In re D.A.S.

PHILLIPS, Chief Justice, GONZALEZ, HECHT, SPECTOR and ABBOTT, Justices, join.

In these two related mandamus proceedings, we consider whether the procedure set forth in Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), applies to appeals from juvenile delinquency adjudications. We conclude that it does and conditionally grant mandamus relief in both cases.

The district court found D.A.S. to be a child engaged in delinquent conduct for committing the offense of aggravated assault. The court committed D.A.S. to the Texas Youth Commission for a period of twenty years, with a…