Travis County Courts at Law Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

During the announcement period, attorneys must telephone or appear before the Judicial Aide between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to announce readiness and provide an updated time estimate; the requirement applies even to preferential settings and settings before a particular Judge.

Each announcement period begins on Monday at 8:30 a.m. and ends on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. At any time between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., attorneys for either side shall telephone or appear before the Judicial Aide to give their announcement of readiness and updated time estimate. A setting before a particular Judge or a preferential setting does not excuse the parties from this rule, and failure to comply may result in losing a setting.

CRITICAL

Attorneys may not make a setting in a case that has been set for dismissal.

Attorneys cannot make a setting in cases set for dismissal.

CRITICAL

Access to probate and mental health records requires approval by the County Clerk or her designees, or an order of the Court.

It is further ORDERED that any access to probate and mental health records must be approved by the Travis Count County Clerk, or her designees, or by order of this Court.

CRITICAL

Before requesting a hearing date for emergency relief, counsel must confer with the appropriate court staff member, with a different contact required for guardianship-related matters.

(1) Before requesting a hearing date and time from the Court Coordinator, counsel must first confer with one of the Court’s staff attorneys. For a temporary guardianship or any emergency action related to a guardianship, counsel must first confer with the Court Investigator or Assistant Court Investigator. For a temporary administration or any other emergency relief not related to a guardianship, counsel must first confer with the Probate Court’s Staff Attorney.

CRITICAL

The responsible party or counsel must immediately notify the Court Coordinator when a resolved matter no longer needs its setting or needs less hearing time, so the setting can be reused or shortened.

Notify the Court Coordinator immediately if a matter is resolved and a hearing or trial setting is no longer needed – or a shorter time is needed to present a settlement for Court approval. If a matter or issue is resolved before a scheduled hearing or trial date, the party that obtained the setting must advise the Court Coordinator immediately that the hearing or trial date is no longer needed – or that a shorter time is needed to present a settlement for Court approval. (As a general rule, the Court requires a hearing when parties seek Court approval of a settlement.) If the setting wasn’t obtained by one party, then counsel for the plaintiff, movant, or party seeking affirmative relief is responsible for notifying the Court Coordinator so the setting may be used for other cases.

CRITICAL

Counsel must immediately notify the Court Coordinator of a hearing or trial date that conflicts with planned vacation; a conflicting trial setting will be reset unless there is a clear showing of abuse or unreasonable delay.

Counsel must immediately notify the Court Coordinator if the Court sets a hearing or trial date that conflicts with counsel’s planned vacation. If the Court sets a case for trial on a date that conflicts with counsel’s planned vacation, counsel must notify the Court Coordinator immediately after learning of the setting. The case will be reset for a different time unless there is a clear showing of abuse or unreasonable delay.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

To request a hearing date or trial setting, email the Court Coordinator the Regular Docket Hearing Request Form for the court where the case is pending.

Request a hearing date or a trial setting by emailing a Regular Docket Hearing Request Form, posted on the Court’s website, to the Court Coordinator of the Court in which the case is pending. The Court Coordinator’s email address can be found on the Court’s website.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

In a contested case, a remote-appearance request must be emailed to the Court Coordinator with notice to all other parties, and an objecting party must notify the Coordinator and all other parties.

In a contested case, the request must be made by emailing the Court Coordinator with notice to all other parties. Any party who objects must notify the Court Coordinator, with notice to all other parties.

CRITICAL

Counsel must notify the Court Coordinator when intending to present evidence electronically and must do so at least five days before any hearing, with notice to all other parties.

Counsel must notify the Court Coordinator when counsel intends to present some or all evidence electronically, including any use of the E-Courtroom technology. For all hearings, counsel must notify the Court Coordinator at least five days before the hearing, with notice to all other parties.

CRITICAL

Parties must notify the Court Coordinator when they agree to pass a setting.

(b) Agreements to pass a setting. Parties must notify the Court Coordinator of an agreement to pass a setting.

WARNING

Attorneys seeking a hearing on a motion must notify the judicial aide or court for docket setting or an agreed order.

Attorneys who wish a motion to be heard shall notify the judicial aide or court for docket setting or agreed order.

WARNING

A party must inform the Court if a case is placed on the dismissal docket because of a party agreement causing delay, installment payments on a debt, or a party’s bankruptcy.

A party shall inform the Court if a case is placed on the dismissal docket: a. due to a delay caused by an agreement of the parties; b. because a debt is being paid in installments; or c. by the bankruptcy of a party.

WARNING

To determine whether a Friday 9:00 a.m. virtual hearing setting is available, parties must directly contact the Judicial Executive Assistant or Judicial Aide.

Settings on Friday at 9:00 a.m. may sometimes be available for virtual hearings only; parties must directly contact the Judicial Executive Assistant or Judicial Aide to determine availability.

WARNING

Requests for telephone hearings should be directed to the Judicial Executive Assistant or Judicial Aide; if approved, they will provide joining instructions.

Requests for telephone hearings should be directed to the Judicial Executive Assistant or Judicial Aide, who will provide instructions for joining court by telephone if approved.

WARNING

Counsel may request remote participation for a party or attorney, but must contact the Court Coordinator in advance.

Counsel may request that a party or attorney be allowed to participate in a hearing remotely. Counsel’s request for a remote appearance must be made in advance by contacting the Court Coordinator:

WARNING

Counsel must not send vacation notices directly to the Court; if counsel chooses to file one, it must be filed in a specific case and served on all other parties as required by Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21.

(a) Do not send vacation notices to the Court. If counsel chooses to file a vacation notice, the notice must be filed in a specific case, with notice served on all other parties as required by Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 21. Do not send vacation notices directly to the Court.

WARNING

(2) Parties must agree on a jury trial setting or set a scheduling conference. Unless counsel can agree on the jury trial setting, the parties should schedule a conference with the Court during which a trial date will be determined.

(2) Parties must agree on a jury trial setting or set a scheduling conference. Unless counsel can agree on the jury trial setting, the parties should schedule a conference with the Court during which a trial date will be determined.

INFO

Current email-submission policies are available online or by contacting the Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant for Court 1 or 2.

Current policies regarding email submissions can be found online or by contacting the Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant for Court 1 or 2.

INFO

Contact

Email

Instructions for accessing an upcoming virtual docket will be sent by email during the week before the setting.

Specific instructions for accessing an upcoming virtual docket will be distributed by email during the week prior to the setting.

INFO

Contact

Letter fax

Announcements may also be faxed to the number for the applicable court during the announcement period.

Announcements may also be sent by facsimile to 512-854-4380 (County Court at Law 1) or 512-854-4725 (County Court at Law 2) during the applicable time period.

INFO

Contact

Phone

Phone

512-854-9669

Questions about jury impaneling or jury service may be directed to the jury office by phone or through the listed jury duty website.

Questions about the jury impaneling process and jury service may be addressed to the jury office at 512-854-9669. or the jury duty website at https://www.traviscountytx.gov/district-clerk/jury-duty/faq.

INFO

Cases in Court 1 or 2 may be set with that court’s Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant.

Cases may be set with the Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant for Court 1 or 2.

INFO

Current policies on virtual versus in-person proceedings are available online or by contacting the Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant for Court 1 or 2.

Current policies regarding virtual versus in-person proceedings can be found online or by contacting the Judicial Aide or Judicial Executive Assistant for Court 1 or 2.

INFO

When there are no other parties, a request for remote participation need not be in writing.

In a case where there are no other parties, the request does not need to be in writing.