Dallas County District Courts Filing Timing and Cure Windows

CRITICALCivil cases

If the parties do not make an announcement on Monday by noon, the case may be dismissed, or a default may be taken.

If the parties do not make an announcement on Monday by noon, the case may be dismissed, or a default may be taken.

CRITICALCivil cases

Trial announcements are made per Local Rule 3.02 (Thursday through Friday at 10:30 a.m. the week before the Tuesday trial date); failure to announce results in dismissal.

Trial Announcements are to made according to Local Rules 3.02 Announcements for Trial. (Starting on Thursday and through Friday at 10:30 a.m. the week prior to the Tuesday trial date.) If no announcement is made, the case shall be dismissed.

CRITICAL

Applications for immediate or temporary relief must be filed and assigned to a court before being presented to a judge, except in emergencies when the Clerk's office is closed.

Except in emergencies when the Clerk's office is not open for business, no application for immediate or temporary relief shall be presented to a Judge until it has been filed and assigned to a Court as provided in Local Rule 1.01.

CRITICAL

Each court must submit a monthly report even if there was no activity to report.

Monthly reports must be submitted for each court whether or not there was activity to report for the month.

CRITICAL

In emergencies when the clerk's office is closed, the case must be docketed and assigned at the earliest practicable time, and the judge must notify the assigned court.

Whenever immediate action of a Judge is required in an emergency when the Clerk's office is not open for business, the case shall nevertheless at the earliest practicable time be docketed and assigned to a Court as provided in Local Rule 1.01 and all writs and process shall be returnable to that Court. Any Judge taking such emergency action shall notify the Court in which such case is docketed at the earliest convenient and practical time.

CRITICAL

Applications for immediate or temporary relief must be filed and assigned to a court before being presented to a judge, except in emergencies when the clerk's office is closed.

Except in emergencies when the Clerk's office is not open for business, no application for immediate or temporary relief shall be presented to a Judge until it has been filed and assigned to a Court as provided in Local Rule 1.01.

CRITICALCivil cases

A Motion to Quash a Deposition Notice must be calendared for hearing at the Court's earliest convenience, and the filing counsel must ensure the hearing is calendared.

Any Motion to Quash a Deposition Notice pursuant to Tx.R.Civ.P. 199.4 or otherwise filed in a manner to immediately effectuate a stay of said deposition must, upon filing, be calendared for hearing before the Court at the Court's earliest convenience. The counsel filing said Motion to Quash is responsible for ensuring that a hearing is calendared consistent with this provision.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Court requests this notebook on the first day of trial.

The Court requests this notebook on the first day of trial.

CRITICAL

In-person jury proceedings may only be conducted after the jury proceeding addendum is submitted and accepted by the Regional Presiding Judge.

Judges of the district courts, constitutional and statutory county courts, and statutory probate courts will conduct in-person jury proceedings in accordance with the previously approved Operating Plan and this addendum only after this jury proceeding addendum is submitted and accepted by the Regional Presiding Judge.

CRITICALCivil cases

Proposed jury charges should be presented the first day of trial.

Proposed jury charges should be presented the first day of trial.

WARNINGCivil cases

Default and minor prove-ups are scheduled on Judge Craig's Friday afternoon prove-up docket through the Court Clerk.

Default Prove-ups are scheduled through the Court Clerk for Judge Craig’s Friday afternoon’s Prove-Up Docket. Minor Prove-Ups will also be set on Judge Craig’s Prove- Up Docket on Friday afternoons.

WARNING

Emergency filings made when the Clerk's office is closed must be docketed and assigned to a Court at the earliest practicable time, with writs returnable to that Court and the acting Judge notifying the assigned Court.

Whenever immediate action of a Judge is required in an emergency when the Clerk's office is not open for business, the case shall nevertheless at the earliest practicable time be docketed and assigned to a Court as provided in Local Rule 1.01 and all writs and process shall be returnable to that Court. Any Judge taking such emergency action shall notify the Court in which such case is docketed at the earliest convenient and practical time.

WARNINGCivil cases

Counsel should have pleadings on file before requesting a hearing from the District Clerk's office.

Counsel should have pleadings on file before calling the District Clerks office to request a hearing.

WARNING

Delivery of deposition notices is deemed on actual delivery, or the next open courthouse day if received after 5:00 p.m.; mail delivery is presumed the third business day after mailing.

For purposes of this rule, the date of delivery of a notice of deposition or motion to quash a notice of deposition is the date of actual delivery to counsel or a party, unless received after 5:00 p.m. in which case the date of delivery is deemed to be the next day on which the courthouse is open. Delivery by mail is presumed to be the third business day following mailing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Responses should be filed with the court clerks by the morning before the hearing so the Judge can review them.

Responses should be filed with the Court clerks by the morning prior to the hearing in order to be reviewed by Judge.

WARNINGCivil cases

Robinson/Daubert motions made after the discovery deadline are viewed with extreme disfavor.

The court looks with extreme disfavor upon Robinson/Daubert motions that are made after the discovery deadline.

WARNING

Exhibits and other evidence must be delivered to the Court Reporter in advance of the hearing.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness's attention) during remote proceedings.

WARNINGCivil cases

Continuance motions should be presented as soon as practical.

Continuance motions should be presented as soon as practical.

WARNINGCivil cases

Motions in limine should usually be filed on the day of trial or at the pre-trial conference.

Motions in limine should usually be filed the day of trial or at the pre-trial conference.

WARNING

The date in a motion's Fiat or Notice of Hearing is the date of submission to the Court for consideration.

The date as reflected in a Motion's Fiat or Notice of Hearing shall be considered the date of submission to the Court for consideration.

WARNING

The date on a motion's Fiat or Notice of Hearing is deemed the date the motion is submitted to the Court for consideration.

Motions shall continue to be set for hearing by the District Clerk, as is the customary practice of each Court. The date as reflected in a Motion's Fiat or Notice of Hearing shall be considered the date of submission to the Court for consideration.

WARNING

A party filing a motion to quash a deposition that would immediately cancel the deposition must ensure a hearing is calendared at the Court's earliest convenience.

Any Party filing a Motion to Quash a Deposition pursuant to Tx.R.Civ.P. 199.4 in a manner to cause the immediate cancelling of said Deposition is responsible for ensuring that a hearing is calendared at the Court’s earliest convenience.

CRITICALCivil cases

When a trial is reset, summary judgment motions must be scheduled at least 90 days before any subsequent trial setting.

If a trial is reset, the Summary Judgment must be set at least 90 days before any subsequent trial setting.

CRITICALCivil cases

Jury questionnaires must be submitted for pre-approval at least 3 days before trial.

Parties may submit questionnaires, but they must be pre-approved by the Court at least three (3) days before trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Expert challenges must be heard no later than 45 days before trial unless the scheduling order allows otherwise.

Unless otherwise allowed for in the Court’s scheduling order, expert challenges must be heard no later than forty-five (45) days before trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Parties must meet and confer on pre-trial issues no later than 7 days before trial.

Parties shall meet and confer so as to maximize agreement, on pre-trial issues no later than seven (7) days before trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Summary judgment motions must be filed at least 90 days before the next trial setting unless the court grants leave.

All Summary Judgments must be filed at least 90 days before the date of the next trial setting absent leave of court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Level 1, 2, and 3 cases require mediation completion 30 days before trial.

Level 1, 2 and 3 cases require mediation 30 days before trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Unless otherwise ordered, parties should exchange all pre-trial materials no later than ten (10) days before trial.

Unless otherwise ordered, parties should exchange all pre-trial materials no later than ten (10) days before trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law should be submitted seven (7) days before the scheduled trial setting, along with trial briefs on contested issues of law.

Proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law should be submitted seven (7) days before the scheduled trial setting, along with trial briefs on contested issues of law.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Additional party joinder

Additional parties must be joined by 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting unless a motion for leave shows good cause.

III. Deadline to Join Additional Parties. - 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting. No additional parties may be joined after this date, except on motion for leave showing good cause.

CRITICALCivil cases

All pretrial deadlines are suspended for cases set for jury trial until jury trials are reinstated in Dallas County.

All pretrial deadlines are hereby suspended for all cases which are set for jury trial in the 193rd. Deadlines will go back in effect once jury trials are reinstated within Dallas county.

CRITICALCivil cases

The application is due January 31st of each year.

Due January 31st of each year.

CRITICALCivil cases

Motions for summary judgment must be heard no later than 45 days before trial, subject to leave for good cause; they are heard by submission.

All Motions for Summary Judgment must be heard no later than forty-five (45) days before trial. A party may move for leave to allow such hearing based upon good cause. All motions for summary judgment are heard via submission.

CRITICALCivil cases

A case will be dismissed for want of prosecution if a default judgment is not obtained within 45 days after service on a defendant.

If service has been made on a Defendant and a Default Judgment is not obtained after 45 days from service, the case shall be dismissed for want of prosecution.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Amended pleading

Amended pleadings asserting new claims or defenses must be filed no later than 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting.

I. Deadline for filing Amended Pleadings Asserting New Claims or Defenses. - 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting.

CRITICALCivil cases

A case will be dismissed if service is not obtained within 4 months and there is no activity.

If no service has been obtained after 4 months and no activity has been made on the case, the case shall be dismissed.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Joint Pretrial Order must be submitted 2 days before the Pretrial Conference, or the Pretrial will be canceled.

The Court’s Joint Pretrial Order shall be required for all cases lasting 3 days or longer. It can be located on this Court’s website and must be submitted 2 days before the Pretrial Conference, or the Pretrial will be canceled.

CRITICAL

A Suggestion of Bankruptcy must be filed as soon as practicable and no later than 20 days after a party receives notice of another party's bankruptcy petition.

The Suggestion of Bankruptcy shall be filed as soon as practicable, but in no event more than 20 days after a party receives notice of the filing of a petition in bankruptcy by any other party.

CRITICALCivil cases

A reset or continuance of the Initial Trial Setting does not change deadlines in this Order or under the Texas Rules unless the Court orders otherwise or the parties agree under TRCP 11.

Any reset or continuance of the Initial Trial Setting will not alter any deadline in this Order or established by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure unless otherwise provided by Order, or by the agreement of the parties, in accordance with TRCP 11.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Responsible third party designation

Responsible third parties must be designated by 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting, with defendants filing any Section 33.004 motions for leave by that same date.

II. Deadline to Designate Responsible Third Parties. - 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting. Defendants shall file any motions for leave to designate responsible third parties, under Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §33.004 by this date.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Expert designation

Parties seeking affirmative relief must designate experts under TRCP 194.2(f) no later than 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting.

IV. Deadline for any Party seeking affirmative relief to designate experts as per Tex. R. Civ. P. 194.2(f) - 120 days before the Initial Trial Setting.

CRITICAL

A written request to retain a case on the docket may be submitted during the week before the dismissal date and must be submitted before the dismissal hearing.

A written request to retain on the docket may be submitted within one week prior to the dismissal date. All requests to retain must be submitted to the Court prior to the dismissal hearing or the case will be dismissed.

CRITICALCivil cases

The application form must be submitted annually.

THIS FORM MUST BE SUBMITTED ANNUALLY

CRITICAL

Suggestion of Bankruptcy must be filed within 20 days of receiving notice of another party's bankruptcy petition.

The Suggestion of Bankruptcy shall be filed as soon as practicable, but in no event more than 20 days after a party receives notice of the filing of a petition in bankruptcy by any other party.