Judge Thomas C. West Individual Rules & Standing Orders - McLennan County District Courts

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 61 rules apply across McLennan County District Courts. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

E-Filing

All 24

Electronic filing and service are generally optional, but a district court may order them for a particular case upon a party's motion and a showing of good cause when the documents are permitted to be electronically filed under Rule 3.3.
Applies to
Document
Documents that may traditionally be filed with the district clerk generally may be filed electronically, subject to listed exceptions.
Applies to
Motion to seal
A motion to seal a document and any response to that motion may be filed electronically.

Service

All 11

Service
Electronic service
A filer may serve documents electronically by transmitting them to the receiving party's email address.
Service
Electronic service
Electronic service is permitted only when the receiving party has agreed to receive it or the court has ordered electronic service.
Service
Electronic service
Electronic filing alone does not require electronic service unless the court orders it.

Filing Timing

All 9

Electronic transmission through an EFSP to TexasOnline is available around the clock except during scheduled maintenance periods.
Transmission to the filer's EFSP constitutes delivery and generally filing, and a timely-transmitted document received no more than ten days late will be deemed filed on time, with the EFSP transmission report as prima facie timing evidence.
The district clerk must decide whether to accept a filing by the first business day and must accept it if it is not misdirected and meets all filing requirements.

Communication

All 4

Contact
Phone
To set a case for final hearing, a pro se litigant should call the District Court Coordinator or Administrator.
Contact
Phone
A pro se litigant must not call to set a final hearing until the applicable service prerequisite has been satisfied and a Final Divorce Decree or Order In Suit Affecting The Parent-Child Relationship is prepared and in hand.
Contact
Email to clerk
A filer who electronically files, serves, or agrees to accept service must provide information about any e-mail address change to TexasOnline, the district clerk, and all case parties.

More categories

View all McLennan County District Courts rules

Common questions about Judge Thomas C. West's rules

How does Judge Thomas C. West handle sealed or redacted filings?

Judge Thomas C. West's rules set procedures for sealed or redacted filings. Public access to pleadings, orders, and documents in DFPS suits under Chapters 261, 262, and 264 is restricted by the District Clerk, with access limited to the parties, their attorneys, the attorney ad litem, and the guardian ad litem unless the court orders otherwise.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Standing Order Regarding Public Access to DFPS Court Records

Complete rules summary for Judge Thomas C. West

Public access to pleadings, orders, and documents in DFPS suits under Chapters 261, 262, and 264 is restricted by the District Clerk, with access limited to the parties, their attorneys, the attorney ad litem, and the guardian ad litem unless the court orders otherwise.