Jefferson County Courts at Law Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

When trial or a hearing is imminent, contact the judge to obtain an immediate hearing.

If trial or hearing is imminent, contact the judge for an immediate hearing.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

For the listed uncontested matters, the attorney of record must call Court Administrative Staff to request an uncontested-docket hearing.

(a) Uncontested matters involving the probate of a will for the appointment of an Independent Executor or Independent Administrator, the probate of a will as a Muniment of Title, Applications for Administration, Determinations of Heirship, and Guardianships shall be set for a hearing on an uncontested docket. The attorney of record must call the Court Administrative Staff to request a hearing.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Requests to set contested matters expected to last less than two hours must be made by calling Court Administrative Staff and followed by written confirmation.

(c) All requests for settings on contested matters, with duration of less than two (2) hours, shall be made by calling the Court Administrative Staff of the County Judge’s office and follow up with a written confirmation of the hearing.

CRITICAL

The parties must notify the Court as soon as they learn a hearing is unnecessary, will be cancelled, or cannot occur because of scheduling conflicts; the cancelling party must give timely notice to the Court and all other parties.

CANCELING HEARINGS: The parties shall notify the Court as soon as they become aware that a hearing is not necessary, will be cancelled, or cannot take place due to scheduling conflicts. The party cancelling the hearing shall be responsible for timely notice to the Court and to all other parties of the cancellation.

CRITICAL

Counsel must promptly notify this Court of actual or potential schedule conflicts and notify any other affected tribunal that the setting is preferential.

Counsel are required to advise this Court as soon as they become aware of any actual or potential conflicts in their schedule, and are likewise required to advise promptly any other affected tribunal that a special setting exists in this Court and is preferential.

CRITICAL

Counsel must provide court personnel a copy of the hearing notice and, when requesting a setting, inform the Court of a good-faith estimate of trial time after consulting all counsel and considering the anticipated witnesses and exhibits.

(c) Court personnel are responsible for scheduling the dates and times for hearings. Upon receiving the date and time of hearing, the moving Counsel shall immediately notify all Counsel in writing as to the date, time and subject matter of the hearing. A copy of this communication shall be provided to the Court personnel. At the time of making a request for setting, Counsel shall inform the Court of the estimated time for trial. Counsel shall make a good faith estimate of the time required after consulting all Counsel and considering the following: Proper examination of witnesses; Introduction of exhibits; Cross-examination and rebuttal of witnesses reasonably anticipated to be called by all of the parties.

CRITICAL

If a hearing is not set, you may present it in chambers or in the courtroom, (if you desire a record). Ex parte presentment is not honored, please have your opponent present.

If a hearing is not set, you may present it in chambers or in the courtroom, (if you desire a record). Ex parte presentment is not honored, please have your opponent present.

CRITICAL

When requesting a setting, counsel must inform the Court of the estimated trial time and make a good-faith estimate after consulting all counsel and considering witness examination, exhibits, cross-examination, and rebuttal.

At the time of making a request for setting, Counsel shall inform the Court of the estimated time for trial. Counsel shall make a good faith estimate of the time required after consulting all Counsel and considering the following: Proper examination of witnesses; Introduction of exhibits; Cross-examination and rebuttal of witnesses reasonably anticipated to be called by all of the parties.

CRITICAL

After receiving a hearing date and time, moving counsel must immediately notify all counsel in writing of the date, time, and subject matter, and provide a copy of the communication to court personnel.

(c) Court personnel are responsible for scheduling the dates and times for hearings. Upon receiving the date and time of hearing, the moving Counsel shall immediately notify all Counsel in writing as to the date, time and subject matter of the hearing. A copy of this communication shall be provided to the Court personnel.

CRITICAL

With exceptions noted below, the “filing” of pretrial motions accomplishes only that, filing. The judge does not see motions that are “filed” because it does not constitute presentment to the court. You must present the motion in some fashion. If you have set same for a hearing, it will be presented at the hearing. If a hearing is not set, you may present it in chambers or in the courtroom, (if you desire a record). Ex parte presentment is not honored, please have your opponent present.

With exceptions noted below, the “filing” of pretrial motions accomplishes only that, filing. The judge does not see motions that are “filed” because it does not constitute presentment to the court. You must present the motion in some fashion. If you have set same for a hearing, it will be presented at the hearing. If a hearing is not set, you may present it in chambers or in the courtroom, (if you desire a record). Ex parte presentment is not honored, please have your opponent present.

CRITICAL

The parties must notify the Court as soon as they learn that a hearing is unnecessary, will be cancelled, or cannot occur because of scheduling conflicts.

The parties shall notify the Court as soon as they become aware that a hearing is not necessary, will be cancelled, or cannot take place due to scheduling conflicts.

CRITICAL

The party cancelling a hearing is responsible for timely notifying the Court and all other parties.

The party cancelling the hearing shall be responsible for timely notice to the Court and to all other parties of the cancellation.

CRITICAL

After settlement, counsel for the plaintiff, movant, or party seeking affirmative relief must notify the Court that the trial or hearing is no longer needed and may face sanctions for failing to give timely notice.

(c) If the parties reach a settlement, Counsel representing the plaintiff, Movant or party seeking affirmative relief, shall notify the Court of such settlement, and that the trial or hearing date is no longer needed and assure the Court that all appropriate settlement documents will be presented to the Court within 14 days. If such counsel fails to so notify the court within a reasonable time before the trial or hearing, the Court may impose appropriate sanctions.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

The attorney of record must call the Court Administrative Staff to request an uncontested hearing.

The attorney of record must call the Court Administrative Staff to request a hearing.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Requests to set contested matters lasting less than two hours must be made by calling the County Judge’s Court Administrative Staff and followed by written confirmation.

All requests for settings on contested matters, with duration of less than two (2) hours, shall be made by calling the Court Administrative Staff of the County Judge’s office and follow up with a written confirmation of the hearing.

CRITICAL

After settlement, counsel for the plaintiff or party seeking affirmative relief must notify the Court that the date is no longer needed and assure it that settlement documents will be presented within 14 days; untimely notice may result in sanctions.

(c) If the parties reach a settlement, Counsel representing the plaintiff, Movant or party seeking affirmative relief, shall notify the Court of such settlement, and that the trial or hearing date is no longer needed and assure the Court that all appropriate settlement documents will be presented to the Court within 14 days. If such counsel fails to so notify the court within a reasonable time before the trial or hearing, the Court may impose appropriate sanctions.

WARNING

Promptly report matters affecting the Court or its schedule to the Court Coordinator, keep the Court informed about conflicts, and notify it as soon as possible when a conflict is resolved.

Settlements, cancellations, and all other matters affecting the Court or the Court's schedule shall be promptly reported to the Court Coordinator. The Court shall be kept fully and accurately apprised of conflicting settings and calls to trial, and when another conflicting matter settles, or the conflict is resolved in any fashion, the attorney shall notify this Court as soon as possible.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

After reaching an agreement with the District Attorney, call the clerk with the plea and punishment agreement and preferred disposition time; disposition may occur Monday through Friday and, if the court is in trial, at a break.

Regardless of what docket your case is on, if you have reached an agreement with the District Attorney you can dispose of it by a plea of guilty or nolo contendere at any time Monday through Friday. Simply call the clerk and give her the plea and punishment agreement and tell her the day and time you would like to dispose of the case. If the court is in trial, your case will be disposed of at a break.

WARNING

By agreement, counsel may submit a matter for ruling without appearing or presenting oral argument, and the Judge should be advised of the agreement in writing.

(d) By agreement, Counsel may submit matters for ruling by the Judge without a personal appearance and oral presentation. The Judge should be advised in writing when such agreement is made.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

Call the court coordinator if you expect to be late or have a scheduling conflict.

If you anticipate being late, please call the court coordinator. If you have a conflict in schedules, please call the court coordinator.

WARNING

Report settlements, cancellations, schedule-affecting matters, and changes resolving trial conflicts promptly to the Court Coordinator or Court, as applicable.

Settlements, cancellations, and all other matters affecting the Court or the Court's schedule shall be promptly reported to the Court Coordinator. The Court shall be kept fully and accurately apprised of conflicting settings and calls to trial, and when another conflicting matter settles, or the conflict is resolved in any fashion, the attorney shall notify this Court as soon as possible.

WARNING

Counsel must promptly notify this Court of actual or potential schedule conflicts and notify any other affected tribunal that this Court has a preferential special setting.

Counsel are required to advise this Court as soon as they become aware of any actual or potential conflicts in their schedule, and are likewise required to advise promptly any other affected tribunal that a special setting exists in this Court and is preferential.

INFO

Court staff are available to assist when help is needed.

If you need assistance, the court staff will be happy to help you.

INFO

By agreement, counsel may submit a matter for ruling without appearing or presenting orally, and should advise the Judge in writing of the agreement.

(d) By agreement, Counsel may submit matters for ruling by the Judge without a personal appearance and oral presentation. The Judge should be advised in writing when such agreement is made.

INFO

The parties should notify the Court Coordinator when a hearing is expected to last more than approximately 15 minutes.

The parties should notify the Court Coordinator if the hearing is expected to last longer than approximately 15 minutes.

INFO

Contact

Phone to clerk

Counsel may call the plea agreement in to the clerk the day before the Plea Docket to have the plea handled before the docket is called.

If you call in the plea agreement to the clerk on the day before, your plea will be done before the docket is called.

INFO

The parties should notify the Court Coordinator if a hearing is expected to last longer than approximately 15 minutes.

C. LENGTH OF HEARINGS: The parties should notify the Court Coordinator if the hearing is expected to last longer than approximately 15 minutes.

INFO

The court asks counsel to notify the coordinator of the vacation period as soon as possible to reduce case resets.

However, to reduce the number of cases that will have to be reset, please notify the coordinator as soon as possible of your vacation period.