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<TITLE>cv6-398.Hord.draft                                                  </TITLE>
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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-size: 14pt"><STRONG><CENTER>TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN</STRONG></SPAN></CENTER>
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<P><STRONG><CENTER>NO. 03-96-00398-CV</CENTER>
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<P><STRONG><CENTER>Sara Watts Hord, Appellant</CENTER>
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<P><STRONG><CENTER>v.</CENTER>
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<P><STRONG><CENTER>Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, Appellee</CENTER>
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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times" STYLE="font-size: 11pt"><STRONG><CENTER>FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF RUNNELS COUNTY, 119TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT</CENTER>
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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times" STYLE="font-size: 11pt"><STRONG><CENTER>NO. 353, HONORABLE JOHN E. SUTTON, JUDGE PRESIDING</STRONG></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times"><STRONG></CENTER>
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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times"><STRONG>PER CURIAM</STRONG></SPAN></P>

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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">	Appellant Sara Hord seeks to appeal the trial court's judgment signed April 4, 1996. 
Appellant filed a motion for new trial on May 3, 1996.  Appellant's deadline for filing a cost bond or
affidavit of inability to pay costs of appeal was July 3, 1996.</SPAN></P>

<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">	In reviewing the transcript, the Clerk of this Court noted that appellant timely filed a notice
of appeal with the district court on July 1, 1996.  By letter of July 19, 1996, this Court notified appellant
that she was not a party that may perfect an appeal by filing a notice of appeal.  <EM>See</EM> Tex. Civ. Prac. &amp;
Rem. Code Ann. §§ 6.001-.003 (West Supp. 1997).  Additionally, this Court informed appellant that while
the notice of appeal was a timely bona fide attempt to perfect the appeal and invoke the Court's jurisdiction,
the notice was a defective perfecting instrument.  <EM>Grand Prairie Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Southern Parts
Imports, Inc.</EM>, 813 S.W.2d 499, 500 (Tex. 1991).  The Court informed appellant, by the July 19 letter,
that appellant could amend the defective perfecting instrument by filing a proper affidavit of inability to pay
costs of appeal or give security, an appeal bond, or certificate of cash deposit in the district court and then
forwarding a copy by a supplemental transcript to this Court.  Finally, the letter stated that if appellant did
not file a proper perfecting instrument by August 16, 1996, the appeal may be dismissed unless the parties
responded within ten days showing grounds for continuing the appeal.  Tex. R. App. P. 60(a)(2).</SPAN></P>

<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">	The time for filing a supplemental transcript containing a proper perfecting instrument has
passed with no action by Hord.  Without an effective perfecting instrument this Court has no jurisdiction
over the appeal.  <EM>Davies v. Massey</EM>, 561 S.W.2d 799, 801 (Tex. 1970).  Because appellant has failed to
file a supplemental transcript containing a proper perfecting instrument, this Court is without jurisdiction
over the appeal.  Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction.  Tex. R. App. P. 60(a)(2).</SPAN></P>

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<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">Before Justices Powers, Jones and Kidd</SPAN></P>

<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">Appeal Dismissed for Want of Jurisdiction</SPAN></P>

<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">Filed:   February 13, 1997</SPAN></P>

<P><SPAN STYLE="font-family: CG Times">Do Not Publish</SPAN></P>

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