Garza County District Court, Texas Document Filing Requirements

Civil cases

Applies to

Petition

In accordance with HB 1973, when a Petition is filed in a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship, the Petitioner shall additionally submit to the court a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate if available to the Petitioner. IT IS ORDERED that any birth certificate shall be referenced in the filing,

In accordance with HB 1973, when a Petition is filed in a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship, the Petitioner shall additionally submit to the court a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate if available to the Petitioner. IT IS ORDERED that any birth certificate shall be referenced in the filing,

Applies to

Motion for continuance

Must include

certificate of conference

Every motion for continuance must include a Certificate of Conference documenting the parties’ unsuccessful good-faith effort to resolve the dispute.

All Motions for Continuance mustinclude a "Certificate ofConference" documenting that the parties have made a good faith effort to resolve the dispute at issue and have failed.

Applies to

Hearing

Before any temporary or final hearing, each party must give the Court a list of requested relief without commentary or reasons, and any deviation from a standard must specify details as specifically as an order.

Prior to ANY hearing(Temporary or Final)each Party shall furnish the Court a list ofall relief requested without commentary and without the reason for the request. However, deviations from any standard must be as specific as an Order, e.g. request for supervised visitation must contain where, how and with whom.

Applies to

Tax return

Parties must furnish their last tax returns filed with the IRS.

Parties are ordered to furnish last tax returns filed with I.R.S.

Applies to

Witness notice

Each party must notify the other party of identifying information for all expert and public service witnesses, including police officers and CPS personnel, and summarize their expected testimony.

Each Party shall notice the other with identifying information of all expert wimesses and all public service wimesses. i.e. police officers, CPS personnel and a summary of their expected testimony.

Applies to

Proposed findings conclusions

When a party requests findings of fact and conclusions of law, the other party must be notified, and each party must prepare proposed findings and conclusions in signature-ready form within 10 days of the request.

If Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law are requested of the Court by either Party, the other Party is Ordered to be noticed and each is Ordered to prepare proposed Findings ofFact and Conclusions of Law in a form appropriate for the Judge's signature within ten (10) days of request.

Applies to

Hearing order

Unless the parties agree otherwise or the Court orders otherwise, the prevailing party drafts the hearing order; if that party is self-represented and the other party is represented, the other party’s counsel drafts it.

In the absence of an agreement or unless otherwise ordered by the court, the prevailing party in a hearing will draft the order. If the prevailing party is pro se and the other party is represented, counsel for the other party will draft the Order.

Applies to

Divorce pleading served by publication

When a divorce pleading is served by publication, the filing must include either a statement that the party owns nothing of value and has no minor children or an order appointing an attorney ad litem for the respondent.

If a Divorce pleading is served by publication, either 1) filing of a statement that they own nothing of value and they have no minor children, or 2) an Order Appointing an Attorney Ad Litem to represent the respondent will be required.

Applies to

Default judgment

A Certificate of Last Known Address and an Affidavit of Military Status must be filed before any default judgment is granted.

Before any Default Judgment will be granted, a Certificate of Last Known Address and an Affidavit of Military Status must first be filed in the case.

Applies to

Filing with sensitive exhibit or attachment

A filing must reference any exhibit or attachment containing sensitive data, which must be sent to the court by email rather than e-filed.

IT IS ORDERED that any filing that includes an exhibit or attachment that contains any sensitive data, including but not limited to photos of children and/or photos showing any injuries, said exhibit or attachment shall be referenced in the filing, but NOT eFiled. Instead, said exhibit or attachment shall be forwarded to the court via email.