Tarrant County Courts at Law Service and Proof of Service Rules

CRITICAL

For videotaped depositions and films taken within 45 days of trial, counsel must make them available and provide the required designations as soon as possible and early enough for objections to be heard before trial.

All videotaped depositions and other films taken within forty-five (45) days of trial must be made available, and the aforementioned designations made, as soon as possible to opposing counsel and sufficiently in advance of trial so that a hearing on any objections can be held before commencement of trial.

CRITICAL

Videotapes or films not tendered as required will not be admitted into evidence at trial.

Any videotapes or films not so tendered will not be permitted into evidence at the trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Email to opposing party

Responses or replies e-filed less than two business days before a proceeding must also be emailed in PDF format to the judge and opposing counsel.

Any responses or replies e-filed with the Clerk less than two (2) business days before a court proceeding must be emailed in pdf format to the judge and opposing counsel to ensure they will be read.

CRITICAL

Opposing counsel must serve the proffering attorney with page and line designations for portions of a videotaped deposition they intend to introduce no later than 10 days before trial.

Opposing counsel shall then serve the proffering attorney with page and line designations of any portion of the videotape deposition they intend to introduce at trial not later than ten (10) days prior to trial.

CRITICAL

The responsible party must serve the discovery materials listed in Rule 1.07(b) on all other lead counsel or parties, but may not file them with the clerk absent a Special Order.

(1) Serve upon all other lead counsel or parties, discovery material listed in Rule 1.07 (b) as required therein; but the same shall NOT be filed with the Clerk except on Special Order.

CRITICAL

The proffering attorney must serve opposing counsel with page and line designations for any additional portions of a videotaped deposition to be introduced no later than 7 days before trial.

The proffering attorney shall then serve opposing counsel with page and line designations of any portion of the videotape deposition they further intend to introduce at trial not later than seven (7) days prior to trial.

CRITICAL

Parties must deliver the listed trial materials to the Court and the other parties when they report for trial.

At the time the parties report for trial they will deliver to the Court and the other parties a witness list, exhibit list, any motion in limine and any requested instructions and questions if a jury trial and proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law if a non-jury trial.

CRITICAL

The listed discovery materials must be served on all other lead counsel or parties under the applicable Texas rules and may not be filed with the clerk absent a Special Order.

(b) The following discovery documents and related materials SHALL be served upon all other lead counsel or parties in accordance with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, but SHALL NOT BE FILED with the clerk except on Special Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Bankruptcy notice

Written notice of a bankruptcy must be provided to the affected courts and all counsel.

within three (3) days of any bankruptcy filing, to provide written notice to the affected courts) and all counsel that a bankruptcy has occurred

CRITICALCivil cases

Service

Email to opposing party

A party offering exhibits must email them to all opposing parties, the Court Reporter, and the judge by 4 p.m. the business day before the hearing.

If a party intends to offer any exhibits during the court proceeding they must be emailed to all opposing parties, the court reporter (email address above) and the judge (mhrabal@tarrantcountytx.gov) not later than 4 p.m. the business day before the hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discovery responses and related material

The following discovery responses and related material SHALL be served upon all other lead counsel or parties and filed with the Clerk in accordance with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code; those denoted [OPTIONAL] SHALL be served, and MAY be filed, accordingly:

The following discovery responses and related material SHALL be served upon all other lead counsel or parties and filed with the Clerk in accordance with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code; those denoted [OPTIONAL] SHALL be served, and MAY be filed, accordingly:

CRITICAL

Before trial begins, all exhibits must be marked, exchanged, and examined by counsel.

Prior to commencement of trial all exhibits will be marked, exchanged and examined by counsel so that the trial will not be delayed by such examination.

CRITICAL

For depositions, films, or videotapes taken at least 45 days before trial, counsel must make them available to opposing counsel and serve videotaped-deposition page and line designations no later than 14 days before trial, unless the parties agree otherwise or the Court orders otherwise; impeachment-only materials are excepted.

Unless otherwise expressly agreed to by the parties or ordered by the Court, counsel intending to offer videotaped depositions, or other films or videotapes at trial, except those offered solely for impeachment, must make such videotapes and films available to opposing counsel, and serve opposing counsel with page and line designations for videotaped depositions, not later than fourteen (14) days prior to trial for all depositions or other films taken forty-five (45) days or more in advance of trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Service

Email to all parties

Except for the stated impeachment-only procedure, exhibits must be emailed to all parties, the Court Reporter, and the judge by 4 p.m. the day before the TBC.

Except as noted below Exhibits must be emailed to all parties, the Court Reporter (email the TBC. The subject of the mail should be the full cause number and " - Plaintiff Exhibits" above) and the judge (MHrabal@tarrantcountytx.gov) not later than 4 p.m. the day before (or cause number "- Defendant Exhibits").

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Impeachment exhibits

Service

Email to opposing party

Impeachment-only documents should be emailed to opposing counsel, the Court Reporter, and the judge as soon as possible during the proceeding; they may be screen-shared after review by the Court and opposing counsel.

Documents judge as soon as possible during the proceeding. They may be screen shared during the used for impeachment only should be emailed to opposing counsel, the court reporter and proceeding after review by the Court and opposing counsel.

WARNING

Notice of less than ten calendar days under the cited Texas rules is presumed unreasonable, though the parties are encouraged to resolve these matters by agreement and may submit disputes to the Court by proper motion and hearing.

(S) Notice of less than ten (10) calendar days under Rules 21a and 199.2(a), Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, shall be presumed to be unreasonable. However, these matters are best handled by agreement of the parties, furthermore, parties are not precluded from submitting disputes as to such matters to the Court for determination by proper motion and hearings.

WARNING

Service

Mail

For pro se litigants, refusing or failing to collect mail at the provided address counts as constructive receipt, which may be established by a postal receipt or comparable proof of delivery.

Failure to accept delivery or to pick up mail addressed to the address provided by a pro se litigant will be considered constructive receipt of the mailed or delivered document and may be established by a postal service receipt for certified or registered mail or comparable proof of delivery.

WARNING

Persons authorized by order under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 103 to serve citations and notices are officers of the court and may face contempt or a prohibition on service for specified misconduct.

(a) For purposes of supervision and discipline the court deems those persons authorized to serve citation and other notices by order pursuant to Rule 103, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure to be officers of the court. Any such person filing a false return or engaging in service contrary to law or rule may be subject to punishment by an order of contempt. Such order may prohibit such person from serving citations and notices in Tarrant County.