Courtesy copies are required when a filing is > 25 pages. Details: 1 copy, delivery upon filing. Courtesy copy required for proposed voir dire questions and jury instructions exceeding 25 pages.
Judge Andrew S. Hanen's rules set a pre-motion procedure for tro and preliminary injunction. Restraining order applications are presented to the Court by the Case Manager after counsel affirms opposing party contact and both parties' availability for conference.
Judge Andrew S. Hanen's rule states these limits: 20 pages. All motions, briefs, legal memoranda, and pleadings are limited to 20 pages, with court permission required to exceed.
Judge Andrew S. Hanen's rule states these limits: 2 pages. Pre-motion letters are limited to 1-2 pages and must outline disputes and issues.
Judge Andrew S. Hanen's formatting rule includes file format paper, leave of court required for conventional (paper) filing of documents exceeding 30 pages, and electronic filing preferred when possible. Leave of Court required for conventional filing of documents over 30 pages, with electronic filing preferred.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. A case will be set for trial only if a complete Joint Pretrial Order has been filed.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Proposed voir dire questions must be filed with the clerk alongside the Joint Pretrial Order.
Parties may contact Judge Andrew S. Hanen's intake unit by phone only as allowed by the rule. Case-related telephone inquiries must be directed to the Case Manager (intake unit), not to the Court, judicial assistant, or law clerks.
Judge Andrew S. Hanen's rules set procedures for sealed or redacted filings. Process: file redacted on ecf. Counsel must comply with Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2(a) to protect minor plaintiffs' identities and privileged information.
Requests should be made at least 3 business days in advance when this rule applies before Judge Andrew S. Hanen. Continuance motions require 3 business days' notice; same-day motions need good cause.
Yes. Judge Andrew S. Hanen requires bundling for covered papers. Prohibited from separating motions, briefs, attachments, or exhibits into separate filings to avoid courtesy copy requirements.
Yes. Judge Andrew S. Hanen's rules include a junior lawyer participation incentive. Lawyers with less than 7 years of experience are young lawyers; court encourages them to have primary speaking roles and considers this when granting oral argument requests.
A case will be set for trial only if a complete Joint Pretrial Order has been filed.
All pleadings must be electronically filed per Local Rule 5.1.
Proposed voir dire questions must be filed with the clerk alongside the Joint Pretrial Order.
All pretrial motions including motions to suppress must comply with Local Criminal Rule 12; non-compliant motions to suppress are waived and unsupported pretrial motions are not entertained.
Pretrial motions must be written, state specific basis, include statement of authority, and be supported by affidavit or declaration with particularity of material facts if presenting factual issues.
Motions to suppress that do not comply with form requirements are waived under Rule 12.1.
Factual allegations in motions to suppress and accompanying affidavits must be definite, specific, detailed, and nonconjectural, not based on suspicion or conjecture.
All motions must include certificates of conference, certificates of service, and a proposed order.
Continuance motions require 3 business days' notice; same-day motions need good cause.
Courtesy copy required for proposed voir dire questions and jury instructions exceeding 25 pages.
Case-related telephone inquiries must be directed to the Case Manager (intake unit), not to the Court, judicial assistant, or law clerks.
Inquiries to the Case Manager should be via e-filed letter except for settings within 14 days, criminal cases, emergencies, or Section 8A matters, where email is allowed.
Filing, order, and docket entry information must be obtained via CM/ECF, PACER, or the Clerk’s Office phone number (713) 250-5500.
Substantive issues must not be addressed in letters to the Court unless permitted by Section 8A.
All case-related correspondence must be e-filed with the U.S. District Clerk at 515 Rusk Street, Room 5300, Houston, Texas 77002.
All counsel of record must be copied on case-related correspondence.
Urgent document courtesy copies may be sent to Chambers via Case Manager after filing, must include docket number, all exhibits, no redaction, and copy opposing counsel.
Counsel must maintain current email addresses in CM/ECF for order and motion transmissions.
Restraining order and immediate relief applications must be submitted through the Clerk’s Office.
Restraining order applications are presented to the Court by the Case Manager after counsel affirms opposing party contact and both parties' availability for conference.
Ex parte restraining order applications are only entertained if they meet Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(b) requirements.
Counsel must email or phone the Case Manager at (713) 250-5518 for immediate matters.
Extensions of Scheduling and Docket Control Order deadlines are not considered emergencies.
Emergency motions require a file-stamped hard copy courtesy copy sent to the Case Manager upon filing.
Filings over 20 pages require a file-stamped hard copy courtesy copy sent to the Case Manager.
Prohibited from separating motions, briefs, attachments, or exhibits into separate filings to avoid courtesy copy requirements.
Electronic filing questions must be directed to the Clerk’s Office.
Leave of Court required for conventional filing of documents over 30 pages, with electronic filing preferred.
Leave of Court required for conventional double-sided filing, with electronic filing preferred.
Leave required for over-sized/irregular documents not readily imaged, with electronic filing preferred.