Travis County District Courts Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Submission email

The submitting party must certify in the email body that it has complied with the Standing Order.

The submitting party must certify in the body of the email that it has compiled with the requirements of this Standing Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

Every motion must include a certification about conferring on the setting, and every non-dispositive motion must also include one of two specified certifications about conferring on the relief sought.

To that end, every motion must include a certification that "counsel has conferred with (or made reasonable efforts to confer with) all parties about the date, time, and format of the setting", and every motion (other than dispositive motions) must also certify either: (a) "Counsel has conferred with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion in a good faith effort to resolve or narrow the issues raised."; or (b) "Counsel has made reasonable efforts to confer with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion but has been unable to do so."

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pretrial information form

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.

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.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A motion for consideration without a hearing must first be filed with the District Clerk in a new or existing case; the Court will not consider an unfiled motion.

All motions submitted for consideration without a hearing pursuant to this Local Rule must be filed in a new or existing case with the District Clerk's office prior to being submitted to the Court. The Court will not consider any motion in a case that has not been filed with the District Clerk.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed dismissal order cps case

Must include

proposed order

When the adoption is not filed in Travis County, the adoptive parent(s)' attorney must send a proposed CPS case dismissal order to the Travis County Presiding CPS Court Judge immediately after the adoption is granted.

If the adoption is not filed in Travis County, the attorney representing the adoptive parent(s) of the child must send a proposed dismissal order of the CPS case to the Travis County Presiding CPS Court Judge immediately after the adoption is granted.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed disposition of other issues

Each party must prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues listing in separate brief complete sentences each requested trial decision not covered by the other specified proposed documents.

Additionally, each party must also prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues, which must state separately in brief complete sentences each trial decision that is sought by the party that is not covered by the Proposed Property Division, Proposed Support Decision, or Proposed Parenting Plan.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

A motion to withdraw requires a hearing unless it complies with Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 10 and is filed with written client consent, written consent of all appearing parties, a certificate of the client's last known address (address, phone, email, fax if available), and a certification that no court rulings remain unwritten.

A hearing is required for a motion to withdraw unless the motion complies with Rule 10 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and is filed with: (a) A written consent to the withdrawal signed by the withdrawing attorney's client(s); (b) A written consent to the withdrawal signed by all other parties in the action who have appeared; (c) A certificate of last known address of the client(s), containing the client's address, telephone number, email address, and, if available, fax number; and (d) A certification that there are no rulings of the court that have yet to be reduced to writing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A substitution motion requires a hearing unless it complies with Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 10 and is filed with the specified consent and certificate of service.

A hearing is required for a motion to substitute attorneys unless the motion complies with Rule 10 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, and is filed with: (a) A written consent to the substitution signed by all other parties in the action who have appeared; (b) A certificate of service notifying withdrawing attorney of the motion to substitute;

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

A withdrawal motion requires a hearing unless it complies with Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 10 and is filed with the specified consents, client contact-information certificate, and certification about unwritten rulings.

A hearing is required for a motion to withdraw unless the motion complies with Rule 10 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and is filed with: (a) A written consent to the withdrawal signed by the withdrawing attorney’s client(s); (b) A written consent to the withdrawal signed by all other parties in the action who have appeared; (c) A certificate of last known address of the client(s), containing the client’s address, telephone number, email address, and, if available, fax number; and (d) A certification that there are no rulings of the court that have yet to be reduced to writing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of chapter 10 case to local administrative judge

The Chapter 10 notice must list all parties, their attorneys of record with addresses, phone numbers, and emails, and for related agency-docket or rule-challenge cases, the style, cause number, and assignment status.

The notification must contain: (i) A list of all parties to the case; (ii) Their attorneys of record; (iii) The attorneys' addresses, telephone numbers, and electronic mail addresses, if applicable; and (iv) For any case arising from the same or related agency docket or challenging the same rules or rulemaking procedure: 1. the style and cause number, 2. whether it has been assigned, and 3. if so, to whom.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Submission

A motion must be filed with the District Clerk before a proposed order granting it may be considered on submission, except for agreed judgments.

Except for the submission of an agreed judgment, a motion must be filed with the District Clerk before a proposed order granting the motion may be considered on submission.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

All motions except dispositive motions must also certify either that counsel conferred in good faith to resolve or narrow the issues, or that reasonable efforts to confer were made but unsuccessful.

every motion (other than dispositive motions) must also certify either: (a) “Counsel has conferred with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion in a good faith effort to resolve or narrow the issues raised.”; or (b) “Counsel has made reasonable efforts to confer with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion but has been unable to do so.”

CRITICAL

Applies to

Administrative appeal brief

Administrative appeal briefs must not include a statement regarding oral argument.

(i) do not include a statement regarding oral argument

CRITICAL

Applies to

Income documents

Unless income or net resources are agreed or stipulated, each party must furnish four preceding payroll statements/paystubs and the preceding year's income tax return (if filed) to the judge at the hearing (without filing them) and to the opposing party before the hearing.

Additionally, unless the parties agree or stipulate to a party's income and/or net resources as defined by the Texas Family Code, each party is required to furnish copies of the party's preceding four payroll statements or paystubs and the party's preceding year's income tax return (if the tax return has been filed) to the judge (but not file) at the time of the hearing and to the opposing party prior to the hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Required pretrial form

Each party must deliver the required form 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.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Ex parte application

An ex parte application must fully advise the court of the circumstances, including any previous application for the same relief and whether the opposing party has counsel.

A party presenting any application for an ex parte order must fully advise the court of the circumstances, particularly as to whether there has been any previous application for the ... whether the opposing party has counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pretrial forms

Before a final trial on the merits in any divorce or parent-child suit, each party must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings.

Before the final trial on the merits in any divorce suit or suit affecting the parent-child relationship (which include, but are not limited to, modification suits, paternity suits, and original suits), each party must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings as follows:

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

Each setting request must estimate the total hearing time for all matters and participants.

Each request for a setting must include an estimate of the total time required for the entire hearing, on all matters, for all participants.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Temporary restraining order or injunction request

TRO and temporary injunction requests must not repeat or address subject matter covered by the Travis County Standing Order for Family Law Cases except to seek modification of that order.

When requesting a temporary restraining order or temporary injunction, counsel must not repeat or otherwise address the subject matter contained in the standing order except to seek a modification of the standing order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed order

Must include

proposed order

Proposed or draft orders may not be filed as stand-alone documents and may only be filed as attachments to other pleadings.

Proposed or draft orders must not be filed with the clerk as stand-alone documents. Proposed or draft orders may be filed with the clerk only as attachments to other pleadings.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to substitute attorney

Paragraph (d) of a motion to substitute attorney must state that the substituting attorney has assumed responsibility for all uncompleted matters within the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance and must be signed by both the withdrawing and substituting attorneys.

paragraph (d) must state that the substituting attorney has assumed responsibility for all uncompleted matters within the scope of the Notice of Limited Appearance, and it must be signed by both the withdrawing and the substituting attorney.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Docket call announcement

All parties must include a statement of whether mediation has been completed in their docket call announcement for jury or non-jury long docket settings.

When making an announcement for either a jury setting or a non-jury long docket setting during the announcement period, all parties must include in their announcement of time a statement as to whether or not mediation has been completed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed property division spreadsheet

A Proposed Property Division spreadsheet must be provided to the court in editable electronic format at the beginning of trial.

If a spreadsheet is used in lieu of the Proposed Property Division form, then a copy of such spreadsheet must be provided to the court in an editable electronic format at the beginning of the trial.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pretrial forms and amended pleadings

Before final trial on the merits in a divorce suit or suit affecting the parent-child relationship, each party must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings, with the detailed requirements continuing beyond this excerpt.

Before the final trial on the merits in any divorce suit or suit affecting the parent-child relationship (which include, but are not limited to, modification suits, paternity suits, and original suits), each party must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings as follows:

CRITICAL

Applies to

Administrative appeal brief

Administrative appeal briefs must conform to the Requisites of Briefs in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including the appellate limits on length (subject to the two exceptions stated in the same subsection).

Briefs must conform to the "Requisites of Briefs," in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including the limits on length, as they apply to an administrative appeal in the courts of appeal

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed order

Agreed proposed orders must contain 'Agreed' in the title and be signed 'Agreed as to Form and Substance' by all counsel and self-represented parties.

If agreed, the proposed order shall contain "Agreed" in the title and be signed "Agreed as to Form and Substance" by all counsel and self­ represented parties.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Submission email

Must include

local rule certificate

The submitting party must include a certification in the email body that it has complied with this Standing Order.

The submitting party must certify in the body of the email that it has complied with the requirements of this Standing Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Submission email

The submitting party must certify in the email body that it complied with the Standing Order.

The submitting party must certify in the body of the email that it has complied with the requirements of this Standing Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Request for order to record broadcast or photograph

Must include

proposed order

When consent is sought, court-adopted forms must document consent; original signed party forms must accompany the filed request, and witness forms must be obtained as directed by the court.

If the recording, broadcasting, or photographing is sought with consent, consent forms adopted by the court must be used to evidence the consent of the parties and witnesses. Original signed consent forms of the parties must be attached to and filed with the request for order. Consent forms of the witnesses must be obtained in the manner directed by the court.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Administrative appeal brief

Administrative appeal briefs must include a glossary of technical terms, which is excluded from the brief length limit.

(ii) do include a glossary of technical terms, which is not counted in determining the limit on the length of the brief.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion

Must include

certificate of conference

Before seeking a hearing setting, parties must make reasonable efforts to confer, and every motion must include the specified setting-conference certification; non-dispositive motions must also include one of the specified issue-conference certifications.

Prior to setting a hearing, the parties must make reasonable efforts to actually speak to one another regarding the date, time, and format (i.e., whether in-person or remote) of a hearing or trial and the substance of the motion in a genuine effort to narrow their disputes before seeking court intervention. To that end, every motion must include a certification that “counsel has conferred with (or made reasonable efforts to confer with) all parties about the date, time, and format of the setting”, and every motion (other than dispositive motions) must also certify either: (a) “Counsel has conferred with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion in a good faith effort to resolve or narrow the issues raised.”; or (b) “Counsel has made reasonable efforts to confer with all parties who may be affected by the relief sought in this motion but has been unable to do so.”

CRITICAL

Applies to

Objection to associate judge

An objection to the assignment of an Associate Judge to hear a trial on the merits must be in writing.

A party may file an objection to the assignment of an Associate Judge to hear any trial on the merits. A trial on the merits is any trial in which a party seeks a final adjudication from which an appeal may be taken to a court of appeals. The objection must be in writing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Request to establish account

When spousal or child support is ordered, the receiving party must provide the Domestic Relations Office a 'Request to Establish an Account' containing the information that office requires.

At the time any spousal or child support is ordered, the party who is to receive the support must provide to the Domestic Relations Office a "Request to Establish an Account" containing the information required by that office.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Brief

Administrative appeal briefs must follow the applicable appellate brief requisites and length limits, omit an oral-argument statement, and include a glossary of technical terms excluded from the length limit.

(d) Briefs must conform to the "Requisites of Briefs," in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including th~ limits on length, as they apply to an administrative appeal in the courts of appeal, except: (i) do not include a statement regarding oral argument; and (ii) do include a glossary of technical terms, which is not counted in determining the limit on the length of the brief.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Recording request

Recording, broadcasting, or photographing in a courtroom requires a written court order, and the person seeking it must file a request with the District Clerk.

Recording, broadcasting, or photographing is permitted only on written order of the court. A person wishing to record, broadcast, or photograph any person, object, or proceeding in a physical or virtual courtroom must file with the District Clerk a request to do so in the particular proceeding.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Required pretrial form

Each party must deliver the required form to the opposing party before the case is called and to the judge at 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.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

Jury trial setting requests must include announced time covering pretrial, voir dire, evidence, charge conference, closing argument, and deliberation.

For jury trials, the total announced time must include time for pretrial, voir dire, evidence, charge conference, closing argument, and deliberation.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Required forms

Each party must file the required 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.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Setting request

Each setting request must include the estimated total hearing time for all matters and participants.

Each request for a setting must include an estimate of the total time required for the entire hearing, on all matters, for all participants.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of hearing temporary orders

Notices of Hearing for Temporary Orders requiring appearance after answer day do not need an accompanying order and must not be submitted to a judge for signature.

Notices of Hearing for Temporary Orders that require appearance after answer day do not require an order and must not be presented to a judge for signature.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

The stated exception includes filing the client's written consent to withdrawal.

(b) Files a written consent to the withdrawal signed by the client;

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed dismissal order

Must include

proposed order

If the adoption is not filed in Travis County, the adoptive parents' attorney must send a proposed dismissal order of the CPS case to the Travis County Presiding CPS Court Judge immediately after the adoption is granted.

If the adoption is not filed in Travis County, the attorney representing the adoptive parent( s) of the child must send a proposed dismissal order of the CPS case to the Travis County Presiding CPS Court Judge immediately after the adoption is granted.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed disposition of other issues

Each party must also prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues stating separately, in brief complete sentences, each trial decision sought that is not covered by the Proposed Support Decision or Proposed Parenting Plan.

Additionally, each party must also prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues, which must state separately in brief complete sentences each trial decision that is sought by the party that is not covered by the Proposed Support Decision or Proposed Parenting Plan.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed disposition of other issues

Each party must prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues listing separately, in brief complete sentences, each requested trial decision not covered by the specified other proposed decisions or plan.

(v) Additionally, each party must also prepare and deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues, which must state separately in brief complete sentences each trial decision that is sought by the party that is not covered by the Proposed Property Division, Proposed Support Decision, or Proposed Parenting Plan.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Pre trial hearing

The Defense must file the necessary motions and subpoena all witnesses needed for the hearing, including law enforcement officers, unless the parties agree otherwise.

The Defense shall file the requisite motions and subpoena all witnesses, including law enforcement officers necessary for the hearing, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pre trial forms and amended pleadings

Before final trial, each party in a divorce or parent-child relationship suit must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings.

Before the final trial on the merits in any divorce suit or suit affecting the parent-child relationship (which include, but are not limited to, modification suits, paternity suits, and original suits), each party must prepare and deliver pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings as follows:

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion for withdrawal of minors funds

Must include

proposed order

Motions to withdraw a minor's court registry funds must be accompanied by a proposed order and a Summary of Minor's Bank Account from the District Clerk showing account status and any previous withdrawals.

When a request is to be made for withdrawal of funds maintained in the Registry of the Court for the benefit of a minor who has not yet reached legal age, the applicant must bring to the court, with the motion and proposed order, a Summary of Minor's Bank Account obtained from the District Clerk reflecting the status of the minor's account and indicating previous withdrawals, if any.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Media coverage

Media coverage requires a written court order.

Media coverage is permitted only on written order of the Court.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Administrative appeal brief

Briefs must conform to the "Requisites of Briefs," in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including th~ limits on length, as they apply to an administrative appeal in the courts of appeal, except: (i) do not include a statement regarding oral argument; and

Briefs must conform to the "Requisites of Briefs," in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including th~ limits on length, as they apply to an administrative appeal in the courts of appeal, except: (i) do not include a statement regarding oral argument; and

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Petition

The petitioner must attach a copy of the standing order to the original petition and every copy of the petition.

The petitioner in a divorce case or SAPCR shall attach a copy of this Order to the original petition filed in the case and each copy of the petition.