Court Rules
Common questions about Wichita County District Courts rules

Does Wichita County District Courts require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?

Wichita County District Courts rules set a pre-motion procedure for covered motions. In civil cases, counsel generally must confer with all affected parties before filing a motion, subject to specified exceptions.

View ruleSource: page 11, section RULE 1.6 CONFERENCE REQUIRED – CIVIL CASES ONLY

What must be included with family law matter filings in Wichita County District Courts?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. A copy of the standing order must be attached to every newly filed family law matter.

View ruleSource: page 1, section STANDING ORDERS IN FAMILY LAW CASES

What must be included with certificate of completion filings in Wichita County District Courts?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. A party completing the approved parent education and family stabilization course must file a certificate of completion within 30 days of completion or before the final hearing on the merits.

View ruleSource: page 44, section RULE 5.2 PARENT EDUCATION AND FAMILY STABILIZATION COURSE/VIDEO — d. Verification of Attendance

How may parties contact Wichita County District Courts?

All ex-parte communications with the Court, including electronic communications, are prohibited.

View ruleSource: page 3, section RULE 1.1(d) Ex-Parte Communications Prohibited; Inquiries Directed to the Court

How do I request an adjournment or extension in Wichita County District Courts?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. A continuance, postponement, or reset request may be granted only with consent from counsel for all parties or notice to all non-requesting parties with an opportunity to object.

View ruleSource: page 6, section RULE 1.2 REQUESTS FOR CONTINUANCE OR POSTPONEMENT

Does Wichita County District Courts require motion papers to be bundled?

Yes. Wichita County District Courts requires bundling for covered papers. Unless responding to an existing court ruling or order, an order may not be filed without an accompanying motion stating the relief sought and supporting grounds.

View ruleSource: page 11, section RULE 1.8 ORDERS SENT TO JUDGES

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Wichita County District Courts?

The rule addresses filing fees, payment, or waiver procedures. The District Clerk may set and collect legally authorized reasonable fees when a suit affecting the parent-child relationship is filed.

View ruleSource: page 23, section RULE 5.4(b) Fees for Services

When is a filing treated as filed in Wichita County District Courts?

The rule states a 4:00 p.m. filing cutoff. Written docket-call announcements must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday immediately preceding docket call.

View ruleSource: page 10, section RULE 1.5 TRIAL SETTINGS

What rule applies to service for pretrial materials in Wichita County District Courts?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Unless the court orders otherwise, the parties must serve or exchange exhibit lists, witness lists, deposition-excerpt designations, and motions in limine at least 14 days before the pretrial conference, and make exhibits available for inspection.

View ruleSource: page 13, section RULE 2.2 PRETRIAL CONFERENCE
Complete rules summary for Wichita County District Courts

A copy of the standing order must be attached to every newly filed family law matter.

A party completing the approved parent education and family stabilization course must file a certificate of completion within 30 days of completion or before the final hearing on the merits.

All ex-parte communications with the Court, including electronic communications, are prohibited.

Information requests to the Court must be directed to the Court Coordinator.

Un solicited emails sent to the judge may be deleted without being opened.

A responsive email to the judge must be copied to all attorneys of record and pro se parties and must include the sender's full name, mailing address, telephone number, applicable fax number, and applicable State Bar of Texas number.

The judge may require communications to be sent by first-class or certified mail and may refuse communications made by other means.

A continuance, postponement, or reset request may be granted only with consent from counsel for all parties or notice to all non-requesting parties with an opportunity to object.

Even an agreed continuance is not automatically approved, and the Court may deny it or require a hearing.

A party seeking a continuance without written consent from all counsel and court approval must file a motion under the applicable cited rules with an order setting a hearing; otherwise, the motion will be denied without prejudice.

Written docket-call announcements must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday immediately preceding docket call.

Unless the court orders otherwise or law requires a different date, a jury-trial setting request must be filed by the docket call two months before the requested jury trial.

Before requesting a setting, counsel must attempt to coordinate the proposed setting with opposing counsel.

In civil cases, counsel generally must confer with all affected parties before filing a motion, subject to specified exceptions.

Every motion must include a certificate describing unsuccessful efforts to resolve the dispute, including the date, action, and method of each effort, subject to a procedure for an unresponsive pro se opponent.

A motion lacking the required conference certificate cannot be set for hearing until the certificate is filed.

Unless responding to an existing court ruling or order, an order may not be filed without an accompanying motion stating the relief sought and supporting grounds.

A submitted order must be signed by the submitting attorney as to form, while a Rule 11 agreement must be signed by the attorneys as to both form and content.

The attorney submitting an order must provide every opposing counsel or pro se party with a clerk-file-stamped copy.

Counsel designated by the court must reduce final judgments and decrees to writing and send them to the court and opposing counsel within 20 calendar days after the triggering event.

Within 10 calendar days after receiving a proposed order, opposing counsel must send it to the court for signature or submit specific written objections.

Temporary orders must be reduced to writing within 10 calendar days and, after opposing counsel receives the order, forwarded to the court within 5 calendar days.

All counsel must approve agreed orders as to form and content, while other orders require approval as to form.

The order-submission deadlines may be extended by a written motion showing good cause.

If a temporary order, final judgment, or decree is not furnished on time, the court may continue the case or place it on the dismissal docket.

An ex parte order must be accompanied by a copy of the underlying application or motion when presented to the court.

Trial counsel must attend the pretrial conference, and any announcement that the case is not ready must be accompanied by a motion for continuance.

Unless the court orders otherwise, the parties must serve or exchange exhibit lists, witness lists, deposition-excerpt designations, and motions in limine at least 14 days before the pretrial conference, and make exhibits available for inspection.

When no substitute attorney will be retained or the party does not consent to withdrawal, the withdrawing attorney must give written notice that the court will be asked to sign the withdrawal order no earlier than 10 days later, and the notice must be sent by certified mail with return receipt requested.

When required by the specific judge, the parties must complete and file a court-promulgated plea information form with the District Clerk and Court Administrator before scheduling a plea hearing.

More Judges in Wichita County District Courts

Frank Dobie Kosub
Judge
Jeff E. McKnight
Judge
Meredith Kennedy
Judge