IN THE

TENTH COURT OF APPEALS

No. 10-96-144-CV

     PAUL EARL DORSEY,

                                                                                              Appellant

     v.

     CAPT. MATA,

                                                                                              Appellee

From the 52nd District Court

Coryell County, Texas

Trial Court # 30,092

MEMORANDUM OPINION

      Paul Dorsey appealed from the court's dismissal of his in forma pauperis petition. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. § 13.001 (Vernon Supp. 1996). Dorsey filed a notice of appeal on June 26, 1996, and the transcript was filed in this court on July 1. Although his brief was due on July 30, no appellant's brief has been filed. Tex. R. App. P. 74(k). Appellate Rule 74(l)(1) provides:

Civil Cases. In civil cases, when the appellant has failed to file his brief in the time prescribed, the appellate court may dismiss the appeal for want of prosecution, unless reasonable explanation is shown for such failure and that appellee has not suffered material injury thereby. The court may, however, decline to dismiss the appeal, whereupon it shall give such direction to the cause as it may deem proper.

Id. 74(l)(1).

      More than twenty days have passed since Dorsey's brief was due. We notified him of this defect by letter on August 8. Id. 60(a)(2), 83. He has not responded to our letter showing grounds for continuing the appeal, nor has he provided a reasonable explanation for failing to file a brief. Id. 60(a)(2), 74(l)(1). Therefore, this appeal is dismissed for want of prosecution. Id. 74(l)(1).

                                                                               PER CURIAM

Before   Chief Justice Davis,

            Justice Cummings, and

            Justice Vance 

Dismissed for want of prosecution

Opinion delivered and filed August 30, 1996

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