Lee County District Court, Texas Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Document

The attorney or self-represented litigant submitting the document must sign it.

The document must be signed by the attorney or self-represented litigant submitting the document.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Objection

An objection to a submitted document’s form or substance must include the objecting party’s proposed document for the Court’s signature.

All objections to the form or substance of a document submitted shall have the objecting party's proposed document for the Court's signature attached.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Sworn inventory

Each inventory must state property values, liability details, separate-property claims, employment benefits, and the latest available information about the employee's rights and monetary interest in those benefits.

Each inventory shall list the value of each item of property and shall list each liability, together with the total amount of the liability, the number of periodic payments in arrears, if any, the property securing its payment, and the name of the creditor. Any property or liability claimed to be separate property shall be so characterized. All benefits arising from a party's employment (such as pensions, profit sharing plans, savings or thrift plans, and retirement accounts, whether vested or not) shall be identified, and the last information furnished as to the employee's rights and monetary interest in such plans shall be incorporated into the inventory as an exhibit thereto. The inventory or a summary attached thereto shall list

CRITICAL

Applies to

Inventory

Each inventory must show the net worth of the community estate and any claimed separate estate.

Each inventory shall show the net worth of the community estate and the net worth on any claimed separate estate.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Inventory

Inventories must be supplemented from the original inventory date through the trial date.

All inventories shall be supplemented from the date of the original inventory through the day of the trial.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Inventory

When a suit is tried, three copies of all inventories and supplemental inventories must be available for use at trial.

When a suit is tried, three (3) copies of all inventories and supplemental inventories shall be made available for use in trial.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Final hearing setting

In divorce actions involving child custody, both parties must complete at least four hours of the specified course before obtaining a final-hearing setting.

In all divorce actions involving the custody of children, both Petitioner and Respondent shall attend an online or in-person Parent Education and Family Stabilization course of not less than four (4) hours prior to obtaining a setting on a final hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Attendance certificate

Certificates of attendance for both parties must be filed with the District Clerk before obtaining a final-hearing setting.

Certificates of attendance for both the Petitioner and Respondent shall be filed with the District Clerk prior to obtaining a setting of the final hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of court setting

The Notice of Court Setting must state a court appearance date on a regularly scheduled criminal docket day, provided by the Court Coordinator or, if there is none, the appropriate District Clerk.

The arresting agency, or the appropriate County Sheriff, shall give the defendant at the time of arrest, or release from jail on bond, a Notice of Court Setting which shall have a date for the defendant to appear in court. This date is a regularly scheduled criminal docket day as it appears on the court's calendar and such will be provided by the Court Coordinator, or appropriate District Clerk if there is no Court Coordinator for the particular county in question,

CRITICAL

Applies to

Case reset form

A case being reset from its initial court setting must have a Case Reset Form reflecting the next setting before the parties are excused from court on the current setting.

In all counties, all cases to be reset from the initial setting set by the Court, must be set as reflected on a Case Reset Form reflecting the next setting on the case before being excused from Court on the current setting.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

An attorney of record may withdraw only by presenting a Motion to Withdraw and obtaining a court order granting leave.

No attorney of record shall be permitted to withdraw from any case without presenting a Motion to Withdraw and obtaining from the Court an order granting leave to withdraw.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

A Motion to Withdraw must include a certificate stating the client's last known address and email address.

No Motion to Withdraw will be entertained by the Court unless it includes a certificate of the client's last known address and email address.

CRITICAL

Counsel must comply with the sensitive-data requirements of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21c.

Counsel are specifically directed to the Sensitive Data requirements of Tex. R. Civ. P. 21c.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of submission

The Notice must state that a party may request a hearing or submit a written response by a submission date at least ten days after service.

The Notice shall clearly state that any party may either request a hearing or submit a written response on or before a specific submission date that is at least ten (10) days after service of such statement.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

A Setting Request must be filed with the Clerk, forwarded to the Court Coordinator, and specify the case, requested proceeding, contact details for each attorney or self-represented litigant, and estimated time for both sides.

Each Setting Request shall be filed with Clerk of the Court and the Clerk shall forward the Request to the Court Coordinator for a setting to be made and such Request shall specify (i) the cause number and style of the case; (ii) the nature of the hearing, trial or ruling sought; (iii) the name, address, telephone number, and email address of each attorney of record or self-represented litigant; (iv) the amount of time estimated by the requesting party to be required for such hearing for both sides.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of setting

A Notice of Setting must state the date, hour, nature of the trial or hearing, and allotted time.

The Notice of Setting shall state the date, hour, nature of the trial or hearing set, and the allotted time.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to retain

Must include

proposed order

A party seeking to keep a case on the docket must file a written Motion to Retain stating good cause together with a proposed Pre-Trial Order compliant with Rule 165a(1).

A written Motion to Retain shall be filed by any party desiring to maintain a case on the docket setting forth good cause, together with a proposed Pre-Trial Order complying with Rule 165a(1) of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Judgment or order

Judgments and orders in uncontested matters must be presented at the hearing and signed by the presenter, except for matters settled on the hearing date or when good cause is shown.

All Judgments and Orders in uncontested matters (except cases which are settled on the hearing date) shall be presented at the time of hearing on such matters, except for good cause shown, and be signed by the attorney or self-represented litigant presenting the Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Appointed counsel compensation request

Appointed counsel must submit the judges’ approved form itemizing services performed.

(a) The appointed counsel must submit to the presiding judge a form approved by the judges for itemizing the services performed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Written findings

If the judge approves an amount different from the amount requested, the judge must enter written findings stating the approved amount and each reason for the difference.

(b) The presiding judge hearing the motion/case under this Rule will either approve the amount requested or enter written findings stating the amount of payment that the judge approves and each reason for approving an amount different from the requested amount.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

An attorney of record must file a Motion to Withdraw and obtain a court order granting leave before withdrawing.

No attorney of record shall be permitted to withdraw from any case without presenting a Motion to Withdraw and obtaining from the Court an order granting leave to withdraw.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

A Motion to Withdraw must include a certificate stating the client’s last known address.

No Motion to Withdraw will be entertained by the Court unless it includes a certificate of the client's last known address.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of submission

If a notice of submission is given, it must state that a party may request a hearing or submit a written response by a specified date.

The Notice shall clearly state that any party may either request a hearing or submit a written response on or before a specific submission date that is at least ten (l0) days after service of such statement.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

A setting request must specify the case number and style, the nature of the requested proceeding or relief, contact information for each attorney or pro se party, and the estimated hearing time for both sides.

Each Setting Request shall be filed with Clerk ofthe Court and the Clerk shall forward the Request to the Court Coordinator for a setting to be made and such Request shall specify (i) the cause number and sty Ie of the case; (ii) the nature of the hearing, trial or rul ing sought; (iii) the name, address and telephone number of each attorney of record or party pro se; (iv) the amount of time estimated by the requesting party to be required for such hearing for both sides.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

A setting request must be filed with the court clerk, who forwards it to the court coordinator for scheduling.

Each Setting Request shall be filed with Clerk ofthe Court and the Clerk shall forward the Request to the Court Coordinator for a setting to be made

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of setting

A Notice of Setting must state the date, hour, nature of the trial or hearing, and allotted time.

The Notice of Setting shall state the date, hour, nature of the trial or hearing set, and the allotted time.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to retain

Must include

proposed order

A party seeking to retain a case on the docket must file a written Motion to Retain stating good cause together with a proposed Pre-Trial Order.

A written Motion to Retain shall be flied by any party desiring to maintain a case on the docket setting forth good cause, together with a proposed Pre-Trial Order complying with Rule 165a(l) of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Trial submissions

Each party’s counsel or self-represented party must submit a proposed Charge of the Court, Witness List, and List of Exhibits by noon on the Friday before the jury week, unless the Court directs otherwise.

Counsel for each party (or party pro se) will submit a proposed Charge of the Court, Witness List, and List of Exhibits to the Court no later than noon on the Friday prior to the jury week for which the case is set for trial, unless otherwise directed by the Court.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Document submitted after ruling

A document submitted after a ruling must be signed by the submitting attorney or self-represented party.

The document must be signed by the attorney or party pro se submitting the document.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Objection to submitted document

An objection to the form or substance of a submitted document must include the objecting party’s proposed document for the Court’s signature.

All objections to the form or substance of a document submitted shall have the objecting party's proposed document for the Court's signature attached.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Judgment or order in uncontested matter

Judgments and orders in uncontested matters must be presented at the hearing and signed by the presenting attorney or self-represented party, except for cases settled on the hearing date or when good cause is shown.

All Judgments and Orders in uncontested matters (except cases which are settled on the hearing date) shall be presented at the time ofhearing on such matters, except for good cause shown, and be signed by the attorney or party pro se presenting the Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed property division

Each attorney must submit a Proposed Property Division to the Court and opposing counsel by the commencement of trial, including property claimed or recognized as separate property.

Each attorney shall submit a Proposed Property Division, including property claimed or recognized as separate property, to the Court and opposing counsel not later than the commencement of trial.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Sworn inventory

In cases requiring division of property or liabilities, each spouse must file or mutually agree in writing on sworn inventories and exchange them within 75 days, with specified property and liability details; the rule excludes a respondent who waives citation and does not hire counsel.

In all cases requiring the division ofproperty and/or liabilities, except in cases where Respondent signs a Waiver of Citation and does not hire counsel, the Husband and Wife EACH sha1l11le with the Court, or upon written mutual agreement, and shall exchange between themselves, sworn inventories within seventy-five (75) days of the date that the suit is 11Ied. Each inventory shall list the value of each item of property and shaIllist each liability, together with the total amount of the liability, the number of periodic payments in arrears, ifany, the property securing its payment, and the name of the creditor. Any property or liability claimed to be separate property shall be so characterized.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Certificate of attendance

Certificates showing attendance by both parties must be filed with the District Clerk before a final-hearing setting is obtained.

Certificates of attendance for both the Petitioner and Respondent shall be filed with the District Clerk prior to obtaining a setting of the final hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Written notice of employment

Upon employment, defense counsel must give written notice to the District Attorney and the Court Coordinator or District Clerk, identifying the accused, charged offenses, and cause number if known.

Immediately upon employment, the defense attorney shall give written notice thereof to the District Attorney and the Court Coordinator, or appropriate District Clerk ifthere is no Court Coordinator for the particular county in question, stating the name of the accused, the offense(s) charged and cause number, ifknown.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Case reset form

A case reset from its initial court setting must have its next setting reflected on a Case Reset Form before the defendant is excused from court on the current setting.

In all counties, all cases to be reset from the initial setting set by the Court, must be set as reflected on a Case Reset Form reflecting the next setting on the case before being excused from Court on the current setting.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Itemization form

Appointed counsel must submit the judges-approved services-itemization form to the presiding judge.

(a) The appointed counsel must submit to the presiding judge a form approved by the judges for itemizing the services performed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Written findings

If the presiding judge approves a different amount than requested, the judge must enter written findings stating the approved amount and each reason for the difference.

(b) The presiding judge hearing the motion/case under this Rule will either approve the amount requested or enter written findings stating the amount of payment that the judge approves and each reason for approving an amount different from the requested amount.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Certification form

Must include

ai disclosure

Anyone using AI for legal research or drafting must sign and submit the attached certification before using AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding; the certification must address verification and responsibility for compliance.

All attorneys and self-represented litigants who utilize any form of artificial intelligence for legal research or drafting in connection with a case shall before using any AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding sign and submit the attached form certifying that: 1. All language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis created by or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence were before submission verified as accurate through traditional (non-AI) legal sources by an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Texas, and 2. That the person understands and acknowledges that they are and will be held responsible and potentially sanctioned for their or their co-counsel's failure to comply with this Order.

WARNING

Applies to

Parent education course

The Court may waive course attendance for one or both parties at its discretion.

The Court may, in its discretion, waive the attendance by one or both of the parties.

WARNING

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

The Court may deny leave to withdraw if the motion is presented so close to trial that granting it would require a trial delay.

Leave to withdraw may be denied where the Motion is presented so near the trial date as to require delay of the trial.

WARNING

Applies to

Setting request

The original setting request must be retained with the original papers in the court’s file.

The original Setting Request shall be retained with the original papers in the Court's file.