Travis County Civil District Courts Service and Proof of Service Rules
46 rules from official source documents
E-service, mail, personal service, proof of service, certificate, and timing requirements. This page is scoped to Travis County Civil District Courts; use the court rules overview to switch categories without leaving this court.
- Applies to
- Notice of setting
- Service
- Other to all parties
The court does not send setting notices; the party obtaining the setting must notify all parties of the time, date, and total hearing time as required by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Rule 1.4.
Neither the court nor the Court Administrator sends notices of settings. The party who obtains the setting pursuant to Local Rule 2.3 must give notice to all parties of the time and date of a setting and the total time needed for the entire hearing for all participants. Notice must be given in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and these Local Rules, including Local Rule 1.4.
- Service
- Other to all parties
The party requesting a hearing setting (in a case involving an incarcerated party) must give notice of the setting to all other parties.
The party requesting the setting must give notice to all other parties.
- Applies to
- Post trial pleading
- Service
- Other to court
Notice of post-trial pleadings must be given to the trial judge by delivering a copy to the Office of the District Judges at the Civil and Family Courts Facility, by mail to P.O. Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767-1748, or by email to the trial court's submission email address with the required subject line.
Notice must be given to the trial judge by the party filing the pleading by: (a) Delivery of a copy of the pleading to the attention of the trial judge at the Office of the District Judges at the Civil and Family Courts Facility; (b) Mail addressed to the trial judge at P.O. Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767-1748; or (c) Email to the trial court's submission email address, which may be found on each court's webpage, with "Request for Post Trial Hearing" in the subject line of the email.
- Applies to
- Ex parte application
- Service
- Other to opposing party
A party applying for an ex parte order must fully advise the opposing party of the relief and hearing sought, unless the court waives this notice requirement.
A party presenting any application for an ex parte order must fully advise the opposing party of the relief and hearing sought, unless at the time the hearing is sought or scheduled, the court waives this notice requirement.
- Service
- Other to agency
In all cases, prior notice must be given to counsel for a governmental entity of any application to restrain governmental action.
In all cases, prior notice must be given to counsel for a governmental entity of any application to restrain governmental action.
- Service
- Other to agency
Notice of any hearing to restrain agency action must be provided to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.
Notice of any hearing to restrain agency action must be provided to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.
- Applies to
- Appendices
- Service
- Other to all parties
Appendices in administrative appeals must be served on all parties but need not be filed with the Clerk.
Appendices must be served on all parties but are not required to be filed with the Clerk.
- Service
- Other to all parties
A copy of the recording request must be delivered to the court, Court Administrator, all counsel of record, and all self-represented parties.
A copy of the request must also be delivered to the court, Court Administrator, all counsel of record and all self-represented parties.
- Service
- Other to other
For matters outside the scope of a Notice of Limited Appearance, service must be made on the party, and notice given to the limited-appearance attorney is not effective notice on that party.
Whenever service is required or permitted to be made upon a party represented by an attorney who has filed a Notice of Limited Appearance, service regarding matters outside the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance must be made on the party. Any notice upon an attorney regarding matters outside the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance is not effective notice on that party.
- Service
- Other to other
Service on a party represented under a limited appearance must be made at the address listed for that party in the Notice of Limited Appearance.
Service upon a party must be at the address listed for the party in the Notice of Limited Appearance.
- Deadline
- 0 calendar days
- Service
- Other to all parties
A copy of an objection to an Associate Judge must be delivered to all parties and to the Court Administrator on the same day the objection is filed with the District Clerk.
A person filing an objection must deliver a copy of the objection to all parties and to the Court Administrator on the same day the objection is filed with the District Clerk.
- Service
- Other to all parties
A motion to have a matter heard by a District Judge instead of an Associate Judge must be set for hearing with notice to all parties as required by the applicable rules of civil procedure.
The motion must be in writing and must set the motion for hearing by a judge with notice to all parties as required by the applicable rules of civil procedure.
- Deadline
- 0 calendar days
- Service
- Other to court
A copy of a request for a de novo hearing must be delivered to the Court Administrator on the same day the request is filed with the District Clerk.
Any person requesting a de novo hearing before a judge must also deliver a copy of the request to the Court Administrator on the same day that the request is filed with the District Clerk.
- Applies to
- Pretrial forms
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Each party must file the required pre-trial forms with the District Clerk and deliver a copy to the opposing party.
Each party must file the required forms with the District Clerk and deliver a copy to the opposing party.
- Applies to
- Pretrial form
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Each party must deliver the required pre-trial form to the opposing party before the case is called for hearing and to the judge at the time of the hearing.
Each party must deliver the required form to the opposing party and to the judge hearing the case. Each party must deliver the required form to the opposing party before the case is called for hearing, and to the judge at the time of the hearing.
- Applies to
- Submission email
- Service
- Email to all parties
All counsel of record and self-represented parties must be copied on the submission email.
All counsel of record and self-represented parties shall be copied.
- Required
- Always
- Service
- Other to court
Filing a document with the District Clerk does not forward it to the judge; a party who needs the judge to receive a document must provide it directly to the judge rather than simply filing it.
Please note that documents filed with the District Clerk are not forwarded to a judge; if a party is required to forward a document to a judge or intends for a document to be ... document to the judge, and not simply file it.
- Required
- Always
- Service
- Other to court
Providing a document to a judge does not file it; documents presented to a judge for action (e.g., motions) must first be filed with the District Clerk, then a copy provided to the judge.
Also note that providing documents to a judge does not file them; documents provided to a judge for action (e.g., motions) must first be filed with the District Clerk, then a copy provided to the judge.
- Applies to
- Notice of setting
- Service
- Other to all parties
The party obtaining a setting—not the court or Court Administrator—must notify all parties of the setting date, time, and total hearing time in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules (including Local Rule 1.4).
Neither the court nor the Court Administrator sends notices of settings. The party who obtains the setting pursuant to Local Rule 2.3 must give notice to all parties of the time and date of a setting and the total time needed for the entire hearing for all participants. Notice must be given in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and these Local Rules, including Local Rule 1.4.
- Service
- Other to all parties
A party requesting a hearing setting must give notice of the setting to all other parties.
The party requesting the setting must give notice to all other parties.
- Applies to
- Motion for continuance
- Service
- Other
A movant seeking a continuance must still deliver a copy of the motion and give notice of the hearing as required by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
This Rule does not relieve a movant of the burden of delivering a copy of the motion and giving notice of the hearing in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Applies to
- Post trial pleading
- Service
- Other to court
The District Clerk does not forward pleadings to the trial judge, so the filing party must give notice directly to the trial judge when filing any enumerated post-trial pleading.
Pleadings that are filed with the District Clerk are not forwarded by the District Clerk to the trial judge. Notice must be given directly to the trial judge when a party files one or more of the following post-trial pleadings: (a) Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (TEX. R. CIV. PROC. 296); (b) Notice of Past Due Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (TEX. R. CIV. PROC. 296); (c) Any affidavit of indigence filed in connection with an appeal (TEX. R. APP. PROC. 20.1); (d) Motion for New Trial, or Motion to Modify, Correct, or Reform Judgment; ( e) Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict; or (t) Motions to Enter Judgment.
- Service
- Other to court
Notice of post-trial pleadings to the trial judge must be given by delivery to the Office of the District Judges, by mail to P.O. Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767-1748, or by email to the trial court's submission email address with 'Request for Post Trial Hearing' in the subject line.
Notice must be given to the trial judge by the party filing the pleading by: (a) Delivery of a copy of the pleading to the attention of the trial judge at the Office of the District Judges at the Civil and Family Courts Facility; (b) Mail addressed to the trial judge at P.O. Box 17 48, Austin, TX 787 6 7-17 48; or (c) Email to the trial court's submission email address, which may be found on each court's webpage, with "Request for Post Trial Hearing" in the subject line of the email.
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Parties applying for ex parte orders must fully advise the opposing party of the relief and hearing sought unless the court waives this notice requirement.
A party presenting any application for an ex parte order must fully advise the opposing party of the relief and hearing sought, unless at the time the hearing is sought or scheduled, the court waives this notice requirement.
- Service
- Other to court
Applicants seeking a TRO or other emergency relief must provide the Rule 10.2 notice to the Local Administrative Judge contemporaneously with or immediately after seeking the relief.
If seeking a temporary restraining order or other emergency relief, the applicant must, contemporaneously with or immediately after seeking a temporary restraining order or other emergency relief, provide the notice described in Rules 10.2.
- Service
- Email to opposing party
Advance notice of a TRO application must be given by both email and telephone to the parties to the agency proceeding and to their counsel if they were represented in the agency proceeding.
Advance notice of the application for a temporary restraining order must be provided by email and by telephone to the party or parties to the agency proceeding and to counsel if the party was represented at agency proceeding.
- Service
- Other to agency
Prior notice of any application to restrain governmental action must be given to counsel for the governmental entity.
In all cases, prior notice must be given to counsel for a governmental entity of any application to restrain governmental action.
- Service
- Other to agency
Notice of any hearing to restrain agency action must be provided to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.
Notice of any hearing to restrain agency action must be provided to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.
- Service
- Other to all parties
Required appendices to administrative appeal briefing must be served on all parties but need not be filed with the Clerk.
Appendices must be served on all parties but are not required to be filed with the Clerk.
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Each party must file the required pretrial forms with the District Clerk and deliver a copy to the opposing party.
Each party must file the required forms with the District Clerk and deliver a copy to the opposing party.
- Applies to
- Return of service
- Service
- Other
A process server's return of service must state that the server is at least 18 years old, is not a party to or interested in the outcome of the suit, and is authorized by written order to serve process, including the blanket order number.
When a return is required, a person authorized to serve process must state in his or her return that he or she is (a) Not less than eighteen years of age; (b) Not a party to or interested in the outcome of t~e suit; and (c) Authorized by written order to serve process, and the number of such blanket written order.
- Applies to
- Request to record broadcast or photograph
- Service
- Other to all parties
A copy of the request to record, broadcast, or photograph must be delivered to the court, Court Administrator, all counsel of record, and all self-represented parties.
A copy of the request must also be delivered to the court, Court Administrator, all counsel of record and all self-represented parties.
- Service
- Other to other
When a party is represented under a Notice of Limited Appearance, service on matters outside the limited appearance's scope must be made on the party (not the attorney) at the address listed in the Notice of Limited Appearance.
Whenever service is required or permitted to be made upon a party represented by an attorney who has filed a Notice of Limited Appearance, service regarding matters outside the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance must be made on the party. Any notice upon an attorney regarding matters outside the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance is not effective notice on that party. Service upon a party must be at the address listed for the party in the Notice of Limited Appearance.
- Deadline
- 0 calendar days
- Applies to
- Objection to associate judge
- Service
- Other to all parties
A copy of an objection to an Associate Judge must be delivered to all parties and to the Court Administrator on the same day the objection is filed with the District Clerk.
A person filing an objection must deliver a copy of the objection to all parties and to the Court Administrator on the same day the objection is filed with the District Clerk.
- Applies to
- Pre trial forms
- Service
- Other
Each party must deliver the required pre-trial forms to both the opposing party and the judge hearing the case.
Each party must deliver the required form to the opposing party and to the judge hearing the case.
- Applies to
- Pre trial forms
- Service
- Other
Pre-trial forms must be delivered to the opposing party before the case is called for hearing and to the judge at the time of the hearing.
Each party must deliver the required form to the opposing party before the case is called for hearing, and to the judge at the time of the hearing.
- Deadline
- 14 calendar days
- Applies to
- Pretrial information form
- Service
- Other to other
The petitioner must serve a copy of the pretrial information form on the Family Court Services Manager fourteen days before the final hearing.
In every termination suit, except those brought by CPS, and in all adoption suits, the petitioner must file a completed pretrial information form with the District Clerk and serve a copy on the Family Court Services Manager fourteen days before the final hearing.
- Applies to
- Notice of hearing
- Service
- Other to all parties
Judges do not set hearings or send notices, so lawyers and self-represented litigants must set matters with the Court Administrator, specify the time needed, provide all parties with notice of hearings or trials, and make proper announcements, failing which the hearing or trial may be passed by the Court.
Please note that judges do not set hearings or trials on the Central Docket, send out noces of hearings or trials, or announce the length the hearings or trials will be. Lawyers and self-represented ligants are responsible for seng maters with the Court Administrator, for specifying how much me is needed for the enre hearing or trial, for providing all pares with noce of the hearing or trial, and for making proper announcements. Form noces for hearings and trials on the Central Docket are posted here: htps://www.traviscountytx.gov/courts/files/civil-district. Failure to properly set, noce, or announce hearings or trials may result in the hearing or trial being passed by the Court.
- Applies to
- Correspondence with court
- Service
- Email to all parties
All counsel of record and self-represented parties must be copied on all correspondence with the Court.
All counsel of record and self-represented parties must be copied on correspondence with the Court.
- Service
- Other
Continuance movants must still deliver a copy of the motion and give notice of the hearing in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
This Rule does not relieve a movant of the burden of delivering a copy of the motion and giving notice of the hearing in the manner and within the time provided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
- Applies to
- Trial exhibits
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Trial exhibits must be exchanged with opposing counsel prior to trial.
Trial exhibits should be: o Exchanged with opposing counsel prior to trial
- Applies to
- Hearing notice
- Service
- Email to other
Each lawyer or litigant is responsible for ensuring that all witnesses they intend to call receive notice of how to join the Zoom hearing.
It is the responsibility of each lawyer or litigant to ensure that all witnesses they intend to call receive notice of how to join the Zoom hearing.
- Applies to
- Non evidentiary materials
- Service
- Email to all parties
Non-evidentiary materials must be emailed to the other parties before the hearing.
Non-evidentiary materials, including demonstratives, PowerPoint or other presentations, trial briefs, proposed orders, pleadings efiled within the prior week, and cases for the judge’s reference, should be uploaded to the designated “Other Materials” folder in Box AND emailed to the other parties before the hearing.
- Deadline
- 2 hours
- Applies to
- Witness list
- Service
- Email to all parties
Witness lists must be emailed to the other parties at least two hours before the hearing.
If a party intends to call witnesses, a witness list should be uploaded to Box AND emailed to the other parties at least two hours before the hearing.
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Exhibits cannot be downloaded from Box, so parties must exchange exhibits with each other on their own prior to any hearing or trial.
Box is for uploading and viewing. While each side can view the opposing side's exhibits, exhibits may not be downloaded from Box. The civil courts expect that parties will exchange exhibits on their own prior to any hearing or trial.
- Applies to
- Trial exhibits
- Service
- Other to opposing party
Trial exhibits must be exchanged with opposing counsel prior to trial.
Exchanged with opposing counsel prior to trial
What rule applies to service for notice of setting in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: all parties. The court does not send setting notices; the party obtaining the setting must notify all parties of the time, date, and total hearing time as required by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Rule 1.4.
What rule applies to serving all parties in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: all parties. The party requesting a hearing setting (in a case involving an incarcerated party) must give notice of the setting to all other parties.
What rule applies to service for post trial pleading in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the court. Notice of post-trial pleadings must be given to the trial judge by delivering a copy to the Office of the District Judges at the Civil and Family Courts Facility, by mail to P.O. Box 1748, Austin, TX 78767-1748, or by email to the trial court's submission email address with the required subject line.
What rule applies to service for ex parte application in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the opposing party. A party applying for an ex parte order must fully advise the opposing party of the relief and hearing sought, unless the court waives this notice requirement.
What rule applies to serving agency in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: agency. In all cases, prior notice must be given to counsel for a governmental entity of any application to restrain governmental action.
What rule applies to service for appendices in Travis County Civil District Courts?
The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: all parties. Appendices in administrative appeals must be served on all parties but need not be filed with the Clerk.
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