Tarrant County Justice of the Peace Courts Document Filing Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Discovery motion

Must include

certificate of conference

The requesting party or filing counsel must include a Certificate of Discovery Conference with any discovery motion.

Any discovery motion shall contain a Certificate of Discovery Conference by the requesting party or counsel filingthe same.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency detention application

An applicant seeking emergency detention in Precinct Six must personally present the application to the Precinct Six Justice Court.

IT IS ORDERED that an applicant seeking the emergency detention of a person in Tarrant County, Precinct Six, must present the application personally before the Justice Court, Precinct Six, Tarrant County, Texas per Texas Health & Safety Code 573.012(a).

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver oath

Receiver must file an oath to perform their duties faithfully before acting under this Order

Receiver must file an oath to perform their duties faithfully before acting under this Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency detention application

An applicant who does not reside in Precinct 4 must first verify that the judge in their own precinct is unavailable before this court reviews the application; the judge decides how to proceed case by case if an extenuating circumstance arises.

Any applicant that does not reside in Precinct 4 shall first verify that the judge for the precinct in which they reside is not available; only then will this court review their application. If an extenuating circumstance arises the judge will make the decision on a case-by-case basis.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must identify the underlying judgment, including damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, and the balance due when filed.

(a) Identifying the specifics of the underlying final judgment (amount awarded as damages, any pre and post-judgment interest, balance due on the judgment at the time of filing, etc.)

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory answers

Each interrogatory must be answered separately, fully, in writing, and under oath.

Answer under oath separately and fully in writing under oath each of the INTERROGATORIES contained herein;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover application

The application must provide information about the receiver's oath and bond.

(g) Information about a Receiver’s oath and bond.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency detention application

An applicant seeking emergency detention in Precinct 4 must personally present the application to that precinct’s Justice of the Peace Court.

IT IS ORDERED that an applicant seeking the emergency detention of a person in Tarrant County, Precinct 4, must present the application personally before the Justice of the Peace Court, Precinct 4, Tarrant County, Texas per Texas Health & Safety Code 573.0129(a).

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must prohibit the receiver from disbursing recovered funds to the judgment creditor without the debtor's written consent or a court order.

(p) State that the Receiver shall not disburse to the Judgment Creditor funds recovered by the receiver without the judgment Debtor’s written consent or Court Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must preserve statutory exemptions and must not compel turnover or disbursement of exempt property, including the homestead, current-wage checks, or cash on hand.

(e) Provide language that the Order does not require the turnover of the proceeds of, or the disbursement of, property exempt under any statute and does not compel turnover of the homestead, checks for current wages or cash on hand or other exempt property of the judgment debtor

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Pretrial discovery request

Pretrial discovery requests must be presented to the court.

Any requests for pretrial discovery must be presented to the court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver fee approval request

Before receiving payment, the Receiver must submit a later request to the Justice Court for approval of the fees.

Again, whatever fee order is initially approved by the Court, before fees are paid and in order to be paid, the Receiver must later submit a request to the Justice Court for approval

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must describe the extent of the receiver's authorized powers and authority.

(f) Describe the extent of the Receiver’s authorized powers and authority

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must state that it does not authorize direct turnover of the property to the judgment creditor.

(d) State that the Order does not authorize that the property be turned over directly to the judgment creditor

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Payment plan application

A defendant entering a guilty or no-contest plea and requesting an extension to pay is subject to the payment-plan guidelines after completing and verifying the required application.

This order pertains to any defendant entering a plea of guilty/nolo contendere/no contest either in person, electronically or by 1st class mail with a request to the court for extension to pay. Upon completion and verification of the required application pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure 103.0033 and Texas Administrative Code Title 1 Part 175A the guidelines for a pay schedule shall be as follows:

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must provide the receiver's name and complete contact information.

(b) Provide the name and complete contact information of the Receiver

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Extension application

The required application must be completed and verified before the pay-schedule guidelines apply.

Upon completion and verification of the required application pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure 103.0033 and Texas Administrative Code Title 1 Part 175A the guidelines for a pay schedule shall be as follows:

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Discovery motion

Must include

certificate of conference

The requesting party or filing counsel must include a Certificate of Discovery Conference with any discovery motion.

Any discovery motion shall contain a Certificate of Discovery Conference by the requesting party or counsel filing the same.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover application

The application must address notice and the opportunity to appear or explain that the order is sought ex parte; the courts prefer notice and debtor participation, and an ex parte request without evidence showing necessity will be denied and require a hearing notice to the debtor.

(d) Address notice and opportunity for the creditor to appear for a hearing on the motion or whether the Order is sought ex parte. o Note: These Courts strongly prefer notice and opportunity for the debtor to appear. Any ex parte request absent evidence demonstrating why ex parte is necessary will be denied and require notice of hearing be sent to the debtor.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover receiver application

The creditor must present some evidence of the judgment and the property's non-exempt status to the court that granted the judgment.

The creditor must present to the Court that granted the judgment some evidence of the judgment and property’s non-exempt status;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

An order may not extend beyond one year without sufficient evidence and a showing of essential necessity, and even an order supported by essential necessity must terminate five years after issuance.

(l) Without sufficient evidence and showing of essential necessity, no Order will extend beyond one-year after the date of the Order; however, even essential necessity orders will terminate 5-years (60 months) from the date of issuance of the Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver oath

The receiver must take an oath of office and return it to the court within 10 days after the order is signed.

(o) A Receiver’s oath of office is required and shall be returned to the Court within 10-days of the signing of the Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Default judgment request

Beginning January 1, 2026, plaintiffs must provide the clerk in writing with the defendant’s known email and mailing addresses by the time judgment is signed; untimely compliance may result in denial and dismissal for want of prosecution.

Effective January 1, 2026, all plaintiff(s) must comply with the default-judgment requirement, 510.16 (b), providing to the clerk of the court, in writing, the known email address and mailing address of the defendant at or before the time the Judgement is signed. Failure to timely meet these requirements may result in the default judgment request being denied and dismissal for want of prosecution issued.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver expense accounting or receipts

The receiver must provide the court with an accounting or receipts for reasonable and necessary expenses.

Receiver must provide an accounting or receipts of any reasonable and necessary expenses, including those for storage of any property seized, to the court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory response

When an Interrogatory asks you to identify a document, the answer shall state the following with respect to each document: e. the title, heading or caption of such document, if any; f. the identifying or descriptive number(s), letter(s), or combination thereof, if any, and the significance or meaning of such number(s) or combination thereof; the date appearing on such document and if no date appears thereon, the answer shall so state and shall give the date, or approximate date, on which such date document was prepared; h. the general nature or description of such document (i.e., whether it is a letter, memorandum, minutes of meeting, etc.) and the number of pages of which it consists; i. the identity of person who signed such document and, if it was not signed, the answer shall so state and shall give the identity of the person(s) who prepare it; if the document is an agreement or contract, separately identify the parties thereto as well as each of

When an Interrogatory asks you to identify a document, the answer shall state the following with respect to each document: e. the title, heading or caption of such document, if any; f. the identifying or descriptive number(s), letter(s), or combination thereof, if any, and the significance or meaning of such number(s) or combination thereof; the date appearing on such document and if no date appears thereon, the answer shall so state and shall give the date, or approximate date, on which such date document was prepared; h. the general nature or description of such document (i.e., whether it is a letter, memorandum, minutes of meeting, etc.) and the number of pages of which it consists; i. the identity of person who signed such document and, if it was not signed, the answer shall so state and shall give the identity of the person(s) who prepare it; if the document is an agreement or contract, separately identify the parties thereto as well as each of

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Property inventory

If funds were recovered, the receiver must provide the court a written inventory of all property taken within 30 days after the order terminates.

If funds were recovered, the Receiver shall provide the Court a written inventory of all property taken within 30 days of the termination of an Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must require the receiver to provide the court an order terminating the receivership and discharging the receiver if no funds are recovered.

(q) State that the Receiver shall provide the Court with an Order to Terminate Receivership and Discharge Receiver if no funds were recovered.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory answers

The copy of the interrogatory answers delivered to the attorney must be complete, signed, and verified.

deliver a complete, signed, and a verified copy of your answers to the undersigned attorney within 30 days after service of these interrogatories on you;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The proposed order must state that the receiver may take possession of non-exempt property, sell it, and pay proceeds to the creditor as needed to satisfy the judgment.

(c) State that the Receiver is granted the authority to take possession of the non-exempt property, sell it and pay the proceeds to the judgment creditor to the extent required to satisfy the judgment

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory response

When an interrogatory asks for a person's identity, the answer must provide the listed personal, employment, and contact details, including specified last-known details when current information is unknown.

When an Interrogatory asks you to identify a natural person, the answer shall state: a. his/her full name; b. his/her present residence address and telephone number and, if that is not known, the answer shall so state and provide his/her last known residence address and telephone number and the last known date that he/she did business there. c. his/her present employer or business affiliation and job title; d. his/her present business address and telephone number, and if that is not known, the answer shall state and shall provide his/her last known business address and telephone number and the last known date that he/she did business there.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory answers

The defendant’s answers to the interrogatories are to be sworn as true and correct and subscribed before a notary.

BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared Defendant, being duly sworn, upon oath stated that each of the fotegoing answers to Plaintiffs Interrogatories In Aid of Judgment, are within his personal knowledge and are true and correct. By: Defendant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME on _→ 20. to certify which witness my hand and official seal. Notary Public in and for the State of Texas

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

Turnover and receiver orders must specify time limits.

(j) Orders granting Turnover and Receiver must have set time limitations

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Request for production response

A response to each production request must state any objections and privileges and provide the applicable response about production, service, timing and place, or the results of a diligent search.

"[w]ith respect to each item or category of items, the responding party must state objections and assert privileges as required by these rules, and state, as appropriate, that: (1) production, inspection, or other requested action will be permitted as requested; (2) the requested items are being served on the requesting party with the response; (3) production, inspection, or other requested action will take place at a specified time and place, if the responding party is objecting to the time and place of production; or (4) no items have been identified--after a diligent search--that are responsive to the request."

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

A proposed order appointing a post-judgment receiver must state that the requirements of 31.002 have been met, reference the motion, and include the listed matters.

Proposed Orders Appointing a Post-Judgment Receiver must recite that all the necessary conditions and requirements of 31.002 have been met, reference the Motion and include but not limited to:

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Document

Must include

certificate of service

Filers must provide a certificate of service that complies with applicable rules.

Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover receiver order

Turnover and receiver orders must clearly state their terms and the receiver's duties, authority, and responsibilities so the receiver can follow them without interpreting their scope.

All Orders must be clear and concise: (a) written so both the Court and the Receiver have a clear understanding of the terms; (b) understand the extent of the duties/authority and responsibilities of the Receiver; and, (c) provides confidence to the Court that the Order enables the Receiver the ability to understand and follow the Order without having to interpret their duties or the extent of their duties within the Order

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover application

The judgment creditor's application must provide sufficient evidence, which may be an affidavit, that the debtor has non-exempt property subject to the order.

(c) The judgment creditor must submit sufficient evidence, which may be by affidavit, that the judgment debtor has non-exempt property subject to the order.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory answers

A copy of the interrogatory answers must be filed with the court clerk.

and file a copy with the clerk of this court.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover application

The application must state the proposed method of compensating the receiver and the fees and costs.

(f) Proposed method to compensate the Receiver, fees and costs.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency detention application

An applicant who does not reside in Precinct Six must first verify that the judge in their home precinct is unavailable before the court reviews the application; an extenuating circumstance is decided case by case by the judge.

Any applicant that does not reside in Precinct Six shall first verify that the judge for the precinct in which they reside is not available; only then will this court review their application. If an extenuating circumstance arises the judge will make the decision on a case-by-case basis.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover receiver application

Turnover and receiver applications must provide sufficient evidence of the statutory requirements, identify and attach the final judgment, and describe the non-exempt property sufficiently to explain and limit the requested order.

Applications must contain sufficient evidence that establishes all the necessary conditions and requirements of 31.002 including but not limited to: (a) Information identifying the specifics of the underlying final judgment and an exhibit of the judgment provided; (b) Provide information describing the property as non-exempt and sufficient enough for the Court to understand what is sought and provide some limitation to the Order without requiring the property be specifically identified in the Order. For example, a general laundry-list to provide some limitation to the Order (Note: The property does not need to be property that cannot be readily attached or levied on by ordinary legal process.)

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver

The Receiver must file an oath to perform the Receiver's duties.

required in this post-judgment matter, but only that the Receiver file an Oath to perform the Receiver's duties.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Turnover application

The application must identify the proposed receiver and include complete contact information, attorney status, receiver experience, and a CV or resume.

(e) Name and identify the proposed Receiver to include: complete contact information; whether the Receiver is an attorney; experience as a Receiver; and a curriculum vitae or resume.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Request for admission response

Unless the responding party objects or asserts a privilege, the response must specifically admit or deny each request or explain in detail why it cannot do so.

"[u]nless the responding party states an objection or asserts a privilege, the responding party must specifically admit or deny the request or explain in detail the reasons that the responding party cannot admit or deny the request..."

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Interrogatory response

The responding party generally must sign interrogatory answers under oath, subject to the stated exceptions.

"[a] responding party--not an agent or attorney as otherwise permitted by Rule 14. -must sign the answers under oath except that: (1) when answers are based on information obtained from other persons, the party may so state, and (2) a party need not sign answers to interrogatories about persons with knowledge of relevant facts, trial witnesses, and legal contentions."

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Receiver oath

The Receiver must file an oath to perform their duties faithfully before acting under the order.

Receiver's Oath: Receiver must file an oath within ten (10) days of the signing of this order to perform their duties faithfully before action under this Order.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

(n) The order should set whether a Bond is required, if so to whom it is made payable to; however, if required by the Courts any bond will be nominal, fair and reasonable

(n) The order should set whether a Bond is required, if so to whom it is made payable to; however, if required by the Courts any bond will be nominal, fair and reasonable

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Discovery response

Answers must not be left blank; respondents should write “none,” “unknown,” or “N/A” when applicable.

No answer is to be left blank. If the answer to an Interrogatory is "none" or "unknown", the word "none" or "unknown" should be written in the answer. If the answer is inapplicable, "N/A" should be written in the answer.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

The court recommends that a receiver's powers and authority generally be limited.

(g) Generally, a Receiver’s powers and authority should be limited

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

Additional powers to obtain third-party financial information and credit reports are acceptable, but receiver powers should be clearly stated, concise, and limited.

(i) Additional powers, such as obtaining information from third-parties holding financial records and obtaining credit reports and related information is acceptable; yet, all powers and authority should be clear, concise and limited