Judge Xavier Rodriguez
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Filings
Required
Adjournments
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Proposed New Dates
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Proposed Rescheduled Date
- 3Adversary Position
Must Include
- 1Reason For Request
- 2Original Date
- 3Proposed New Dates
Communication
Letter Ecf
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Chambers
Phone
Court Reporter
Chambers
Other
Chambers
Phone
Chambers
Courtroom Deputy
Detailed Drafting Rules
Initial pretrial conference scheduled after proposed scheduling order; motion may be filed for immediate conference.
An initial pretrial conference pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 16 will be scheduled after the Court receives the parties’ proposed scheduling order. However, if a party believes that a conference with the Court is needed on a more immediate basis to resolve any discovery or case management issues, the party should file a motion with the Court requesting a pretrial conference.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Notify Law Clerk immediately when contested motion is resolved
The Law Clerk should be notified at (210) 472-6575 immediately upon resolution of the pending motion.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Contact Courtroom Deputy Sylvia Ann Fernandez for scheduling matters
Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov
Law clerks may be contacted for procedural questions only
An attorney may address a procedural question that cannot be answered by the federal rules of procedure, local rules, or the judge's scheduling order to the Law Clerk. Please do not call the judge's staff to inquire about substantive issues.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Email Courtroom Deputy; faxes not accepted
Yes. Email Sylvia Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov. The Court cannot accept faxes.
Call chambers or Courtroom Deputy in emergencies
Please call Chambers at (210) 472-6575 or Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov
Parties may contact court during depositions only for immediate attention
Yes, but only in circumstances that necessitate the Court's immediate attention.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Immediately notify Courtroom Deputy after TRO filing; provide electronic copy to adverse party
After the TRO has been filed with the Clerk's office and the matter has been assigned to this Court's chambers, immediately notify the Courtroom Deputy. Use every reasonable effort to provide notice to the adverse party that the TRO has been filed and provide a copy of the TRO to the opposing party by electronic (e-mail) delivery. Parties should comply with Fed. R. Civ. P. 65 and Local Rules.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Contact assigned Law Clerk for expedited hearing requests
Contact the Law Clerk assigned to the case.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Contact assigned Law Clerk for non-substantive matters or case settlements
If an attorney wishes to contact the Court regarding a non-substantive matter or to inform the Court that the case has settled or a pending motion has been resolved, the attorney should contact the Law Clerk assigned to the case.
Phone
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Notify Sylvia Ann Fernandez before hearing/trial about needed equipment
Courtroom Deputy Sylvia Ann Fernandez should be notified prior to the hearing or trial as to what equipment is needed.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredprior to the hearing or trial
Court reporter uses Real Time; contact Amber Nino at (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5037 for rough transcripts
Yes. Parties can contact the court reporter, Amber Nino at (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5037.
Phone
Direct to: Court Reporter
- Hours9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Courtroom has internet access; arrangements must be made ahead of time
Yes, there is internet access, but arrangements must be made ahead of time.
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredarrangements must be made ahead of time
Contact Sylvia Ann Fernandez for equipment delivery arrangements
Parties should contact Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
Direct to: Chambers
- Hours9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Briefs/memoranda under 30 pages may be submitted without leave.
Any brief or memorandum less than 30 pages may be submitted.
Large exhibits should be delivered as hard copy to Chambers; CD with hyperlinks accepted; OCR recommended.
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.
Deposition procedures require 3 business days for objections and copies to Courtroom Deputy.
The Court will accept the parties' agreement to use a deposition at trial even though the witness is available. Otherwise, parties must follow Fed. R. Civ. P. 32. Before trial, counsel must provide the Courtroom Deputy with a copy of all depositions to be used as exhibits at trial. Counsel will designate the portion of any deposition to be read by citing pages and lines. Objections to those portions (citing pages and lines) with supporting authority must be filed at least three (3) business days before trial. Use of videotape depositions is permitted to the extent the parties agree on admissibility or edit to resolve objections.
Document Type
Deposition
3_business_days_before_trial
Must immediately notify court when motion is unopposed or portions are uncontested.
Not immediately notifying the Court that a motion is unopposed (or that portions of a motion are uncontested).
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredimmediately
Must immediately notify court when case has been settled.
Not immediately notifying the Court that the case has been settled.
Letter via ECF
Direct to: Chambers
- Advance Notice Requiredimmediately
Additional technology details in Courtroom Technology Guidance document.
See Courtroom Technology Guidance.
Other
Direct to: Chambers
Emergency contact via phone to Chambers or Courtroom Deputy.
Please call Chambers at (210) 472-6575 or Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
For expedited relief motions, notify Courtroom Deputy immediately after filing and provide copy to opposing party by email.
After the motion has been filed with the Clerk’s office, immediately notify the Courtroom Deputy, Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov. Use every reasonable effort to provide notice to the adverse party that the motion has been filed and provide a copy of the motion to the opposing party by electronic (e-mail) delivery.
Direct to: Chambers
- Status Inquiries
Contact Courtroom Deputy for expedited hearing requests in criminal cases.
Contact Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
Notify Courtroom Deputy when criminal motion is resolved.
Notify Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
Courtroom has white erase board and document presenter, no chart stand, video equipment per guidance.
White Erase Board Yes Chart stand: No Document presenter: Yes Video equipment: See Courtroom Technology Guidance.
Other
Direct to: Chambers
- Equipment Availablewhite_erase_board, document_presenter
Contact Sylvia Ann Fernandez for bringing own equipment at (210) 472-6550 Ext. 5011 or sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
Yes, contact should be made with Sylvia Ann Fernandez, Courtroom Deputy, (210) 472-6550, Ext. 5011, sylvia_fernandez@txwd.uscourts.gov.
Direct to: Courtroom Deputy
Briefs/memoranda under 30 pages may be submitted without leave of court.
Without leave of Court, any brief or memorandum less than 30 pages may be submitted.
Depositions must be provided to Courtroom Deputy before trial; objections with authority due 3 business days before trial.
Before trial, counsel must provide the Courtroom Deputy with a copy of all depositions to be used as exhibits at trial. Counsel will designate the portion of any deposition to be read by citing pages and lines. Objections to those portions (citing pages and lines) with supporting authority must be filed at least three (3) business days before trial.
Document Type
Deposition
3_business_days_before_trial