Willacy County District Court Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

For a temporary order requiring a subsequent hearing, including a temporary restraining order, the hearing date and time must be obtained from the assigned court’s coordinator before the order is issued or considered enforceable.

Where a temporary order requires a subsequent hearing pursuant to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and/or substantive law, including all cases in which a temporary restraining order has been granted, a date and time for the required hearing must be obtained from the Court Coordinator of the Court in which the case has been assigned before the temporary order can be issued or considered enforceable.

WARNING

Counsel must not interrupt the judge or opposing counsel unless necessary to make a proper objection or otherwise protect a party's rights.

not interrupt the judge or opposing counsel, except when necessary to make a proper objection or otherwise protect a party's rights.

WARNING

Counsel must direct objections and legal arguments to the Judge rather than opposing counsel and must address the Judge impersonally.

all objections and legal arguments by counsel shall be directed to the Judge and not to opposing counsel, and counsel shall be impersonal in addressing the Judge.

WARNING

Counsel must observe the disciplinary rules and ethical canons governing ex parte contact with the Court and its staff concerning pending cases.

observe the disciplinary rules and ethical canons concerning ex parte contact with the Court and its staff concerning pending cases, discussions with the media concerning pending cases, and civility to opposing counsel.

WARNING

Lawyers must not engage the Judge in a confidential manner.

engage the Judge in a confidential manner.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

The telephone in the lawyers' lounge is provided for the attorneys to use on Court business only.

The telephone in the lawyers' lounge is provided for the attorneys to use on Court business only.

WARNING

After jury voir dire, an attorney must obtain leave of Court before addressing the jury or an individual juror, including by name.

After jury voir dire, no attorney shall ever address the jury or a juror individually or by name without having first obtained leave of Court.

WARNING

Counsel are admonished to respect the ethical canons, including those concerning discussion of a case's facts or law with the Court outside the courtroom and outside opposing counsel's presence.

All counsel are admonished to respect the letter and spirit of all canons of ethics, including particularly those dealing with testimony by counsel participating in the trial, discussion of cases with representatives of the press, T.V. or radio and discussion of the facts or law of the case with the Court outside of the Courtroom and not in the presence of opposing counsel.

WARNING

Counsel must avoid speaking objections and legal arguments on objections before the jury unless the Court permits them.

avoid "speaking objections" or legal arguments on objections before the jury, except by leave of Court.

WARNING

While the Court is in session, all remarks of counsel shall be addressed to the Court, and not to opposing counsel or to the Judge as an individual.

While the Court is in session, all remarks of counsel shall be addressed to the Court, and not to opposing counsel or to the Judge as an individual.

WARNING

Counsel must not invite clients or witnesses to the judge's chambers without the judge's permission.

refrain from inviting clients or witnesses to the judge's chambers, except by the judge's permission.

WARNING

Counsel must not address a juror directly or individually after voir dire until the jurors are released from service, unless the Court permits it.

not address a juror directly or individually after voir dire until after the jurors are released from service, except by the Court's permission.

WARNING

Counsel must not address one another or the judge by first name or nickname.

not address each other or the judge by their first name or nicknames.

WARNING

During court proceedings, counsel must address statements to the Court rather than to one another unless the Court permits otherwise.

address their statements to the Court and not each other during court proceedings, except by leave of Court.

WARNING

If a judge signs a temporary order for another court while that court’s judge and staff are on vacation, the signing court or its staff must notify the other court of the hearing date.

If a Judge does sign a Temporary Order for another Court while the Judge and staff of the other Court is on vacation, the court or its staff shall notify the other court of the date given the Temporary Order for hearing.

INFO

Counsel are requested to consult with clients and witnesses in the conference room and to refrain from inviting them into the Court Clerk's office or Chambers unless the Judge allows it.

All counsel are requested to use the conference room for consultation with clients and witnesses and are further requested to refrain from inviting clients and witnesses into the Court Clerk's office and the Chambers except upon the discretion of the Judge.