Rule 3.16 Notification of Mandate

When a criminal appeal is finished, the Court of Criminal Appeals sends out a final order called a mandate. This mandate tells everyone that the appeal process is officially over and the case can move forward based on the court's decision.

The Clerk of the Court is in charge of letting the right people know this mandate has been issued. The clerk must notify the trial court clerk (the court where the case started) and the district attorney's office. If the case came from a municipal court instead, the clerk notifies the municipal attorney instead of the district attorney.

This step matters because it makes sure everyone involved knows the appeal is done and the case can proceed. Without this notice, the trial court might not know it's time to take the next steps, like carrying out a sentence or closing out the case.