Williamson County Courts at Law Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Suggestion of bankruptcy

When a party files for bankruptcy protection, that party and counsel must promptly file a suggestion of bankruptcy with the appropriate clerk’s office.

Whenever any party of litigation files for protection under the bankruptcy laws of the United States, it shall be the responsibility of that party and the party's counsel to promptly file a suggestion of bankruptcy with the appropriate clerk’s office

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discovery checklist

The District Attorney's office must provide a checklist of discovery material given to the defense and file the checklist with the Court upon completion of discovery.

To encourage the expeditious disposal of cases, to promote judicial economy, and without the diluting the rights of Defendants and in the interest of justice, the District Attorney's office will provide a check list of discovery material provided to the defense attorney and the list will be filed with the Court upon completion of discovery.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed support decision and information

The actual-deductions section must be accompanied by the most recent pay stub from each employer.

(B) ACTUAL DEDUCTIONS PER MONTH – attach most recent pay stub from each employer

CRITICAL

Applies to

Divorce decree

The party preparing the divorce decree is also responsible for completing required vital-statistics forms and other documents required by the District Clerk’s office.

The party who is responsible for preparing a decree of divorce for the Judge to sign is also responsible for completing any vital statistics forms and other documents required by the District Clerk’s office.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Vacation designation

An attorney may designate up to four weeks of vacation during which the attorney will not be assigned to trial or required to participate in pretrial proceedings; a written designation must be filed with the Clerk and copied to all Court Administrators, and the rule applies to affected Lead Counsel unless the Court expands it.

Any attorney may designate not more than four weeks during the year as vacation, during which time the attorney will not be assigned to trial or required to engage in any pre-trial proceedings. The written designation must be filed with the Clerk with a copy to all Court Administrators no less than ninety (90) days in advance of the vacation. This rule operates only where Lead Counsel, as defined by T.RC.P. 8, is affected, unless the Court expands coverage to other counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Vacation designation

A written vacation designation must be filed with the Clerk and copied to all Court Administrators at least 90 days before the vacation.

The written designation must be filed with the Clerk with a copy to all Court Administrators no less than ninety (90) days in advance of the vacation.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Electronically transmitted document

Each electronically transmitted filing must be individually signed and contain the signer’s State Bar number, if any, address, telephone number, and telecopier number.

shall be signed individually by the party or the party 's attorney of record, and shall contain that individual's State Bar of Texas identification number, if any, address, telephone number and telecopier number.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed disposition of other issues

When required to deliver disputed or agreed pre-trial forms, a party must also deliver a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues to each opposing party and the Court Coordinator, stating separately in brief, complete sentences each requested trial or hearing decision not covered by a required form; temporary orders requirements are excepted.

Except for temporary orders requirements, at the time any party is required by these Rules to deliver one or more disputed or agreed pre-trial forms, the party shall also deliver to each opposing party and to the Court Coordinator a Proposed Disposition of Other Issues, which shall state separately in brief, complete sentences each trial or hearing decision that is sought by the party not covered by a required form.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pleading

Must include

certificate of conference

For an opposed motion, the moving party must include one of the specified certificates at the end of the pleading, and the Court Administrator will not set the matter for hearing without one.

If the motion will be opposed, the moving party shall include at the end of his pleading one of the following certificates: i. “A conference was held on (date) with (name), attorney for opposing party, on the substance of this motion. We are not able to agree; therefore, the matter is presented to the Court for determination," or ii. “I was unable to reach Opposing Counsel, (name), to confer about the merits of this matter, after the following attempts: (briefly state the dates and nature of the unsuccessful attempts to contact Opposing Counsel),” or iii. In multi-party cases, "Before setting this matter for hearing, I attempted to resolve this dispute by sending the attached letter to all counsel of record." The Court Administrator will not set any pre-trial matter for hearing unless it is accompanied by one of the foregoing certificates.

WARNING

Applies to

Wage assignment order

The party receiving support through a wage assignment should present the wage assignment order to the judge, if at all possible, when the divorce decree or modifying order is signed.

The party who is to receive support through a wage assignment is responsible for presenting the wage assignment order to the Judge, if at all possible, at the time a decree of divorce or order modifying a prior order is signed.

WARNING

Applies to

Inventory and appraisement

The inventories and appraisements need not be filed if the parties file a written agreement completely settling property, custody, and support matters.

In the event of the filing of a written agreement completely settling the property of the parties to such action and all custody and support matters, it shall not be necessary to file such inventories and appraisements.

WARNING

Applies to

Proposed support decision information

Amounts for expenses not paid monthly must be expressed as monthly averages.

For items which are not paid monthly, express the amount as a monthly average.

WARNING

Applies to

Domestic relations order

The party receiving a portion of another party’s retirement benefit should present the domestic relations order when the divorce decree is signed, if at all possible.

The party who is to receive a portion of another party's retirement benefit through a domestic relations order is responsible to present the order, if at all possible, at the time the decree of divorce is signed.

INFO

Applies to

Qualified protective order

For cases involving discovery and release of HIPAA-protected information, the court recommends considering use of the attached Qualified Protective Order.

If the case involves the discovery and release of HIPAA protected information please consider use of the Qualified Protective Order attached hereto as Exhibit “B”.