April 20, 2026·25-40276·Per Curiam·By James Taylor
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion to withdraw counsel and dismissed an appeal filed by Hector Castillo-Molina. The court concurred with the appointed attorney's assessment that the appeal presented no nonfrivolous issues for review.
Hector Castillo-Molina appealed a criminal conviction from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The attorney appointed to represent him moved to withdraw and filed a brief stating that the appeal lacked nonfrivolous issues. Castillo-Molina did not file a response to the motion.
The court’s reasoning
The court reviewed the attorney’s brief and the relevant portions of the record. It concurred with the assessment that the appeal presented no nonfrivolous issue for appellate review.
What it means going forward
The appointed attorney is excused from further responsibilities, and the appeal is terminated without a decision on the merits of the underlying conviction.
