**United States District Judge Charles R. Eskridge III** was appointed to the Southern District of Texas by President Donald Trump in 2019. Judge Eskridge serves in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas. **Career** - United States District Judge, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (2019–present)
**Division:** Houston **Courthouse:** Bob Casey United States Courthouse, 515 Rusk Street, Room 9015, Courtroom 9F, Houston, Texas 77002 **Phone:** (713) 250-5249 **Chambers Staff** - Case Manager: Jennelle Gonzalez, (713) 250-5257 - Judicial Assistant: Amy Cooper, (713) 250-5795 - Law Clerk: Jason Daniels - Law Clerk: Kristin Pereira
Courtesy copies are required for sealed documents, joint pretrial orders, and trial materials. Details: 1 copy, delivery promptly. Courtesy copies are required promptly for sealed documents, Joint Pretrial Orders, and trial material; all other filings require courtesy copies only upon request.
Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's rules set a pre-motion procedure for motion to seal. Parties must seek resolution of motions to seal in advance of applicable filing deadlines.
Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's rule states these limits: 2 pages. Opposing parties must submit responsive letters of similar length (~2 single-spaced pages) to discovery dispute permission requests.
Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's rule states these limits: 4000 words. Amicus curiae briefs are limited to 4,000 words unless other permission is granted.
Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's formatting rule includes 13 point type, double spacing, letter paper, margins top 1 inches, bottom 1 inches, left 1 inches, right 1 inches, and double space except for lengthy quotations, headings, and footnotes.. Motion papers must use letter-size paper, minimum 13-point font, 1-inch margins, and be double-spaced except for quotations, headings, and footnotes.
The rule requires certificate of service. Proof of service (certificate of service) must be filed with the complaint or notice of removal, or the Court may dismiss the case.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Disclosure of interested parties must list all financially interested persons/entities, allow effective group descriptions, underline publicly traded corporation names, and be promptly amended when new parties or interested persons are identified.
Parties may contact Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's chambers by email only as allowed by the rule. The rule lists email Jennelle_Gonzalez@txs.uscourts.gov and phone (713) 250–5257. All inquiries regarding cases assigned to Judge Eskridge must be directed to Case Manager Jennelle Gonzalez via the provided contact information.
A motion to seal is required for covered sealed filings before Judge Charles R. Eskridge III. Process: file redacted on ecf and file unredacted to clerk. Parties must obtain court permission to seal filings containing confidential information, requiring a sealed motion, unredacted filing, and redacted public version.
Judge Charles R. Eskridge III's rules specify what an adjournment or extension request must include. Continuances of Scheduling and Docket Control Orders require showing of actual diligence and extraordinary circumstances; continuances in Section 10 matters only permitted for health exigencies or emergencies.
Yes. Judge Charles R. Eskridge III requires bundling for covered papers. Exhibits must be uploaded as a single attachment on CM/ECF; cover sheets required for each exhibit, table of contents for numerous attachments.
Proof of service (certificate of service) must be filed with the complaint or notice of removal, or the Court may dismiss the case.
Disclosure of interested parties must list all financially interested persons/entities, allow effective group descriptions, underline publicly traded corporation names, and be promptly amended when new parties or interested persons are identified.
Joint Discovery/Case Management Plan must be completed, use the court's attached form, and be filed at least 14 days before the initial pretrial conference by counsel and pro se parties.
Joint proposed scheduling and docket control order must be filed as an attachment to the Joint Discovery/Case Management Plan using the court's referenced form when no scheduling order is entered or a different schedule is requested, with parties conferring in good faith and identifying disagreements.
Removing parties must file the certificate of service in removed action within 10 days of the order's entry, using the attached form, serve a copy on all parties, and failure to comply may result in summary remand.
Certificate of Service in Removed Action must include case caption, judge name, certification of compliance with the court's removal order, and statement of service of required documents to all parties.
Statement of Information in Removed Action must include case caption, judge name, restated bold instructions, the five listed information items, and defendant signature block.
Parties must obtain court permission to seal filings containing confidential information, requiring a sealed motion, unredacted filing, and redacted public version.
Sealed motions filed on CM/ECF must have a title with a “SEALED” designation, such as “Motion for Summary Judgment (SEALED)”, not just “SEALED DOCUMENT”.
Parties must seek resolution of motions to seal in advance of applicable filing deadlines.
Confidential information and filings disclosing it must be filed under seal until further court order, with producing parties responsible for any additional preconditions required by the court.
Deposition designations must be prepared using Form 15.
Draft proposed orders must be prepared using Form 11.
All inquiries regarding cases assigned to Judge Eskridge must be directed to Case Manager Jennelle Gonzalez via the provided contact information.
Removing parties must file a certificate of service and required additional information within 10 days of case removal.
All emergency-related communications must be made through the Case Manager via telephone or email.
Motions for extension of deadlines and discovery disputes are not considered emergencies.
Magistrate Judges must be addressed as 'Magistrate Judge' in briefs.
Consent to proceed before a Magistrate Judge must be submitted using unaltered Form 2 with all instructions followed.
Opposing parties must submit responsive letters of similar length (~2 single-spaced pages) to discovery dispute permission requests.
Informal case-related communication is disfavored, substantive issues must be raised via written filings or in-person hearings, and court personnel may not provide legal advice.
All case-related informal communications must go through the Case Manager, with specific approved methods for different inquiry types.
Pro se and attorney contact with Law Clerks is prohibited unless returning a message, and must be limited to the stated subject.
Prior to contacting the Court for status updates, check the court website and CM/ECF system; filing questions must be directed to the Office of the Clerk.
Letters and emails to the Court must be served on all parties via the same method prior to delivery, and are not to be filed on CM/ECF unless the Court determines otherwise.
Letters requesting in camera inspection of privilege log documents may not exceed approximately three single-spaced pages.
Courtesy copies are required promptly for sealed documents, Joint Pretrial Orders, and trial material; all other filings require courtesy copies only upon request.
Courtesy copies of filings exceeding 100 pages must be double-sided, bound in tabbed binders no larger than 4 inches, and marked with the ECF docket number unless urgent.
Courtesy copies must be mailed or hand-delivered to the Case Manager with a transmittal letter, which must be served on all parties without attachments and not filed with the Court.
Counsel seeking CM/ECF notices must file a notice of appearance; inclusion in a pleading's signature block does not satisfy this requirement.