Hays County Courts at Law Document Format Requirements

CRITICALCriminal cases

The parties must use the Texas Criminal Pattern Jury Charges as the starting point for drafting the proposed jury charge.

The parties shall use the Texas Criminal Pattern Jury Charges, as published by the State Bar of Texas, as the starting point for drafting the proposed jury charge.

CRITICAL

A show cause order or other order setting a case presented for a judge's signature must be a separate document, not combined with a pleading or motion.

Any show cause order or other order setting a case presented to a Judge for signature must be in a separate document and not combined with any pleading or motion.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel must paginate all pleadings, orders, and other documents filed with the Clerk.

All counsel shall paginate all pleadings, orders, and all other documents filed with the Clerk of the Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel must number every paragraph in pleadings and motions.

Further, in all pleadings and motions, counsel shall number all paragraphs in those documents for the parties' and the Court's reference.

CRITICAL

Pattern jury charges must be used in criminal cases.

Administrative Order Requiring Use of Pattern Jury Charges In Criminal Cases

CRITICALCivil cases

Time must be billed in 0.1-hour increments, and minimum 0.25-hour increments are prohibited.

Billing Increments: Time must be billed in 0.1-hour (10-minute) increments. Minimum 0.25-hour billing increments are prohibited.

CRITICAL

An e-filed proposed order must be emailed to the Court Coordinators in rich text or Word format.

If a party e-files a proposed order, the party must e- file it separately from any motion or other document and email the proposed order to the Court Coordinators in a rich text or Word format.

CRITICALCivil cases

All counsel shall ensure that all proposed orders contain one of the following date line formats: SIGNED on: SIGNED:

All counsel shall ensure that all proposed orders contain one of the following date line formats: SIGNED on: SIGNED:

CRITICAL

A proposed order and complete copy of this Administrative Order must be filed together in one electronic document, with the proposed order first and the Administrative Order immediately after it; separate or incomplete submissions will be rejected.

The proposed order and a complete copy of this Administrative Order MUST BE COMBINED AND FILED AS A SINGLE, UNIFIED DOCUMENT (with the proposed order appearing fust, followed immediately by this Order). Any proposed order submitted separately or without a copy of this Administrative Order attached within the same electronic file will be rejected without consideration.

CRITICALCivil cases

Block billing is prohibited, and entries combining multiple tasks may be reduced or require an amended filing.

Block Billing: Block billing is strictly prohibited; entries combining multiple tasks under a single time entry will be reduced or require an amended filing.

WARNING

All documents must be in final form before a party approaches the Judge.

Parties must have all documents in final form before approaching the Judge.

WARNING

A proposed order or judgment submitted by email for signature must be in an editable format.

(3) A prevailing party may submit an order or judgment that has been approved as to form to the Court for signature by e-mailing the proposed order or judgment, in an editable format, to the Court Coordinators for the Judge.

WARNINGCivil cases

Counsel must avoid multi-blank date formats and date blanks in the body of proposed orders; the signing date is the only date left blank, “RENDERED and SIGNED” is acceptable when both actions occur the same day, and the Court may reject other wording or formatting where it supplies a date.

Counsel shall not use multi-blank date formats or include blanks for dates in the body of any Court will sign the order. The only date that shall be left blank in proposed orders is the date on which the and orders either orally in open court or by written memorandum filed with the Clerk and sign judgments and orders after those renditions are reduced to writing. Thus, iRENDERED and SIGNED" is acceptable if both actions are done on the same day. The Court may reject other wording or formatting where the Court is to provide a date.