Court Rules

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 24 rules apply across Tarrant County Civil District Courts. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Service

All 8
  • Service
    Mail

    For purposes of these local rules, “counsel” includes a party proceeding without an attorney.

  • Discovery responses and related material must be served on all other lead counsel or parties and filed with the Clerk, although items designated optional need only be served and may be filed.

  • Discovery documents and related materials must be served on all other lead counsel or parties but generally must not be filed with the clerk except by special order.

Filing Requirements

All 8
  • Applies to
    Motion

    A motion seeking affirmative relief must include an order granting or denying the motion, or the order must be brought to the hearing.

  • Applies to
    Certificate of Written Discovery

    The original or an exact copy of the listed discovery responses and related material must be retained during the case and related appellate proceedings and for one year afterward, with a Certificate of Written Discovery signed and filed when necessary.

  • Applies to
    Certificate of Written Discovery

    A signed Certificate of Written Discovery must be filed with the clerk whenever Rule 1.07(b) discovery materials are retained or sent to another party.

Adjournments

All 3

  • An attorney must notify the Court as soon as a trial-setting notice is received and immediately notify the Court and other parties if a conflicting vacation plan is made afterward, requesting that the case be reset; the Court then must give all parties an opportunity to respond.

  • A continuance motion ordinarily must be filed by the Wednesday preceding trial and heard at 2:00 p.m. the following Thursday, unless the Court sets otherwise.

  • A continuance motion based on facts arising on or after the Wednesday before trial must be filed as soon as possible and will be heard at a time set by the Court.

Pre-Motion Conferences

All 2

  • A motion, objection, or special exception may not be set for hearing unless the moving party includes the prescribed conference certification in the filing or a separate letter.

  • The conference-certification requirement does not apply to dispositive motions, including summary-judgment, dismissal, cause-of-action dismissal, and new-trial motions.

More categories

View all Tarrant County Civil District Courts rules
About Judge Don Cosby

- Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building - 4th Floor - 100 North Calhoun Street - Fort Worth, TX, 76196 - Court phone: 817-884-1452 - Court Coordinator: Elaine Langford (817-884-1452, emlangford@tarrantcountytx.gov) - Court Reporter: Monica Brantley (817-884-1453, MABrantley@tarrantcountytx.gov) - Lead Clerk: Cynthia Cotman (817-884-1569, CLCotman@tarrantcountytx.gov) - Associate Clerk (817-884-2556) - Published note: To request a hearing, email the court coordinator, Elaine Langford, at emlangford@tarrantcountytx.gov and include the amount of time needed for the hearing.

Common questions about Judge Don Cosby's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge Don Cosby?

Courtesy copies for the Court may be submitted to the Court Coordinator.

View ruleSource: page 3

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Don Cosby?

Judge Don Cosby's formatting rule includes file format PDF. Exhibits must be submitted in PDF format.

View ruleSource: page 1, section PROCEDURES FOR LITIGANTS

What must be included with discovery dispute motion filings before Judge Don Cosby?

The rule requires certificate of conference. A motion raising a discovery dispute must include an attached Certificate of Conference and may then be set for a hearing before the Court.

View ruleSource: page 2, section DISCOVERY

What must be included with motion filings before Judge Don Cosby?

The rule requires proposed order. Every motion must be accompanied by a proposed order.

View ruleSource: page 8, section MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

How may parties contact Judge Don Cosby's chambers?

The rule addresses email communications. The rule lists email EMLangford@tarrantcountytx.gov. Litigants must provide their email address to the Court Coordinator at least 72 hours before a hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section PROCEDURES FOR LITIGANTS

How do I request an adjournment or extension before Judge Don Cosby?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. The Court will most likely grant a reasonable request to respond to a responsive pleading filed shortly before the hearing.

View ruleSource: page 2, section PLEADINGS & MOTIONS

Does Judge Don Cosby require motion papers to be bundled?

Yes. Judge Don Cosby requires bundling for covered papers. When a Scheduling Order exists, a continuance motion must include a proposed Amended Scheduling Order or the Court will not consider it.

View ruleSource: page 5, section TRIALS

Is electronic filing required before Judge Don Cosby?

No. Electronic filing is prohibited for the covered filings. Case law must not be electronically filed together with pleadings.

View ruleSource: page 4, section PRE-TRIAL HEARINGS / HEARING DOCKET

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Don Cosby?

The rule states a 4:00 p.m. filing cutoff. Exhibits must be submitted to the Court Reporter by the 4:00 p.m. deadline on the day before the hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section PROCEDURES FOR LITIGANTS

What rule applies to service for exhibits before Judge Don Cosby?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: method: service by email, recipient: all parties. Exhibits offered at a hearing must be emailed to all parties by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding day.

View ruleSource: page 1, section PROCEDURES FOR LITIGANTS
Complete rules summary for Judge Don Cosby

Litigants must provide their email address to the Court Coordinator at least 72 hours before a hearing.

The Court Reporter or Coordinator will provide the hearing link by email.

A litigant participating only by telephone must coordinate that arrangement with the Court Reporter the day before the hearing.

Exhibits offered at a hearing must be emailed to all parties by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding day.

Exhibits must be submitted to the Court Reporter by the 4:00 p.m. deadline on the day before the hearing.

Exhibits must be submitted in PDF format.

The Court will not consider exhibits that the Court Reporter does not receive by the applicable deadline.

Case law must not be electronically filed together with pleadings.

Attorneys should contact the Court’s Coordinator for assistance with true emergencies, and the Court will make every reasonable effort to accommodate them.

The Court has established no policy for after-hours emergencies, but potential after-hours emergencies known during regular court hours should be discussed with the Court’s Coordinator.

All court communications should be directed to the Court’s Coordinator using the contact information provided on the court’s webpage.

Trial dates may be obtained by contacting the Court’s Coordinator.

A motion raising a discovery dispute must include an attached Certificate of Conference and may then be set for a hearing before the Court.

Electronic filing is required for attorneys, and the Court does not receive a hard copy of an electronically filed document.

Related responsive documents should be filed sufficiently early for the Court’s stated goal of reviewing them at least 24 to 48 hours before the hearing.

The Court will most likely grant a reasonable request to respond to a responsive pleading filed shortly before the hearing.

Copies of case law must never be electronically filed; an attorney seeking judicial review should deliver the case copies to the Court’s Coordinator.

All filings must be submitted electronically through the e-file system directly to the Tarrant County District Clerk.

Courtesy copies for the Court may be submitted to the Court Coordinator.

The Court Coordinator must be contacted by telephone or email when inquiring about the status of motions.

A party must request all oral hearings by email or telephone to the Court Coordinator; the Court does not set motions for hearing automatically.

The Court permits practical and cost-efficient telephone conferences to resolve simple motions, requires arrangements through the Court Coordinator, and will not hold a telephone hearing if a record is desired.

Case law binders are accepted, and attorneys may highlight portions to focus the Court’s attention.

Proposed jury charges or findings of fact and conclusions of law must be emailed to the Court Coordinator in Word format no later than the start of trial.

Proposed jury charges or findings of fact and conclusions of law are due to the Court Coordinator by the start of trial.

When a Scheduling Order exists, a continuance motion must include a proposed Amended Scheduling Order or the Court will not consider it.

A first continuance motion is rarely denied, but every continuance requires the Court's approval.

A continuance motion must be filed by the Wednesday preceding trial and heard before 2:00 PM the preceding Thursday.

Failure to obtain a continuance hearing does not automatically result in granting the motion.

An agreed continuance motion is not automatically granted and may require a hearing.

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