Eastern District of Texas Local Rules and Judge Filing Requirements

Exhibit lists may use any format, but they must include at least the minimum required information.

Appendices required for non-standard authorities cited in briefs/memoranda/motions.

Parties must follow specific procedures when conducting mock jury studies in the division where the case is pending.

Review Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Rules before case management conference.

Prohibits vexatious or harassing investigation of jurors

Use hand sanitizer upon entering courthouse

Motions over 20 pages require spiral or three-ring binding for courtesy copies.

Maintain appropriate distancing and follow staff instructions in the Courthouse.

Maintain appropriate distancing in the Courthouse as directed by staff.

Voluminous exhibits must be organized in labeled folders within a standard box with handles.

Courtesy copies required for briefs/memoranda/motions over 75 pages.

Parties are exempt from providing paper copies for documents over 10 pages.

Paper courtesy copies are not required unless specifically requested by the court.

Courtesy copies must contain only relevant pages and be placed in notebook binders.

Parties are exempt from Local Rule CV-5(a)(9) courtesy copy requirement for filings over 10 pages.

Attorneys must contact judge's chambers by phone and may follow up by email for court appearances.

Prohibits communication with jurors or potential jurors except during official proceedings

Parties must contact chambers to request oral argument by a newer attorney.

Plaintiff's counsel must immediately notify court upon settlement.

Contact Lisa Hardwick for scheduling matters, Judge Mitchell's law clerk for substantive matters.

Sealed attachments alone do not justify sealing the entire filing.

Limit personal information in filings: last 4 digits of account numbers, initials for minors, year for birth dates, city/state for addresses.

Standing order governs sealing of documents in civil cases before Judge Jordan

Documents designated as 'Confidential' by producing party are Protected Documents entitled to confidential treatment.

Personal identifiers must be redacted from the witness list before filing.

Unresolved objections to deposition extracts are due 2 weeks before docket call.

Judge Crone's courtroom limits spectators to 12, requires 6-foot distancing, and prohibits those under 18.

Page limit extensions granted only in exceptional circumstances.

Be judicious in exceeding page limits; brevity preferred.

Judge Crone's courtroom limits spectators to 12, requires 6-foot distancing, and prohibits those under 18.

The deadline to answer or respond is stayed while the application for extension is pending with the clerk.

Letter brief must be submitted no later than 145 days before the Markman hearing.

Counsel requiring authentication must notify offering counsel in writing within 3 business days after exhibit is made available.

Closing papers must be filed within 30 days of settlement announcement.

Requests to seal confidential information must be made before public disclosure.

Respond only to objected items in motions in limine; confer within 5 days to resolve disputes.

Motions to compel discovery require good faith conference first.

Each side may propose up to five motions in limine at the Pretrial Conference.

Before filing a Motion for Bill of Costs, parties must submit proposed bill to opposing counsel, meet and confer, attempt to agree, and if unable, file a motion specifying areas of disagreement.

Pretrial motions in criminal cases are referred to magistrate judges, except for specific motions.

Rule 16 management conference set for 50 days after order, no continuances without good cause.

Certain circumstances do not justify continuances or discovery deadline failures.

Persons who tested positive for COVID-19 within 5 days are prohibited from entering the Courthouse.

Extension motions must be filed early enough to allow opposing counsel time to respond before the deadline.

Defendants must use the Local Rule CV-12 application procedure for extensions of time to answer, which requires the extension to be unopposed, not more than 30 days, and not result in an overall extension exceeding 45 days. The deadline to answer is stayed pending clerk action.

Parties may file consent form by mail or electronically using the event 'Notice Regarding Consent to Proceed Before Magistrate Judge'.

The agreed charge for jury trials must be filed electronically on CM/ECF.

For jury trials, the agreed charge must be filed electronically on CM/ECF.

Letter briefs must be filed electronically as an exhibit to a Notice of Compliance referencing the directing order.

Parties must electronically file the joint report of the Rule 26(f) conference.

Newer attorneys are defined as those practicing for less than 7 years.

Parties must contact law clerk to request oral argument by newer attorney after briefing is complete.

Pretrial motions in criminal cases are referred to magistrate judges, except for specific motions.

Mock jury studies discouraged in the same division where case is pending.

Paper copies of electronically filed documents should not be provided unless specifically requested by the court.

Court encourages consolidating courtesy copies into a single binder; additional binders permitted but not required.

Counsel must assemble trial exhibits and make them available to opposing counsel on or before the date the joint pretrial order is due.

Early Rule 34 requests are not considered served until the Rule 26(f) conference occurs.