Henderson County District Courts Document Format Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

All exhibits must be brought to Court.

Bring all exhibits to Court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Before any hearing or trial begins, hard-copy exhibits must be fully pre-marked and marked on the corner of the first page.

Prior to the commencement of any hearing or trial, all hard-copy exhibits must be fully pre-marked and placed on the corner of the first page.

CRITICALCivil cases

Exhibits must use sequential Arabic numbers; alphabetical letters are prohibited unless jointly stipulated.

Exhibit Number: Sequential Arabic numbers only (e.g., Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2). Alphabetical letters are strictly prohibited unless jointly stipulated as Exhibit 1-(Alphabetic letter, i.e. A, B, C, D).

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applications must be submitted in writing.

4. Application. All applications must be submitted in writing and shall be maintained by the appointing authority or contracting authority in accordance with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Retention Schedule for Local Records-Local Schedule GR.

CRITICAL

Every firearm must have a labeled string tag attached to its trigger well for exhibit marking.

All firearms shall have a string tag attached to the trigger well with a label affixed to the tag for exhibit marking purposes.

CRITICAL

An exhibit that does not comply with the standing order may be excluded until properly labeled, marked, and made safe if applicable.

Any exhibit(s) offered that do not meet the requirements of this standing order, are subject to exclusion until the exhibit is properly labeled, marked and made safe, if applicable.

CRITICAL

Exhibits must have stickers and follow the stated sequential numbering and subpart-labeling formats.

All exhibits shall be labeled with an exhibit sticker and sequentially numbered beginning with "Exhibit 1". Letters will only be used when an exhibit has a subpart. For example exhibit 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, etc. If an exhibit has multiple sub-parts, the exhibit shall be labeled with a number-letter-number format. For example- 1-A-1, 1-A-2, etc.

CRITICAL

Envelope- or box-based exhibits must follow the sequential numbering system, and contained items must be numbered from the outer container’s number using the subpart rules.

Exhibits that consist of envelopes, boxes, etc., shall use the above sequential numbering sequence. The outer envelope, box, etc. shall be labeled and marked with the appropriate sequential number, and all items contained within the envelope or box shall begin with the number on the outermost envelope or box and labeled according to the rules for labeling sub-parts.

CRITICAL

Exhibit labels must be legible and use the exhibit numbering sequence in black ink with a fine-point Sharpie-type marker.

All labels shall be legibly marked with the appropriate exhibit numbering sequence using a black, fine point "Sharpie" type marker.

CRITICAL

Documents and printed photographs must be 8.5 by 11 inches unless they are originals that cannot reasonably be reproduced at that size or that size is insufficient or unreasonable for the exhibit.

Documents and printed photographs shall be in an 8.5 x 11 format, unless the document or photograph is an original and cannot reasonably be reproduced in an 8.5 x 11 format, or an 8.5 x 11 format would not be sufficient or reasonable considering the substance of the exhibit. For example- maps, overhead views, diagrams, etc.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 11, 2026CRITICAL

Audio exhibits must be .mp3 files and must not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management.

Audio: All audio file exhibits must be MPEG-1 Audio-Layer 3 files (usually referred to as .mp3). The files must not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management. Id at § 8.9.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 11, 2026CRITICAL

Video file exhibits must be MPEG-4 Part 14 (.mp4) files.

Video: Video file exhibits must be MPEG-4 Part 14 files (usually referred to as .mp4).

CRITICAL

The pre-loaded file and the offered exhibit must have identical contents.

This ensures that digital exhibits published to the jury or the Court play more quickly and seamlessly. Parties shall ensure that the contents of the pre-loaded file and the exhibit are identical.

CRITICAL

Audio or video media must be numbered and labeled under the order; CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs must be labeled right of center and stored in a clear jacket or sleeve that leaves the label visible.

The medium containing the audio or video exhibit shall be numbered and labeled according to the rules in this order. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray disks shall be labeled right of center on the actual disk, so as not to interfere with accessing the data on the disk. Each disk shall be protected by a clear jacket or sleeve so that the exhibit label can be clearly seen inside the jacket or sleeve.

CRITICAL

Parties may not remove admitted exhibits from the courtroom without Court approval.

Parties will not be permitted to remove admitted exhibits from the courtroom without approval from the Court.

CRITICAL

Firearms used as exhibits must be unloaded, open, without magazines inserted, and fitted with a locking firearm safety cord.

All firearms used as exhibits shall be unloaded with the cylinder or action open, no magazines inserted, and a locking, firearm safety cord installed.

CRITICAL

Firearms and other dangerous objects must be physically incapacitated so they cannot inflict harm.

All firearms, as well as other dangerous objects, shall be physically incapacitated and in a condition where they cannot be used to inflict harm.

CRITICAL

The Bailiff must inspect firearms and weapons used as exhibits before they are brought into the courtroom.

The Bailiff shall inspect all firearms and weapons used as exhibits prior to them being brought into the courtroom.

CRITICAL

Attorneys and witnesses handling firearms must never point them at anyone or put a finger in the trigger well.

When handling firearms, attorneys and witnesses shall not point them at any person or have any finger in the trigger well at any time.

CRITICAL

An attorney must obtain prior Court approval to use a firearm in a witness demonstration about its function or its use or handling during the alleged offense.

If an attorney intends to use a firearm in a demonstration by a witness in regard to how the firearm functions, or was used or held during the commission of the alleged offense, prior approval from the Court shall be obtained by the attorney.

CRITICAL

Jurors may not handle a firearm during trial if it is published to them.

Jurors shall not be allowed to handle firearms during the trial if the firearm is published to the jury.

CRITICAL

The Court must be notified and approval obtained before a firearm is used in final argument.

Notification and approval shall be required before a firearm is used in final argument.

CRITICAL

A firearm and ammunition may not be given to a witness during testimony or to the jury together during deliberations, subject to the stated expert-witness exception.

A firearm and ammunition shall never be given to a witness during testimony or to the jury at the same time during juror deliberations, unless the witness is an expert witness with respect to firearms and/or ammunition.

WARNINGCriminal cases

An attorney must be able to produce typed motions and orders.

4. An attorney must have the ability to produce typed motions and orders;

WARNINGCriminal cases

Applications must be submitted in writing and retained according to the specified records-retention schedule.

4. Application. All applications must be submitted in writing and shall be maintained by the appointing authority or contracting authority in accordance with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Retention Schedule for Local Records-Local Schedule GR.

WARNING

If a label cannot be affixed directly to an object, it must be attached to a string tag tied to the object.

For objects where affixing a label is impossible, affix the label to a string tag and tie it on the object.

WARNING

Parties are highly encouraged to use the projector or computer to display documents and photographs on flat-panel displays rather than passing them to the jury.

The Court has access to a digital document projector for presenting exhibits to the jury or the Court. These projectors work best with 8.5 x 11 exhibits. Parties are highly encouraged to use the projector or computer to publish documents and photographs on the flat panel displays, rather than passing them to the jury.

WARNING

Parties should upload digital audio and video exhibits to the internal or attached drive of their computer or device before trial.

All digital audio and video exhibits should be uploaded to the internal or attached drive of the sponsoring parties' computer/device prior to trial.

WARNING

Parties should publish digital media from a pre-loaded file rather than from the offered exhibit.

Parties should refrain from publishing digital media from the offered exhibit, and instead, publish from the pre-loaded file.

WARNING

Parties must supply their own butcher paper.

Parties must provide their own butcher paper.

WARNING

Labels on non-paper exhibits must be placed where they are easily visible.

For objects other than paper, labels shall be placed where they can easily be seen.

WARNING

Small items may be enveloped, with the exhibit label on the front lower-right corner about 1/16 inch from the envelope’s bottom.

Small items may be placed in an envelope, and affix the exhibit label to the front, lower right-hand corner of the exhibit, approximately 1/16th of an inch from the bottom of the envelope.

WARNING

Parties should arrange with the Court before trial for large or bulky objects.

For large or bulky objects, please arrange with the Court prior to trial.

WARNING

Parties should take proper care when offering or using exhibits that may contain a biohazard or controlled or illegal substance.

Proper care should be taken when offering or using exhibits which may contain a bio-hazard or a controlled or illegal substance.

WARNING

Parties are responsible for the care, custody, and control of their exhibits unless the Court properly admits them.

Parties are responsible for the care, custody and control of their own exhibits, unless that exhibit has been properly admitted by the Court.

WARNING

The court reporter must secure and store exhibits properly admitted by the Court.

Exhibits properly admitted by the Court shall be secured and stored by the court reporter.

INFO

The Court highly encourages slide-show presentations during voir dire, opening, and closing.

Parties are highly encouraged to use Power-Point and/or other similar slide show type presentations during Voir Dire, Opening and Closing.

INFO

The Court provides an easel for butcher-paper presentations.

However, the Court does provide an easel for "butcher paper" presentation.

INFO

Parties should make every effort to label exhibits before offering them into evidence.

Every effort should be made to affix exhibit labels to the exhibit prior to offering them into evidence.

We could not confirm this summary. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

All parties who intend to offer digital evidence shall ensure that the evidence can be published for the jury or the Court in the courtroom prior to trial.

We could not confirm this summary. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Labels should be placed on the lower, right-hand corner of the exhibit, approximately 1/16th of an inch from the bottom of the page front, unless the label would interfere or cover a portion of the exhibit that is material to the substance of the exhibit. With oversized documents, keep consistency in mind when choosing the location for the label. If there is no blank space available ===== PAGE 2 ===== on an exhibit for placement of a label, or if a label would interfere with the substance of the exhibit, place the label on the back of the exhibit in the center, approximately 1/16th of an inch from the bottom edge.

Summary: Labels are recommended for the lower-right front corner, subject to material-content exceptions; when no suitable front space exists, place the label centered on the back near the bottom edge.

We could not confirm this summary. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

The files should not be password-protected, encrypted, or protected by rights management. Id at § 8.10.

We could not confirm this summary. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Parties should alert the Court to these types of exhibits prior to using or offering them.