Waller County District Court Filing Rules

The listed trial-preparation items must be furnished to opposing counsel and self-represented parties at least five working days before the Pretrial Hearing and brought to the hearing.

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

An unopposed but unagreed matter may be submitted without a hearing.

The Rule 166 summary-judgment notice requirement is extended from 21 days to 30 days after filing.

Having the District Clerk provide the statutory notices is the preferred and most efficient notice procedure.

All pro se parties upon filing any petition or responsive pleading should provide an email address for service via efile, as well as address and current phone number. Any party unable to provide such information above must file a pleading requesting an exception to this rule.

A Criminal Pretrial Preparation Order, Standard Discovery Order, and Standard Mutual Order in Limine will be electronically filed in each criminal case.

Civil cases exceeding $250,000 and all Family Law cases, including DFPS cases, must be electronically filed with the District Clerk's office.

An order or document containing an order must begin with “On this date, came on to be …” rather than a blank date line.

A motion to continue a trial setting must be presented under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

Except in unusual circumstances, untimely presentation of discovery issues does not support a trial continuance.

After considering a submitted matter, the Court may set a hearing, and the Court Coordinator will attempt to arrange a mutually acceptable date as soon as practicable.

A sample contract may be emailed upon request, and questions may be directed to the judge of the 506th District Court.

A fully agreed matter may be submitted without a hearing or submission period, must show all counsel or pro se signatures, and must identify itself as agreed in the motion heading.

The party requesting Clerk-provided notice must pay the appropriate fee.

Courtesy copies of the summary-judgment motion and response must not be filed directly with the court unless specifically instructed.

Traditional and no-evidence motions for summary judgment must follow the Rule 166a notice-of-submission requirements.