Background
Natividad Longoria Jr. filed notices of appeal on May 8, 2026, seeking to challenge a judgment of conviction in each of three criminal cases. The trial court certified that each case resulted from a plea bargain, that Longoria had no right of appeal, and that he had waived his right to appeal.
The court of appeals ordered Longoria’s counsel to review the records and determine whether Longoria had a right to appeal in any of the cases. Counsel responded that Longoria had not retained a right to appeal in any of the three matters.
The Court’s Holding
The Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals held that Longoria waived his right to appeal in all three cases. After reviewing the records and the trial court’s certifications, the court concluded that none of the certifications showed a right of appeal.
Because the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure require dismissal when the trial court’s certification does not show that a criminal defendant has a right to appeal, the court dismissed all three appeals for want of jurisdiction.
Key Takeaways
- The opinion resolves appellate docket numbers 13-26-00378-CR, 13-26-00379-CR, and 13-26-00380-CR.
- The trial court certified that the matters were plea-bargain cases and that Longoria had waived his right to appeal.
- Because Longoria had no right to appeal, the appellate court dismissed each case for want of jurisdiction.
Why It Matters
The decision illustrates the jurisdictional effect of a trial court’s certification in a plea-bargain case. When the certification and record establish that the defendant waived the right to appeal and retained no appellate right, the court of appeals must dismiss rather than reach the merits.