Harris County District Courts Document Format Requirements

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

In some instances, the Court may require that longer or more complex proposed orders be emailed to the Clerk in Word format.

In some instances, the Court may require that longer or more complex proposed orders be emailed to the Clerk in Word format.

WARNINGCivil cases

Mark plaintiff exhibits with red Plaintiff’s Exhibit stickers and defendant exhibits with blue Defendant’s Exhibit stickers.

Plaintiff’s exhibits are to be marked with red “Plaintiff’s Exhibit” stickers. Defendant’s exhibits are to be marked with blue “Defendant’s Exhibit” stickers.

WARNINGCivil cases

Multi-page exhibits should be stapled, bound, or otherwise assembled for accurate preservation.

Exhibits with multiple pages should be stapled, bound and/or assembled so that they may be accurately preserved.

WARNINGCivil cases

All oral hearings are in-person only.

All Oral hearings are In-Person ONLY.

WARNINGCivil cases

All hearings are held in person.

All hearings are held in person

WARNINGCivil cases

Motions for summary judgment must be heard by submission only.

Motions for Summary Judgment are to be heard by Submission ONLY.

WARNINGCivil cases

Video depositions should be edited to remove long pauses between questions and answers.

Further, please edit the video depositions to remove long pauses between questions and answers, etc.

WARNINGCivil cases

Pleas to the jurisdiction and Rule 91A motions must be heard on the oral docket only.

Pleas to the Jurisdictions and 91A Motions are to be heard on the Oral Docket ONLY.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Only after assignment to trial, the parties should arrange with the Trial Coordinator to email their proposed jury charge to the court in Microsoft Word format for compilation during trial.

Only when actually assigned to trial, the parties should make arrangements with the Trial Coordinator to e-mail their proposed charge to the court in Microsoft Word format so that the court may compile the court’s charge as the trial proceeds.

WARNINGCivil cases

Use numbers, not letters, to mark exhibits.

Use only numbers when marking exhibits instead of letters.

WARNINGCivil cases

For an oversized exhibit, identify an 8.5-by-11-inch copy as an exhibit.

For over-sized exhibits, identify an 8.5 x 11 sized copy as an exhibit.

WARNINGCivil cases

When e-filing, type the full pleading title in the description field, label exhibits, avoid all caps, and keep titles to 10 words or fewer.

When filing documents, please type the entire title of your pleading in the description field and clearly label all exhibits. Do not use all caps. Please limit the title of documents to no more than 10 words.

INFOCivil cases

Although not required, the Court considers PDF files exchanged by flash drive, email attachments, or a cloud link to be the best and least expensive practice.

The court finds that the best and least expensive practice (this is not required) is to create .pdf (Adobe) files of these filings and the exhibits and exchange them on a flash drive or by sending them to opposing counsel an e-mail with attachments. A link to a cloud-based version of these documents is also acceptable.

INFO

Please bring your proposed Jury Charge on a flash drive or cd.

Please bring your proposed Jury Charge on a flash drive or cd.

INFOCivil cases

Footnotes are accepted; hyperlinked motions may be provided on a USB thumb drive with courtesy copies.

Footnotes on filings are accepted. If you have hyperlinks on motions that have been filed, you can provide a courtesy copy of the motion in a USB thumb drive with your courtesy copies.

WARNING

A draft of the proposed jury charge must be exchanged before pretrial, delivered in Word format to the court coordinator via email or via thumb drive.

Drafts of proposed jury charges should be a valid prior to the pretrial conference. Parties should email or bring a d drive with proposed charge in Word format to the court coordinator Justin Fitzgerald.

INFO

Exhibits must be numbered, and lists prepared for both the Court and the court reporter, with a hard copy given to the court reporter.

Use numbers for the exhibits, not letters. Have a list prepared for the Court and another for the court reporter. Additionally, parties should provide a hard copy of the court for the court reporter's the record.