In re Estate of Padilla, 103 S.W.3d 563 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2003, no pet.).
The appellate court held that a Decree of Partition and Distribution
was a final appealable judgment. The court applied the test set forth in
Crowson v. Wakeham, 897 S.W.2d 779 (Tex. 1992). The court indicated that
the order was final because it disposed of each issue raised in the
pleadings. The order addressed all of the relief sought and identified
the persons entitled to the estate and the shares of each. The court
then refused to hear the merits of the appeal because the notice of
appeal was untimely filed and thus the appellate court had no
jurisdiction to hear the appeal.
Moral: A person dissatisfied with a final order of a trial court should
timely file a notice of appeal.