**United States Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho** was appointed to the Southern District of Texas in 2022. Judge Ho's educational path is distinctive: she earned a Bachelor of Music from Rice University and a Master of Music from the University of Southern California before pursuing law. She graduated summa cum laude and as class valedictorian from the University of Houston Law Center. Following law school, she completed two judicial clerkships: one with the Honorable Ewing Werlein, Jr. of the Southern District of Texas, and one with the Honorable Thomas M. Reavley of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Prior to her judicial appointment, she was a partner at Bracewell LLP specializing in civil appellate practice. **Education** - University of Houston Law Center, J.D., summa cum laude, class valedictorian - University of Southern California, M.M. in Music - Rice University, B.M. in Music **Career** - United States Magistrate Judge, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (2022–present) - Partner, Bracewell LLP (civil appellate practice) - Law Clerk, Judge Thomas M. Reavley, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit - Law Clerk, Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr., Southern District of Texas
**Division:** Houston **Courthouse:** Bob Casey United States Courthouse, 515 Rusk Street, Room 7525, Houston, Texas 77002 **Phone:** (713) 250-5681 **Chambers Staff** - Case Manager: Rachel Willborg, (713) 250-5725, rachel_willborg@txs.uscourts.gov
Courtesy copies are required for exhibits. Details: 2 copies, delivery per section 7 b 4. Parties must provide the Court with two complete sets of their trial exhibits.
Yes. A pre-motion letter is required for discovery and scheduling. Details: 3 pages. Discovery and scheduling disputes require a pre-motion conference sought by a joint letter (max 3 pages) identifying the disputes and the date, time, and place, without case law or argument.
Judge Yvonne Y. Ho's rule states these limits: 6500 words; 2500 words. Excludes caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature blocks, and certificates. Primary briefs are limited to 6,500 words and reply briefs to 2,500 words, counting headings and footnotes but excluding the caption, document title, tables, signature blocks, and certificates.
Judge Yvonne Y. Ho's rule states these limits: 6500 words; 2500 words. Excludes caption, title of document, table of contents, table of authorities, signature blocks, and certificates. Primary briefs limited to 6,500 words; reply briefs limited to 2,500 words. Word count includes headings and footnotes; excludes caption, document title, TOC, TOA, signature blocks, and certificates.
Judge Yvonne Y. Ho's formatting rule includes 13 point type, double spacing, margins top 1 inches, bottom 1 inches, left 1 inches, right 1 inches, 12-point font for footnotes, proportionately spaced font, and full-justified text. Briefs must use 13-point proportionally spaced font (12-point for footnotes), be double-spaced, one-inch margins, and full-justified.
The rule requires certificate of conference. Emergency applications will be presented to the Court only after counsel affirms the opposing party was contacted and both parties can attend a conference, or explains why contact was not made.
The rule requires local rule certificate. Pro hac vice admission motions must include an averment that counsel have familiarized themselves with the Local Rules of the Southern District of Texas and these Procedures.
Parties may contact Judge Yvonne Y. Ho's chambers by phone only as allowed by the rule. Case-related telephone inquiries must be directed to the Case Manager, and parties must not contact the law clerks or the Judge.
A motion to seal is required for covered sealed filings before Judge Yvonne Y. Ho. A party may provisionally file a document under seal only if it contemporaneously submits a motion for leave to file under seal, with the Court later deciding whether the document remains sealed.
Judge Yvonne Y. Ho's rules specify what an adjournment or extension request must include. Trial will not be continued due to witness unavailability; counsel must anticipate witness availability issues.
Yes. Judge Yvonne Y. Ho requires bundling for covered papers. All motions in limine must be filed along with the Joint Pretrial Order.
Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. All documents must be filed electronically through CM/ECF, except unrepresented parties without CM/ECF access may file in person at the Clerk's Office.
Inquiries about cases pending before Judge Ho must be directed to case manager Rachel Willborg via email at Rachel_Willborg@txs.uscourts.gov.
Case-related inquiries may be made by telephone to the case manager at (713) 250-5725.
All documents must be filed electronically through CM/ECF, except unrepresented parties without CM/ECF access may file in person at the Clerk's Office.
Case-related telephone inquiries must be directed to the Case Manager, and parties must not contact the law clerks or the Judge.
Questions about filing must be directed to the Clerk's Office.
The Case Manager will not respond to casual telephone or email inquiries about the status of motions or cases.
All correspondence with the Court must be sent to Case Manager Rachel Willborg at 515 Rusk Street, Room 7525, Houston, TX 77002, or by email to Rachel_Willborg@txs.uscourts.gov.
All correspondence sent to the Case Manager must copy all counsel or pro se parties on the case to avoid ex parte communications.
Email correspondence with the Case Manager may be docketed at the Court's discretion.
Parties may never request relief by email to the Case Manager; such emails will be disregarded without notice.
The Case Manager cannot provide legal advice or predict what the Court will do on a given matter.
In exceptional circumstances, copies of urgent documents may be hand-delivered to the Clerk's Office during regular business hours or emailed to the Case Manager.
Urgent documents delivered or transmitted after 5:00 p.m. may not be reviewed until the next business day.
Copies of urgent documents hand-delivered or emailed to the Court must be transmitted to all counsel of record.
Applications for immediate relief must be filed electronically through CM/ECF.
After filing an application for immediate relief, the party must contact the Case Manager to alert the Court.
Emergency communications alerting the Case Manager must copy opposing parties or their counsel.
Emergency applications will be presented to the Court only after counsel affirms the opposing party was contacted and both parties can attend a conference, or explains why contact was not made.
Motions for extension of deadlines, including scheduling-order deadlines, are not considered emergencies.
Party agreements or joint motions for continuances or extensions are not binding; continuances are granted only at the Court's discretion.
Trial settings are usually firm and continuances are rarely granted due to discovery disputes.
Trial will not be continued due to witness unavailability; counsel must anticipate witness availability issues.
Out-of-town counsel must email the Case Manager a written request as far in advance as reasonably possible to appear by telephone at conferences or hearings, and accommodation is discretionary.
Pro hac vice admission motions must include an averment that counsel have familiarized themselves with the Local Rules of the Southern District of Texas and these Procedures.
Discovery and scheduling disputes require a pre-motion conference sought by a joint letter (max 3 pages) identifying the disputes and the date, time, and place, without case law or argument.
Parties may not file discovery or scheduling motions without first engaging in the pre-motion conference process, after which the Court decides whether written submissions are needed.
A party may provisionally file a document under seal only if it contemporaneously submits a motion for leave to file under seal, with the Court later deciding whether the document remains sealed.
The Court may direct a party to file a public, redacted version of a sealed document where warranted.
Motions must contain the arguments and relief sought; a separate memorandum of law must not be filed.
Every motion except summary judgment motions must be accompanied by a separate proposed order.