 622 (2000). In Fellows v. State, we ordered the attorney to appear and show cause for failure to file a timely appellant’s brief or take any other action in the five months after the brief should have been filed. 307 Ark. 564, 566, 822 S.W.2d 845, 846 (1992); see also Pipkin v. State, 319 Ark. 237, 238, 892 S.W.2d 240, 240–41 (1995) (attorney held in contempt of court, fined, and referred to the Committee on Professional Conduct for failure to file a brief); Sumlin v. State, 317 Ark. 579, 580, 879 S.W.2d 432, 433 (1994) (attorney dismissed from appeal and referred to the Committee on Professional Conduct for failure to request a transcript or file an opening appellate brief). We order Ms. Kendrick to provide a written response explaining her conduct in this case, accounting for any funds received related to this case, and explaining why she should not receive sanctions. Ms. Kendrick’s response must be filed by Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. It is so ordered. Special Justice CORY COX joins. WEBB, J., not participating. 2