Court Rules

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 48 rules apply across Collin County District Courts. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Filing Requirements

All 24
  • Applies to
    Confidential material

    A party seeking confidentiality for a document, item, information, or material must mark it “Confidential” with the party’s name or initials immediately preceding that designation on the first page or outer cover.

  • Applies to
    Deposition testimony

    Deposition testimony concerning confidential documents must be designated during the deposition and transcribed in a separately marked confidential volume, while corresponding blank pages are inserted in the main transcript.

  • Applies to
    Confidential deposition notice

    A party may designate deposition information as confidential by giving all parties written notice, within 30 days after receiving the transcript, identifying the specific pages and lines to be treated as confidential.

Sealing

All 10
  • Documents designated as Confidential that are used in filed papers must be submitted in a labeled, sealed envelope and maintained under court seal.

  • Attorneys and self-represented litigants must redact sensitive data before filing and must submit a redacted substitute if unredacted sensitive information was previously filed.

  • A document may carry a sensitive-data notice when inclusion of the data is required by law, but the notice is prohibited when no such legal requirement applies.

Filing Timing

All 4
  • An ex parte application must be filed and assigned to a court before presentation to a judge, and the applicant must notify the judge whether related litigation is pending.

  • Within 30 days after reported settlement, rendition, or verdict, the parties must submit a written final judgment stating whether all parties approve it as to form or substance.

  • If the defense files a written motion for additional particularized discovery concerning a matter not addressed in the Standing Order, it must be presented at the earliest opportunity before trial.

E-Filing

All 3
  • Attorneys must file documents through the electronic filing system.

  • Self-represented litigants may elect electronic filing or submit documents directly to the district clerk.

  • Every electronic filing must comply with Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21 and all other applicable electronic-filing rules and standards.

About Judge Brook Fulks

- Court: 470th District Court - Address: 2100 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney, Texas, 75071 - Main: (972) 548-5670 - Court coordinator: Stacey Samples - Coordinator phone: (972) 548-5670 - Coordinator email: 470@collincountytx.gov

Common questions about Judge Brook Fulks's rules

What page or word limits apply to trial summary before Judge Brook Fulks?

Judge Brook Fulks' rule states these limits: 1 pages. The trial summary should be limited to one page.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Formal Pre-Trial Conference

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Brook Fulks?

Judge Brook Fulks' formatting rule includes file format docx. Proposed jury instructions, definitions, and questions must be emailed to the court coordinator in editable Word format.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Formal Pre-Trial Conference

What must be included with proposed property division filings before Judge Brook Fulks?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. A party's requested property division must be provided to the court at trial and must state the division of all assets and liabilities by characterization.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Sworn Inventory and Proposed Property Division

What must be included with testifying expert disclosure filings before Judge Brook Fulks?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Undisclosed experts cannot testify, and testifying-expert disclosures must include all information required by the rules.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Jury Trial Discovery Control Plan and Scheduling Order

How may parties contact Judge Brook Fulks' chambers?

The rule addresses phone communications with Judge Brook Fulks' clerk. The rule lists phone 972-548-5670. When requesting ex parte relief by e-filing, the filer must call or email the court coordinator to notify the coordinator that action is requested.

View ruleSource: page 4, section Ex Parte Relief – TROs, etc.

How does Judge Brook Fulks handle sealed or redacted filings?

A motion to seal is required for covered sealed filings before Judge Brook Fulks. A motion to seal a civil case must allege the grounds specified by Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 76a.

View ruleSource: page 8, section Sealing Cases

How do I request an adjournment or extension before Judge Brook Fulks?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. The request must include reason for request. Resetting or continuing the initial trial setting will not alter established deadlines unless the court orders otherwise after a motion showing good cause.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Bench Trial

Is electronic filing required before Judge Brook Fulks?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. The notice of court proceeding with the agreed date must be e-filed.

View ruleSource: page 9, section Settings — Hearing

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Brook Fulks?

The rule addresses filing timing, filing status, or cure windows. Initial-disclosure objections must be filed at least 30 days before trial or are waived.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Jury Trial Discovery Control Plan and Scheduling Order

What rule applies to service for sworn inventory before Judge Brook Fulks?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the opposing party. In divorce cases, each party must serve the other party with a sworn inventory within 30 days of the order.

View ruleSource: page 2, section Sworn Inventory and Proposed Property Division
Complete rules summary for Judge Brook Fulks

In divorce cases, each party must serve the other party with a sworn inventory within 30 days of the order.

A party's requested property division must be provided to the court at trial and must state the division of all assets and liabilities by characterization.

The court generally will not continue an agreed trial setting except in an emergency or for other good cause shown.

Resetting or continuing the initial trial setting will not alter established deadlines unless the court orders otherwise after a motion showing good cause.

The court ordinarily will not continue an agreed trial date unless an emergency or other good cause is shown.

If opposing counsel or a party will not sign the order or agree to a trial date, a party must file a letter describing its efforts and submit a proposed scheduling order.

Initial-disclosure objections must be filed at least 30 days before trial or are waived.

Motions to compel must be filed and heard at least 31 days before trial.

Undisclosed experts cannot testify, and testifying-expert disclosures must include all information required by the rules.

Dispositive motions must be filed early enough for responses to be due and must be heard no later than 31 days before trial.

Applicable pretrial disclosures must be completed and filed before the pretrial conference.

Before the pretrial conference, only an exhibit identification should be filed, not the trial exhibits themselves.

Pretrial motions must be filed at least 10 days before the formal pretrial conference and will be heard at that conference.

The court will not hear pretrial motions on the day of jury selection without prior leave of court.

Expert challenges must be heard by the formal pretrial conference absent good cause, with written objections filed at least 10 days before the hearing.

Each party must produce specified materials at the pretrial conference.

Proposed jury instructions, definitions, and questions must be emailed to the court coordinator in editable Word format.

Completed witness lists and exhibit lists must be produced at the pretrial conference.

All exhibits must be present and pre-marked for identification at the pretrial conference.

The court prefers descriptive exhibit markings, such as “H-1” for a husband’s exhibits or “M-1” for a mother’s exhibits.

For causes of action outside the Family Code, a trial summary must address each element of each claim and defense and, if appropriate, the legal damages standard.

The trial summary should be limited to one page.

Before trial, email the court coordinator to ensure that a required child interview is properly scheduled on the court calendar.

A continuance, even an agreed one, in a case filed more than nine months ago requires a hearing and court approval.

Failure to mediate or to schedule mediation does not justify a continuance.

A requested child interview must be included in the pretrial scheduling order or docketed in advance, and same-day requests will not be considered.

Audio and video exhibits must be provided to the court reporter on a flash drive because the court will not accept recordings in any other format.

A completed Default Judgment checklist must be filed with the court before a hearing to finalize a default judgment can be scheduled.

After the Default Judgment checklist and documents required to be filed have been completed and filed, email the court coordinator to schedule the default.

A party must appear at the in-person DWOP docket unless the court coordinator removes the case after the party follows the notice instructions.

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