Williamson County Courts at Law Service and Proof of Service Rules

CRITICAL

Notice of a motion to withdraw or substitute counsel must be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

Notice of such motions shall be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

CRITICAL

Defense attorneys must subpoena all witnesses and law enforcement officers necessary for pre-trial hearings.

Defense attorneys shall subpoena all witnesses, including the State’s witnesses, and law enforcement officers necessary for pre-trial hearings.

CRITICAL

Upon employment, defense counsel must give written notice to the District Attorney, District Clerk, and Court Administrator in the court where the case is filed.

Upon employment, the defense attorney shall give written notice thereof to the District Attorney, the District Clerk and the Court Administrator in the Court in which the case is filed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pre trial scheduling rules

In each non-family civil case, the plaintiff must serve the pre-trial scheduling rules with the petition; the Clerk provides the rules at filing.

At the time of filing in each non-family civil case, the Clerk will provide the plaintiff a copy of the following rules relating to pre-trial scheduling to be served with the petition.

CRITICAL

Service

Mail

Notice to the client must be sent by both certified and regular mail.

Notice to the client shall be by certified and regular mail.

CRITICAL

Provide a copy of the written vacation designation to all Court Administrators.

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

A copy of the filed inventory must be furnished to the Judge, opposing counsel, and pro se parties.

Within fifty days of appearance date, each party shall file with the District Clerk, a copy being furnished to the Judge, opposing Counsel and pro se parties, a sworn inventory and appraisement of all property (both separate and community) of the parties, including any property belonging to children of the parties.

CRITICAL

The required written bankruptcy notice must be provided to the affected court and all counsel.

within three (3) days of any bankruptcy filing, to provide written notice to the affected court and all counsel that a bankruptcy has occurred.

CRITICAL

Defense attorneys must subpoena all witnesses and law-enforcement officers necessary for pre-trial hearings.

Defense attorneys shall subpoena all witnesses, including the State’s witnesses, and law enforcement officers necessary for pre-trial hearings.

CRITICAL

The party requesting a setting must notify the opposing party in accordance with statutory time requirements.

The self-represented litigant or attorney requesting the setting shall notify the opposing party of the setting consistent with the statutory time requirements.

CRITICAL

Service

Mail

Notice to the client must be sent by both certified and regular mail.

Notice to the client shall be by certified and regular mail.

CRITICAL

Before presenting a TRO or other petition for extraordinary relief, the plaintiff’s or movant’s attorney must notify known opposing counsel and give them an opportunity to appear.

Before presenting a TRO or any petition for extraordinary relief, the Attorney representing the Defendant or Respondent, if known, must be notified by the Plaintiff’s or Movant's Attorney and given the opportunity to appear with Plaintiffs or Movant's Attorney.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Discovery request

Parties seeking discovery must serve requests early enough for the response deadline to fall within the discovery period.

Parties seeking discovery must serve requests sufficiently far in advance of the end of the discovery period that the deadline for responding will be within the discovery period.

CRITICAL

All parties must be added and served by the date specified in the docket control order.

All parties must be added and served, whether by amendment or third-party practice, by this date.

CRITICAL

Expert witness designations must be served by the dates specified in the docket control order.

Expert witness designations are required and must be served by the following dates.

CRITICAL

Notice of a motion to withdraw or substitute counsel must be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

Notice of such motions shall be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

CRITICAL

Upon employment, defense counsel must notify the County Attorney, County Clerk, and Court Administrator in the court where the case is filed.

Upon employment, the defense attorney shall give notice thereof to the County Attorney, to the County Clerk and the Court Administrator in the Court in which the case is filed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw or substitute counsel

Notice of a motion to withdraw or substitute counsel must be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

Notice of such motions shall be delivered to the State when the motion is set

CRITICAL

Upon being retained, defense counsel must give written notice to the District Attorney, District Clerk, and Court Administrator for the court where the case is filed.

Upon employment, the defense attorney shall give written notice thereof to the District Attorney, the District Clerk and the Court Administrator in the Court in which the case is filed.

CRITICAL

The party or attorney setting the case must give notice to opposing counsel according to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

The party or attorney setting the case shall give notice to Opposing Counsel according to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

When a motion to remove a case from the dismissal docket is granted, the party or attorney setting the trial must notify opposing counsel according to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

Where motions to remove a case from dismissal docket are granted, the case shall be set for trial. The party or Attorney setting the case shall give notice to opposing Counsel according to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

Before presenting a TRO or other request for relief, an attorney must notify the opposing attorney and provide copies of the pleadings and proposed orders if the respondent is represented.

Before presenting a TRO or any request for relief, the attorney must notify and provide a copy of the pleadings and proposed orders to the opposing attorney, if respondent is represented.

CRITICAL

Written notice that a bankruptcy occurred must be provided to the affected court and all counsel within three days of the bankruptcy filing.

and within three (3) days of any bankruptcy filing, to provide written notice to the affected court and all counsel that a bankruptcy has occurred.

CRITICAL

A copy of the motion to withdraw must be delivered or mailed to opposing counsel.

A copy of the motion shall be delivered or mailed to opposing counsel.

CRITICAL

The party causing joinder must provide a copy of the scheduling order when serving the joinder.

THE PARTY CAUSING THE JOINDER SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS SCHEDULING ORDER AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pre trial forms and amended pleadings

Each party must deliver the required pretrial forms and any amended pleadings to the opposing party at least one day before the family-case hearing.

At least one day prior to the date set for a hearing of a family case, each party shall deliver to the opposing party the following pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings.

CRITICAL

All parties must be added and served by the date specified in the docket control order.

All parties must be added and served, whether by amendment or third-party practice, by this date.

CRITICAL

Notice of a motion to withdraw or substitute counsel must be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

Notice of such motions shall be delivered to the State when the motion is set.

CRITICAL

Notice of a dismissal docket setting must be transmitted to every attorney of record and every unrepresented party.

Notice of the Dismissal Docket setting shall be transmitted to each attorney of record and to each party not represented by counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Expert witness designation

Expert witness designations for both parties seeking affirmative relief and all other experts must be served by the dates specified in the order.

2. EXPERT WITNESS DESIGNATION. Expert witness designations are required and must be served by the following dates. The designation must include the information listed in Rule 194.2(f). Failure to timely respond will be governed by Rule 193.6. (a) Experts for parties seeking affirmative relief. (b) All other experts.

CRITICAL

Before presenting a TRO or other request for relief, an attorney must notify represented opposing counsel and provide copies of the pleadings and proposed orders.

Before presenting a TRO or any request for relief, the attorney must notify and provide a copy of the pleadings and proposed orders to the opposing attorney, if respondent is represented.

CRITICAL

The party causing joinder must provide a copy of the scheduling order when service occurs.

THE PARTY CAUSING THE JOINDER SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS SCHEDULING ORDER AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.

CRITICAL

The self-represented litigant or attorney who requests a setting must notify the opposing party in accordance with statutory time requirements.

The self-represented litigant or attorney requesting the setting shall notify the opposing party of the setting consistent with the statutory time requirements.

CRITICAL

Discovery requests must be served far enough before the discovery period ends for the response deadline to fall within that period.

Parties seeking discovery must serve requests sufficiently far in advance of the end of the discovery period that the deadline for responding will be within the discovery period.

CRITICAL

The party or attorney who sets the case must give notice to opposing counsel under the Rules of Civil Procedure.

The party or attorney setting the case shall give notice to Opposing Counsel according to the Rules of Civil Procedure.

CRITICAL

Each party must deliver the required pretrial forms and any amended pleadings to the opposing party at least one day before a family-case hearing.

At least one day prior to the date set for a hearing of a family case, each party shall deliver to the opposing party the following pre-trial forms and any amended pleadings.

CRITICAL

A copy of the withdrawal motion must be delivered or mailed to opposing counsel.

A copy of the motion shall be delivered or mailed to opposing counsel.

WARNING

Notice of a dismissal docket setting must be transmitted to every attorney of record and every unrepresented party.

Notice of the Dismissal Docket setting shall be transmitted to each attorney of record and to each party not represented by counsel.