Tarrant County Courts at Law Adjournment & Extension Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Continuances in jury trials are not granted absent extenuating circumstances; agreed continuances require a hearing, and attorneys in multi-attorney firms must substantiate why the attorney of record must try the case rather than an associate.

In the absence of extenuating circumstances, no continuances will be granted in jury trials. Agreed continuances will require a hearing. An attorney in a firm of multiple attorneys will be required to substantiate why it is imperative for the attorney of record to conduct the trial and it is impractical for an associate attorney to try the case.

CRITICAL

Unless the Court sets otherwise, a continuance motion must be filed by the Wednesday before trial and is heard at 2:00 p.m. Thursday; a motion based on facts arising on or after that Wednesday must be filed as soon as possible and will be heard at a time set by the Court.

Except as hereinafter provided and unless otherwise set by the Court, any motion for continuance will be filed no later than the Wednesday preceding the trial date and will be heard by the Court in the courtroom at 2:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the trial date. Any motion for continuance based upon facts which occur on or after the Wednesday preceding the trial date will be filed as soon as possible and will be heard at a time to be set by the Court.

CRITICAL

A trial date may not be postponed or changed without the Court’s consent.

A trial date cannot be postponed or changed without the consent of the Court.

CRITICALCriminal cases

An attorney whose vacation or CLE commitment conflicts with a court setting must seek a continuance by sworn motion, but the Court may grant or deny it in its discretion.

If a Court setting, including a trial, conflicts with an attorney’s scheduled vacation or CLE commitment, the attorney shall file a sworn motion for continuance under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 29 no later than 7 days after receiving notice of the setting. The Court may grant or deny the continuance in its discretion.

WARNING

An attorney who planned a vacation for a trial date must notify the Court as soon as the trial-setting notice is received; the Court may reset the case at its discretion.

If a case is set for trial by the court on a date for which an attorney has planned a vacation, the attorney will notify the Court as soon as the notice of trial setting is received and the case may be reset for a different time at the discretion of the court.

WARNING

If an attorney plans a vacation after receiving a trial-setting notice, the attorney must immediately notify the Court and other parties and request a reset; the Court will decide after all parties have an opportunity to respond.

If plans for a vacation are made by an attorney after a trial setting notice has been received, the attorney will immediately notify the Court and other parties with a request that the case be reset for a different time. The Court will rule on such request after giving all parties to the lawsuit an opportunity to respond to the request.