Atascosa County, TX
All 12 county-scoped rules
Every published instrument scoped to Atascosa County, newest effective date first. 2 region-wide and 1,248 statewide instruments also apply here — search all three layers together. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
Published rules, newest effective date first
Showing 1–12 of 12
Atascosa County Court at Law — Order Adopting Local Rules for Appointment of Counsel in Criminal Cases and Schedule of Fees for Payment of Compensation to Appointed Counsel (Sept. 14, 2026)
Order of the Atascosa County Court at Law (Judge Bob Brendel, Sept. 14, 2026) adopting local rules for the appointment of counsel in criminal cases and the fee schedule for appointed counsel: appointment within three business days of the request; a financial questionnaire in the form adopted by the District Judges; flat fees (initial jail visit $50, extradition $250, MTR/MTA $350, Class A and B misdemeanors $400, with $100 add-ons for additional misdemeanor cases and bilingual counsel), an hourly election for extensive contested trial work ($50–$125 in court, $50–$75 out of court), appeals at $60–$120 per hour capped at $3,500; itemized applications in tenth-hour intervals due at the plea or within thirty days of disposition (late applications waive compensation); repayment orders and a prepayment account for employed defendants; written motions for experts; documented billing; representation until disposition with initial contact by the next business day; and withdrawal only by motion with the Court selecting substitute counsel. The schedule does not apply to the Atascosa Area Advocates Public Defender's Office.
Standing Protective Order Regarding DFPS Records (Atascosa County Court, County Court at Law and Juvenile Courts; June 10, 2026)
In criminal and juvenile cases in the Atascosa County Court, County Court at Law and juvenile courts, the State may release redacted DFPS records directly to defense counsel with this order attached as the first page; the records are confidential, usable only to prepare and try the case, viewable by the defendant only as Article 39.14(f) allows and never copied to the defendant, further redacted of reporter identity and Family Code § 261.201 information before any viewing, filed only under seal, and destroyed or returned to the County Attorney at the end of the case, on pain of contempt, evidentiary sanctions or disciplinary referral.
Standing Protective Order Regarding Medical Records (Atascosa County Court, County Court at Law and Juvenile Courts; June 10, 2026)
In criminal and juvenile cases in the Atascosa County Court, County Court at Law and juvenile courts, the State may release unredacted medical records directly to defense counsel with this order attached; the records and protected health information are confidential, usable only to investigate, prepare and try the case, viewable by the defendant only as Article 39.14(f) allows and never copied, redacted by defense counsel of account, insurance and Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, contact details and minors' names before any viewing, filed only under seal, and destroyed or returned to the County Attorney at the end of the case, on pain of sanctions.
Atascosa County Court at Law — Local Rule Regarding Information Needed for Participants to Participate in Proceedings (Tex. R. Civ. P. 21(b); October 15, 2025)
Every notice of a proceeding before the Atascosa County Court at Law (or a matter assigned to its judge) must state the location or electronic-joining instructions, the court's contact information, the date, time and type of proceeding, and instructions for submitting evidence; proceedings are in person at the Atascosa County Justice Center unless the notice says Zoom (meeting number and telephone fallback given), Zoom exhibits go through the chat feature and must be labeled and e-mailed to opposing participants by 3:00 p.m. the business day before, physical evidence is not accepted on Zoom, and non-compliance risks cancellation, resetting, dismissal for want of prosecution, exclusion of evidence or contempt; Appendices A and B supply notice language.
Standing Order Regarding Filing of Child's Birth Certificate in Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (Atascosa County Court at Law; effective September 1, 2025, ordered January 6, 2026)
Under Texas Family Code § 102.008(c-1) (effective September 1, 2025), the petitioner in every original SAPCR (except IV-D petitions) must file a certified copy of each child's birth certificate under seal, separately from other pleadings (eFileTexas 'Sealed' category), or state in the petition or an affidavit that it is unavailable and show diligence; the Court may order alternative proof of parentage and may withhold temporary or final orders or dismiss for want of prosecution; the order sets out how to obtain certificates (Texas, other states, abroad) and designates the attorney of record a 'properly qualified applicant' under Health and Safety Code § 191.051 for obtaining the certificate; the District Clerk serves the order on non-compliant petitioners.
Standing Order — Family Law Case Management: abatement of inactive family cases after 90 days (81st and 218th District Courts and County Court at Law, Atascosa County; April 23, 2025)
Any pending family law case in Atascosa County, including IV-D and DFPS cases, with no activity in the last 90 days is abated by standing order and the District Clerk marks it abated; the clerk reactivates the case when a hearing is set or a pleading requiring court action is filed.
Order Adopting Local Rules for Appointment of Counsel in Criminal Cases and Schedule of Fees for Appointed Counsel (81st and 218th District Courts; Atascosa County edition; adopted February 19, 2025)
The 81st and 218th District Courts' local rules for appointing counsel in criminal cases and the fee schedule for appointed counsel (adopted February 19, 2025, effective immediately): appointment within three business days of a request; an indigence questionnaire; flat fees by offense class (initial jail visit $75, extradition $250, MTR/MTA $450, state-jail felonies $500, third-degree $600, second-degree $750, first-degree $950; +$200 for additional felonies or a pre-indictment appointment, +$100 for bilingual counsel) with hourly rates for extensive contested work ($75–$150 in court, $75–$100 out of court) and appeals at $60–$120 per hour capped at $4,500; itemized applications in tenth-hour intervals due at the plea or within thirty days of disposition, or compensation is waived; defendant contribution and prepayment accounts; written expert motions; documented billing; representation through disposition or appeal with client contact by the next business day; withdrawal only by motion and substitutes chosen only by the Court. The schedule does not apply to the Atascosa Area Advocates Public Defender's Office.
Standing Order Regarding Transfer Between the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts (Atascosa County; filed January 7, 2025)
Under Texas Government Code § 24.003, either district judge accepts transfer of any non-Family Code chapter 155 case from the other district court's docket, and any district judge serving the county may hear and determine any proceeding, motion or preliminary matter, render final judgment and issue injunctions returnable to any district court of the county without a formal transfer or bench exchange; judgments are entered in the minutes of the court where the case is pending, and a completed matter is transferred to the completing court under § 72.083; the County Court at Law judge sits by assignment on district matters.
Local Rules of Administration for Cases Pending in Atascosa County (County Court, County Court at Law and 81st/218th District Courts; January 1, 2025)
The case-assignment rules for Atascosa County's courts: the County Clerk assigns probate cases and justice-court civil appeals (other than evictions) to the County Court and misdemeanors, county civil cases, occupational licenses, traffic and criminal appeals, evictions appeals, guardianships and protective orders to the Court at Law; the District Clerk assigns juvenile cases to the County Court, all family law matters, civil cases from $500 to $250,000, workers' compensation appeals, protective orders and occupational licenses to the Court at Law, and state penalty suits, official-misconduct misdemeanors, contested elections and all other district matters evenly to the District Courts; transfers, substitution among judges when a judge is unavailable, the routing of emergency and special matters, and settings through each court's coordinator.
Standing Order Regarding Child(ren), Property, and Conduct of Parties in Divorce and Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (81st and 218th District Courts and County Court at Law, Atascosa County; December 1, 2023 edition)
The automatic temporary restraining order in every divorce and SAPCR filed in Atascosa County (other than DFPS and Attorney General suits): no removing, hiding, disparaging or disturbing the child, no overnight dating guests during possession in an original divorce, no harassment, violence, mail diversion or (from this December 2023 edition) tracking or following of the other party, and in a divorce no dissipation of property, records, insurance or accounts beyond the specifically authorized business, living and legal expenses; served with the petition, effective on filing as a 14-day TRO that becomes a temporary injunction unless contested, subordinate to protective orders, bond waived.
Standing Order Regarding Release on Bail of Defendant Charged With Felony Offense Committed While on Bail for Felony Offense (81st and 218th District Courts; Atascosa County edition; April 21, 2023)
Under Code of Criminal Procedure art. 17.027, a defendant charged with a felony committed while on bail for a felony in the same county may be released only by the court where the prior case is pending or a court it designates in writing; the 81st and 218th District Courts designate that a defendant on bail for, or charged with, murder may be magistrated and have bail set only by a district or county-court-at-law judge of that county, and any other art. 17.027 defendant may be magistrated and have bail set by a district, county-court-at-law, justice of the peace or municipal judge of that county.
Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts, the Atascosa County Court at Law and the Atascosa County Court (effective January 1, 2023; Atascosa County edition)
The local rules of the 81st and 218th District Courts (Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, La Salle and Wilson Counties) and of the Atascosa County Court at Law and County Court: courtroom conduct and decorum (Texas Lawyer's Creed incorporated; attire; security screening; no devices without approval; no recording), continuances (consent or notice; motion set through the Court Administrator's website), priority of conflicting settings, interpreters, withdrawal of counsel, remote hearings on request, ex parte applications, pretrial and trial settings through the Court Administrator, mandatory ADR before any trial of four or more hours, entry of orders, criminal arraignment and duties of appointed counsel, temporary family-law hearings (one hour; required financial documents), adoptions review, the divorce checklist, and the authority, citation and construction rules.