Court of Appeals

Decision Information

Decision Content

Cite as 2012 Ark. App. 545 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION I No. CA12-360 OPINION DELIVERED OCTOBER 3, 2012 MATTHEW HICE and JESSICA HICE APPELLANTS APPEAL FROM THE LOGAN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, NORTHERN DISTRICT, V. [NO. JV 2010-36] HONORABLE TERRY SULLIVAN, ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF JUDGE HUMAN SERVICES and MINOR CHILD AFFIRMED; MOTIONS TO APPELLEES WITHDRAW GRANTED ROBERT J. GLADWIN, Judge The Logan County Circuit Court terminated appellants Matthew Hices and Jessica Hices parental rights in their minor son, M.H., on July 2, 2012. Appellants are represented by separate counsel, and each has filed a motion to withdraw as counsel and a no-merit brief pursuant to Linker-Flores v. Ark. Dept of Human Servs., 359 Ark. 131, 194 S.W.3d 739 (2004), and Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 6-9(i) (2011), stating that there are no issues of arguable merit for appeal. We agree. The clerk of this court sent copies of counsels motions and briefs to the respective appellants at the addresses counsel provided in the certificates of service in the motions to be relieved, informing them that they had the right to file pro se points for reversal. Appellant Jessica Hice signed a receipt for her packet of documents but filed no pro se points. The
Cite as 2012 Ark. App. 545 packet that was sent to appellant Matthew Hice was returned to the clerk on June 8, 2012, marked unknown,” and he has not filed any pro se points. Neither the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) nor the ad litem attorney has chosen to file a brief. After carefully examining the record and the briefs presented to us, we conclude that counsel has complied with the requirements established by the Arkansas Supreme Court for no-merit appeals in termination cases and that these appeals are wholly without merit. Accordingly, we affirm, by memorandum opinion, the order terminating appellants parental rights in M.H. See In re Memorandum Opinions, 16 Ark. App. 301, 700 S.W.2d 63 (1985); Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 5-2(e) (2011). Counsels motions to withdraw are granted. Affirmed; motions to withdraw granted. PITTMAN and ROBBINS, JJ., agree. Brian A. Butler, for appellant Jessica Hice. Deborah R. Sallings, Arkansas Public Defender Commission, for appellant Matthew Hice. 2
 You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.