Thomas Mann, Jr. v. First National Bank Texas, a Division of First Convenience Bank, and First Heros National Bank
CourtTexas Court of Appeals, 3rd District (Austin)
Date FiledSeptember 4, 2026
Docket03-26-00559-CV
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN
NO. 03-26-00559-CV
Thomas Mann, Jr., Appellant
v.
First National Bank Texas, a Division of First Convenience Bank, and
First Heros National Bank, Appellees
FROM THE 146TH DISTRICT COURT OF BELL COUNTY
NO. 25DCV351307, THE HONORABLE MIKE RUSSELL, JUDGE PRESIDING
MEMORANDUM OPINION
The clerk’s record in this appeal was due for filing in this Court on July 13, 2026.
On July 27, 2026, we notified appellant that no clerk’s record had been filed due to his failure to
pay or make arrangements to pay the trial clerk’s fee for preparing the clerk’s record. The notice
requested that appellant make arrangements for the clerk’s record and submit a status report
regarding this appeal by August 6, 2026. Further, the notice advised appellant that his failure to
comply with this request could result in the dismissal of the appeal for want of prosecution.
Appellant responded that he intends to proceed by an appendix, but we previously notified
appellant that he did not timely make that election. See Tex. R. App. P. 34.5a(a) (“The notice of
election [to file an appendix that replaces the clerk’s record for the appeal] must be filed within
10 days after the date the appellant files a notice of appeal.”); Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code
§ 51.018(a) (“Not later than the 10th day after the date that a party files a notice of appeal for a
civil suit, the party may notify the trial court and the court of appeals that the party will file an
appendix that replaces the clerk’s record for the appeal.”). To date, the clerk’s record has not
been filed.
If a trial-court clerk fails to file the clerk’s record due to an appellant’s failure to
pay or make arrangements to pay for the clerk’s fee for preparing the record, the appellate court
may dismiss the appeal for want of prosecution unless the appellant was entitled to proceed without
payment of costs. Tex. R. App. P. 37.3(b). In this case, appellant has not established that he is
entitled to proceed without payment of costs. See Tex. R. Civ. P. 145. Because appellant has
failed to pay or make arrangements to pay the clerk’s fee for preparing the clerk’s record, this
appeal is dismissed for want of prosecution.
__________________________________________
Rosa Lopez Theofanis, Justice
Before Chief Justice Byrne, Justices Kelly and Theofanis
Dismissed for Want of Prosecution
Filed: September 4, 2026
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