Waller County Courts at Law Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Attorneys must notify the affected judge of all dual settings as soon as they become known.

It is the duty of every attomey to call the affected judge's attention to all dual settings as soon as they are known.

CRITICAL

Hearing and trial setting requests must be directed in writing to the respective court through its court coordinator.

Requests for hearings and trials in the 5064 District Court and in the County Courts At Law Court shall be made in writing to each respective court through the court coordinator of each respective court

CRITICAL

Attorneys and self-represented parties must alert the court coordinator when they file a document requiring the Court’s review or action and must not assume the Court will otherwise be notified.

Attorneys/pro se parties must not assume that the Court will be notified when a matter that requires the Court's attention is filed with the clerk's office. It is the responsibility of the attorney/pro se party to alert the court coordinator that they have filed a document needing review or action from the Court.

CRITICAL

A request for an oral hearing on a summary judgment must be clearly stated in a notice to the clerk accompanying the motion, response, or reply.

Requests for oral hearings on the consideration of summary judgments must be plainly made with a notice to the court clerk accompanying the motion/response/reply.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Attorneys must call the affected judge as soon as they learn of any dual settings.

It is the duty of every attorney to call the affected judge's attention to all dual settings as soon as they are known.

CRITICAL

After a docket control order is approved, the parties must submit a setting request to the Court Coordinator for any trial setting.

Upon approval of a docket control order the parties shall submit a setting request to the Court Coordinator for any trial setting.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

All parties, including self-represented parties, must provide an email address for contact with the court.

all parties, including pro se, must provide an email for contact with the court.

CRITICAL

An attorney who settles or dismisses a case set for trial must notify the court as soon as possible.

When an attorney settles or dismisses a case that is set for trial, he shall give notice to the court as soon as possible.

WARNING

Counsel should direct panel members’ questions about insurance or other specific factual matters to the Court.

If panel members ask counsel about the existence of insurance or any other specific factual matter, counsel should direct the question to the Court.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

The clerk's telephone responses are limited to the listed case and filing information, and callers may not use them for a fishing expedition.

The court clerk shall limit response to telephone requests for information to the following: Whether or not a specific document has been filed (i.e. answer). This does not authorize a fishing expedition. Existence of case on file. Return of service and date. Correct style of case when correct case number is supplied. If an order has been signed. Whether or not a jury fee has been paid and date of payment.

WARNING

Pro se participants should seek the bailiff’s permission before using a counsel conference room.

Pro se participants should seek permission from the bailiff prior to using a counsel conference room.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

The clerk must limit responses to telephone inquiries to the listed case and filing information; the allowance to ask whether a document has been filed does not authorize a fishing expedition.

The court clerk shall limit response to telephone requests for information to the following: Whether or not a specific document has been filed (i.e. answer). This does not authorize a fishing expedition. Existence of case on file. Return of service and date. Correct style of case when correct case number is supplied. If an order has been signed. Whether or not a jury fee has been paid and date of payment.

WARNING

An attorney must notify the court as soon as possible when settling or dismissing a case set for trial.

When an attorney settles or dismisses a case that is set for trial, he shall give notice to the court as soon as possible.

WARNING

Contact

Phone to clerk

The clerk's responses to telephone information requests are limited to the listed topics, and a request about whether a document was filed does not authorize a fishing expedition.

The court clerk shall limit response to telephone requests for information to the following: Whether or not a specific document has been filed (i.e. answer). This does not authorize a fishing expedition. Existence of case on file. Return of service and date. Correct style of case when correct case number is supplied. If an order has been signed. Whether or not a jury fee has been paid and date of payment.

WARNING

Defendants must immediately check in with the bailiff assigned to the court that day.

Defendants shall immediately check in with the bailiff assigned to the court on that day,

WARNING

Parties should notify the Court Reporter and Clerk in writing if a historical paper or certified original should not be destroyed after digitizing.

If a document is a historical paper or a certified original that should not be destroyed after digitizing, parties should inform the Court Reporter and Clerk in writing.

WARNING

Attorneys must notify the affected judge of any dual settings as soon as they know of them.

It is the duty of every attorney to call the affected judge's attention to all dual settings as soon as they are known.

WARNING

Attorneys must call the affected judge’s attention to all dual settings as soon as they become known.

It is the duty of every attorney to call the affected judge's attention to all dual settings as soon as they are known.

WARNING

Trial counsel must make a bona fide effort to settle cases as early as possible before trial, and the court expects counsel to confer with their client and opposing counsel about settlement offers.

All trial counsel are required to make a bona fide effort to settle cases at the earliest possible date before trial. The court will expect counsel to confer with his/her client and with opposing counsel concerning settlement offers.

WARNING

Clerks may bring motions and requests to coordinators' attention as a courtesy, but attorneys and parties must not rely on that and remain responsible for requesting court review; the stated contact instruction is incomplete in the provided text.

As a courtesy, the court clerks may bring motions and requests to the attention of the court coordinators. However, attorneys/parties must not assume this will always be the case It is ultimately the responsibility of the attorney/party to request that a matter be reviewed by the court by contacting the appropriate

WARNING

People wishing to provide social services or leave related handouts or flyers should consult the Court, County Judge, or County Clerk beforehand.

Individuals wishing to provide social services, counseling, or similar services, or wishing to leave handouts or flyers advertising the same, should consult with the Court, County Judge, or County Clerk before doing so.

WARNING

Parties, attorneys, and witnesses who expect to leave the courtroom for an extended period should tell the bailiff how long they will be gone and why; otherwise, they risk default or, in a criminal case, bond forfeiture.

The Court understands that emergencies arise; Parties, attorneys, and witnesses who expect to leave the courtroom for an extended period should inform the bailiff as to the duration and cause or risk a default being taken during their absence, or in a criminal case, forfeiture of their bond

INFO

Concerns that arise during or about an ongoing proceeding should be addressed to the bailiffs first.

Concerns that arise during or about an ongoing proceeding should be addressed to the bailiffs first.

INFO

Contact

Email

The Court's primary method of communicating with litigants is email.

The Court's primary method of communication with litigants will be via e-mail.

INFO

An attorney seeking assurance of no trial assignment during a vacation of up to four consecutive weeks may notify the Court Coordinator in writing at least 90 days before the vacation begins.

Each attorney desiring to assure that s/he will not be assigned for trial during a vacation period not to exceed four consecutive weeks of a given year may advise the Court Coordinator in writing not less than ninety days prior to the first day of such vacation.

INFO

If a setting request is approved, the coordinator will confirm the setting in writing.

If the setting request is approved, the court coordinator will confirm the setting in writing.

INFO

The Court will choose a hearing date from the movant’s selected dates despite opposing counsel’s objections.

The Court will set the hearing from those dates regardless of opposing counsel's objections.