Western District of Texas Document Format Requirements

INFOCivil cases

The Court encourages, but does not require, parties to submit their dispute materials in a Word document using the provided table format.

The Court encourages the parties to provide their submission in a Word document in the following table format:

INFO

Counsel should address Court and witnesses from the lectern.

From the lectern.

INFO

Hyperlinking citations in briefs is encouraged but not required.

No, but parties are encouraged to hyperlink citations in their briefs for Westlaw or Lexis access.

INFO

Trials typically run from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM with lunch recess from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

Trials normally convene at 8:30 a.m. and adjourn around 5:00 p.m., recessing for lunch between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.

INFOCivil cases

Court trial days typically run 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. with two 15-minute breaks and one-hour lunch.

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Two 15 min. breaks during the day. One hour for lunch. If the case runs behind schedule, the lunch break may be cut short and we may work past 5:30 p.m.

INFOCivil cases

Court accepts electronic trial exhibits for JERS system.

The court has the ability to receive all trial exhibits in electronic format. The jury is then able to review the admitted exhibits during deliberations using the Jury Evidence Recording System (JERS). Instructions on how to submit exhibits in the appropriate electronic format may be found here.

INFOCivil cases

Judge conducts principal voir dire; attorneys may submit written questions and ask 20-minute follow-up questions.

The Judge will conduct the principal voir dire. Attorneys may submit written questions in advance. On completion of the general voir dire, the Judge typically allows attorneys to ask follow-up questions (a time limit of 20 minutes is usually imposed).

INFOCivil cases

Yes.

Yes.

INFOCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Electronic versions of jury instructions and verdict forms accepted in Word format.

Yes. Documents may be submitted in Word.

INFOCivil cases

Opening statements in criminal cases typically allowed 20-30 minutes.

Counsel are normally afforded 20-30 minutes to make an opening statement.

INFOCivil cases

Attorneys must wear standard business attire including coat and tie for men.

Attorneys are required to wear standard business attire. For men, this includes a coat and tie. Otherwise, see Local Rule AT-5.

INFOCivil cases

Trial days typically run 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with lunch recess.

Trial will normally convene at 9:00 a.m. and adjourn around 5:00 p.m., recessing for lunch between 12:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.

INFOCivil cases

If a motion or response contains numerous exhibits, consider delivering a "hard copy" to Chambers. Briefs or motions on CD with hyperlinks to cases or exhibits are also accepted. To the extent possible, scanned documents should be made searchable through optical character recognition (OCR) before electronic filing.

If a motion or response contains numerous exhibits, consider delivering a "hard copy" to Chambers. Briefs or motions on CD with hyperlinks to cases or exhibits are also accepted. To the extent possible, scanned documents should be made searchable through optical character recognition (OCR) before electronic filing.

INFO

Citations preferred in body text, string citations acceptable in footnotes.

I prefer when citations and other matters are included in the body of a document’s text, as opposed to a footnote. That said, a string citation is fine in a footnote.

INFOCivil cases

Trial days typically run 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM with lunch recess 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM.

Trial will normally convene at 9:00 a.m. and adjourn around 4:30 p.m. recessing for lunch between 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.