Travis County Courts at Law Filing Timing and Cure Windows

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

48 hours

If the Clerk returns an initial filing for correction because fees were unpaid, the filer has 48 hours to resubmit it with the applicable fees attached.

It is therefore ORDERED that effective February 10, 2020, when a new case is filed without the base filing fee, issuance fees, and service fees being paid at the time of case initiation, the Clerk of this Court may return for correction at which time the filer has 48 hours to re-submit the initial filing with the applicable fees attached.

CRITICAL

Effective July 1, 2026, the Clerk must reject these three applications when filed by an applicant who is not represented by counsel.

It is therefore ORDERED that effective July 1, 2026, when an applicant who is not represented by counsel seeks to file one of the documents listed below, the Clerk of this Court shall reject the filing: 1. Application for Guardianship of the Person or Estate or both; 2. Application to Determine Heirship; 3. Application for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.

CRITICALCivil cases

when a new case is filed without the base filing fee, issuance fees, and service fees being paid at the time of case initiation, the Clerk of this Court may return for correction at which time the filer has 48 hours to re-submit the initial filing with the applicable fees attached.

when a new case is filed without the base filing fee, issuance fees, and service fees being paid at the time of case initiation, the Clerk of this Court may return for correction at which time the filer has 48 hours to re-submit the initial filing with the applicable fees attached.

WARNINGCivil cases

If applicable checklist items cannot all be checked, counsel is advised to consider delaying filing until the account is complete.

If you are unable to check all items applicable to your type of estate and account, consider whether your account is ready to be filed and wait until it is complete to do so.

WARNINGCriminal cases

A judge’s adoption of the Order becomes effective on the date it is filed with the District Court Clerk.

Such adoption shall become effective as of the date of filing with the District Court Clerk.

CRITICALCivil cases

Anyone wishing to object must file a written objection with the Clerk by the date stated in the attached citation, which does not provide a specific hearing date.

If you want to object to the probate of the will more than four years after the Decedent's death, you need to file a written objection with the Clerk. The Clerk's citation, which is attached to this notice, indicates the date by which you should file a written objection. Note that the citation does not indicate a specific hearing date.

CRITICAL

Remaining pre-trial matters, including motions in limine, must be presented and heard Monday through Thursday of the week before trial; hearings generally will be set for 30 minutes or less.

c. Monday through Thursday of the week before trial: all remaining pre-trial matters, including motions in limine, shall be presented and heard. Pre-trial matters will generally be set for 30 minutes or less.

CRITICAL

The written copy of a 12-member jury request must be given to the court’s judicial aide no later than 30 days before trial.

When a party files a written request for a 12-member jury, the party shall give a written copy of the request to the court’s judicial aide no later than 30 days before trial pursuant to Tex. Govt. Code § 25.2292(d).

CRITICAL

An objection to a motion to retain must be filed with the Judicial Executive Assistant within three days after service of the motion.

Objections shall be filed with the Judicial Executive Assistant within three days of service of a motion to retain.

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

3 business days

When an application to probate an original will is electronically filed, the original will must be filed with the clerk within three business days.

Rule 21(f)(12) provides: Original Wills. When a party electronically files an application to probate a document as an original will, the original will must be filed with the clerk within three business days after the application is filed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

7 business days

The listed materials must be delivered to the Court within 7 business days after the accounting is filed.

• Within 7 business days of filing the accounting, deliver the following to the Court:

CRITICALCivil cases

The Clerk's citation, which is attached to this notice, indicates the date by which you should file a written objection.

The Clerk's citation, which is attached to this notice, indicates the date by which you should file a written objection.

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

3 business days

When an electronically filed application seeks to probate a will copy or states that a copy is not being offered for probate, the copy must be filed with the clerk within three business days.

It is therefore ordered that, effective immediately, when a party electronically files an application that either (1) seeks to probate a copy of a will or (2) states that a copy of a will is not being offered for probate, the will copy must be filed with the clerk within three business days after the application is filed.

CRITICAL

Deadline

10 business days

A verified motion to retain must be filed with the clerk at least ten business days before the dismissal date.

Verified motions to retain shall be filed with the clerk’s office at least ten business days before the date of dismissal.

CRITICAL

A setting may not be requested before the defendant’s appearance day unless permitted by law.

Settings cannot be requested prior to the appearance day of the defendant except when permitted by law.

CRITICAL

The request must be made early enough for attorneys and parties to confer, contact witnesses, and be heard by the Court about whether coverage should be allowed and any conditions.

Such request shall be made in time to afford the attorneys and parties sufficient time to confer, to contact their witnesses and to be fully heard by the Court on the questions of whether media coverage should be allowed and, if so, what conditions, if any, should be imposed on such coverage.

CRITICALCivil cases

Deadline

7 business days

The listed materials must be delivered to the Court within 7 business days after the accounting is filed.

Within 7 business days of filing the accounting, deliver the following to the Court:

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Objection

A party must file an objection by the 10th day after receiving notice that the associate judge will hear the trial.

If a party objects to an associate judge hearing a trial on the merits or presiding at a jury trial, the party must file an objection no later than the 10th day after the date the party receives notice that the associate judge will hear the trial.

CRITICAL

Motions for partial summary judgment and all deposition-testimony designations and objections must be presented and heard three weeks before trial.

b. Three weeks before trial: all motions for partial summary judgment, and all designations and objections to deposition testimony, must be presented and heard.

CRITICAL

All dispositive motions, including motions for summary judgment on all claims, must be presented and heard thirty days before trial.

a. Thirty days before trial: all dispositive motions, including motions for summary judgment on all claims, must be presented and heard.

CRITICAL

A party objecting to an associate judge hearing a trial on the merits or presiding at a jury trial must file the objection within 10 days after receiving notice.

If a party objects to an associate judge hearing a trial on the merits or presiding at a jury trial, the party must file an objection within 10 days after the date the party receives notice that the associate judge will hear the trial.

CRITICAL

The request must be made early enough for attorneys and parties to confer, contact witnesses, and be heard by the Court before it decides whether and under what conditions to allow coverage.

The request must be made in time to afford the attorneys and parties sufficient time to confer, to contact their witnesses, and to be fully heard by the Court on the questions of whether media coverage should be allowed and, if so, what conditions, if any, should be imposed on the coverage.

CRITICAL

Deadline

3 business days

Requests for a foreign language interpreter paid by Travis County must be submitted to the Court Coordinator at least three business days before the hearing.

Any request for a foreign language interpreter to be paid by Travis County must be submitted to the Court Coordinator at least three business days before the hearing.

CRITICAL

Motions and other pleadings generally must be filed before a hearing is set, but the Court may allow an emergency application or case to be filed immediately after acting when advance filing is impossible.

As a general rule, all motions and other pleadings must be filed before they can be set for a hearing. If counsel is seeking emergency relief and it is impossible to file an application or case before it is presented to a judge, the Court may allow the application to be filed immediately after the Court takes action.

CRITICAL

An objection to a motion to retain is generally due at least 7 days before dismissal, with an alternative earlier deadline when the motion to retain was filed fewer than 14 days before dismissal.

To be considered timely, any objection to a motion to retain must be filed at least 7 days before the dismissal date specified in the notice of dismissal. If the motion to retain was filed fewer than 14 days before the dismissal date, an objection will be considered timely if it is filed within 7 days of the date the motion to retain was filed or before the dismissal docket, whichever date is earlier.

CRITICAL

Before the dismissal date stated in the notice, the applicant must take one of the listed steps to avoid dismissal, including filing specified documents where applicable.

For each case set on a dismissal docket, the Court will give notice that the case will be dismissed for want of prosecution on the date indicated in the notice of dismissal unless one of the following is done before that date: (1) applicant files a notice of nonsuit; (2) applicant files a motion to dismiss with a proposed order; (3) a hearing on the merits has been held; or (4) applicant has obtained a specific hearing or trial setting and has filed a motion to retain and a proposed order, both of which comply with all requirements set out in the notice of dismissal.

CRITICAL

To be timely and ensure Court consideration, a motion to retain must be filed at least 14 days before the noticed dismissal date.

To be considered timely and to ensure the Court’s consideration, a motion to retain must be filed at least 14 days before the dismissal date specified in the notice of dismissal, with notice to all parties.

WARNING

Cases are eligible for dismissal for want of prosecution if they meet any listed age and inactivity criterion or are otherwise designated by the Court.

The following cases are eligible for dismissal for want of prosecution: a. cases on file for more than 180 days in which no answer has been filed; b. cases on file for more than 18 months that are not set for trial; c. cases on file for more than 18 months with no filings or settings made within the past 180 days; and d. any other case designated by the Court.

WARNING

For cases on the jury docket, the Court may remove a case or deem a noncompliant motion or evidence waived for failure to meet pre-trial deadlines.

The following deadlines apply to pre-trial matters for any case set on the jury docket. At the discretion of the Court, failure to comply with these deadlines may authorize removal of the case from the jury docket or be deemed a waiver of any motion or evidence not in compliance.

WARNINGCivil cases

Counsel has 30 days after approval of an accounting to retrieve the delivered paper backup; the Court will destroy it if it is not retrieved within that period.

The Court will not file the back-up. Counsel has 30 days after an accounting is approved to pick up the hard-copy back-up that was delivered to the Court. If the back-up is not picked up within 30 days, the Court will destroy it.

WARNING

A case set for dismissal will be dismissed on the date stated in the notice unless the Court retains it.

The cases will be dismissed on the date indicated in the notice unless the Court retains it.