Stephens County District Court, Texas Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Order

An order may be submitted without a hearing only if opposing counsel approved it and it accompanies the motion requesting the relief.

A) No order shall be submitted to the Court for approval without a hearing unless it has been approved by opposing counsel and is accompanied by the motion requesting the relief granted.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

If opposing counsel has not approved the order, an order setting a hearing must accompany the motion; attorney fees may be awarded.

If opposing counsel has not approved the order, there shall be an order setting the matter for hearing accompanying the motion and attorney fees can be awarded.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Final judgment decree or order

Court-designated counsel must reduce final judgments, decrees, and orders to writing within 30 days, forward them to opposing counsel for form approval, and deliver them to the Court within 30 days after receipt by opposing counsel.

B) All Final Judgments/Decrees/Orders of the Court shall be reduced to writing by counsel designated by the Court within thirty (30) days after rendition, announcement of the Court's ruling, announcement of agreement/settlement in open Court and forwarded to opposing counsel for approval as to form. Within thirty (30) days after receipt by opposing counsel, orders shall be delivered to the Court for signature and filing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Temporary order

Temporary orders must be reduced to writing within 10 days, forwarded to opposing counsel for form approval, and delivered to the Court within 10 days after opposing counsel receives them.

C) All temporary orders shall be reduced to writing within ten (10) days after rendition, announcement of the Court's ruling, announcement of agreement/settlement in open Court and forwarded to opposing counsel for approval as to form. Within ten (10) days after receipt by opposing counsel, orders shall be delivered to the Court for signature and filing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Agreed order

All counsel must approve agreed orders as to both form and content.

D) Agreed orders of any kind shall be approved by all counsel as to form and content.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Family law pleading

The Court's Standing Order must accompany every family-law pleading and takes effect when the party receives notice of its filing.

A) The Court's Standing Order will accompany all family law pleadings and shall take effect the moment that the party receives notice of its filing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

Every motion must include a certificate stating that efforts to resolve the dispute without court intervention were attempted and failed, with the efforts identified by date, action, and method; if a pro se opposing party does not respond, counsel may certify that nonresponse.

B) All motions shall contain a certificate by the party filing same that efforts to resolve the dispute without Court intervention have been attempted and failed and shall set forth specifically the efforts taken by date, action and method. If an opposing party is pro se, and that party does not respond to efforts to confer, counsel may certify that the pro se party failed to respond.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A motion lacking the required certificate may not be set for hearing until the certification is filed.

C) Any motion omitting such certificate shall not be set for hearing until such certification has been filed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Arraignment waiver

Arraignment may be waived in writing signed by the attorney and filed with the clerk at least forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled an arraignment.

Arraignment may be waived in writing signed by the attorney and filed with the clerk at least forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled an arraignment.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Court submission

Must include

ai disclosure

Attorneys and self-represented litigants using AI for legal research or drafting must incorporate and certify using the prescribed form before using AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding.

All self-represented litigants and attorneys 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, shall incorporate and certify using the form hereinbelow as a

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pleading generated utilizing artificial intelligence

Must include

ai disclosure

Each pleading generated using artificial intelligence must include a certificate confirming traditional-source verification and acknowledging responsibility for compliance with the Order.

certificate within each pleading generated utilizing artificial intelligence, certifying that; 1. All language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence were, before submission verified as accurate through traditional (non-AI) legal sources, 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.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Certificate regarding use of artificial intelligence

Must include

ai disclosure

The signed attorney or self-represented litigant’s certificate must confirm review of the AI standing order, verification of AI-contributed information using traditional legal sources before filing, and understanding of possible sanctions for failure to comply.

The below signed attorney/self-represented litigant hereby certifies the following: 1. I reviewed and understand this Court's Standing Order Regarding Artificial Intelligence usage and prohibitions. 2. Prior to filing the above-styled document I verified as accurate using traditional (non-artificial intelligence) legal sources all information created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence including but not limited to, language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis. 3. I also understand that failure to do so may result in possible sanctions under the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Conduct, Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 10, and the inherent power of the Court, or for contempt of court for failing to comply with the Court's Standing Order.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Petition

If the Petitioner fails to attach the order, the Clerk must ensure it is attached to the petition and every copy presented when the petition is filed.

At the time the petition is filed, if the Petitioner has failed to attach a copy of this order to the petition and any copy of the petition, the Clerk shall ensure that a copy of this order is attached to the petition and every copy of the petition presented.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Petition

The Petitioner must attach a copy of the order to the original petition and every copy of the petition.

7.1 The Petitioner shall attach a copy of this order to the original petition and to each copy of the petition.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Order

An order may be submitted without a hearing only if opposing counsel approved it and it is accompanied by the motion requesting the relief.

A) No order shall be submitted to the Court for approval without a hearing unless it has been approved by opposing counsel and is accompanied by the motion requesting the relief granted.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

If opposing counsel has not approved the order, there shall be an order setting the matter for hearing accompanying the motion and attorney fees can be awarded.

If opposing counsel has not approved the order, there shall be an order setting the matter for hearing accompanying the motion and attorney fees can be awarded.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Agreed order

Agreed orders must be approved by all counsel as to both form and content.

D) Agreed orders of any kind shall be approved by all counsel as to form and content.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

Every motion must include a certificate detailing the unsuccessful efforts to resolve the dispute, including their dates, actions, and methods; if a pro se opposing party does not respond, counsel may certify that failure to respond.

B) All motions shall contain a certificate by the party filing same that efforts to resolve the dispute without Court intervention have been attempted and failed and shall set forth specifically the efforts taken by date, action and method. If an opposing party is pro se, and that party does not respond to efforts to confer, counsel may certify that the pro se party failed to respond.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

A motion that lacks the required certificate may not be set for hearing until the certification is filed.

C) Any motion omitting such certificate shall not be set for hearing until such certification has been filed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Family law pleading

The Court’s Standing Order must accompany all family law pleadings and takes effect when the party receives notice of its filing.

C) The Court's Standing Order will accompany all family law pleadings and shall take effect the moment that the party receives notice of its filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Petition

The Petitioner must attach this order to the original petition and every copy, and the Clerk must ensure the attachments are included if the Petitioner fails to do so when filing.

7.1 The Petitioner shall attach a copy of this order to the original petition and to each copy of the petition. At the time the petition is filed, if the Petitioner has failed to attach a copy of this order to the petition and any copy of the petition, the Clerk shall ensure that a copy of this order is attached to the petition and every copy of the petition presented.

WARNING

Applies to

Proposed judgment decree or order

If counsel cannot obtain all opposing counsel's form approval, counsel may submit the proposed judgment, decree, or order with a letter asking the Court to sign it if no written objection is received within 10 days of the letter.

(b) Present the Court with the proposed judgment, decree, or order, together with a letter requesting the Court to sign the same if the Court has not received a written objection from opposing counsel within ten (10) days from the date of the letter.

WARNING

Failure to provide a temporary order, final judgment, or decree within the applicable time may result in the Court continuing the case or placing it on the dismissal docket.

UPON FAILURE TO FURNISH THE COURT WITH A TEMPORARY ORDER, FINAL JUDGMENT, OR DECREE WITHIN THE APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, THE COURT MAY, AT THE COURT'S DISCRETION, CONTINUE THE CASE OR PLACE THE CASE ON THE COURT'S DISMISSAL DOCKET.

WARNING

Applies to

Proposed order

If counsel cannot obtain all opposing counsel’s approval as to form, counsel may submit the proposed judgment, decree, or order with a letter asking the Court to sign if no written objection is received within ten days of the letter.

(b) Present the Court with the proposed judgment, decree, or order, together with a letter requesting the Court to sign the same if the Court has not received a written objection from opposing counsel within ten (10) days from the date of the letter.

INFO

Applies to

Proposed order

A signature on the proposed order is not required when the opposing side is self-represented.

If the opposing side is pro-se, a signature on the proposed order is not required.

INFO

Applies to

Proposed order

A pro se opposing party’s signature is not required on the proposed order.

If the opposing side is pro-se, a signature on the proposed order is not required.