Calhoun County
Fourth Administrative Judicial Region (Region 4) · official region site ✓ · County seat: Port Lavaca
Rules that apply here (county → region → statewide)
Preview of 25 instruments. All 19 county-scoped rules → search all three layers.
Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence (District Courts of Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Refugio and Victoria Counties; Calhoun County edition)
Every self-represented litigant and attorney who uses any form of artificial intelligence for legal research, drafting or analysis in a case before the district courts of the six counties must, before using AI-generated information in a submission or proceeding, sign and file the attached certification (Exhibit A) that all AI-created or AI-contributed language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments and legal analysis were verified as accurate by a human being through traditional non-AI legal sources, and acknowledging responsibility and potential sanctions for any failure to comply.
Standing Order Regarding Cell Phones, Electronic Devices and Electronic Recording Devices (District Courts of Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Refugio and Victoria Counties; Calhoun County edition)
Cell phones and electronic devices may be brought into district courtrooms subject to courthouse security policies but must be turned off inside any courtroom; photographing, recording, posting, broadcasting or televising any person, object, document or proceeding in a courtroom (in person, on Zoom or YouTube, or by any other means) is prohibited unless the Court authorizes it, on pain of removal, temporary forfeiture of the device, and fines up to $500 or up to six months' jail for contempt; the device-use restrictions do not apply to attorneys and their staff, but the recording prohibition does.
Administrative Order Regarding Small Estate Affidavits (Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1; signed April 6, 2026)
Every small estate affidavit filed in Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1 — by attorneys and pro se applicants alike — must use the Court-approved affidavit and order from the Court's probate web page and be fully and accurately completed under the Court's instructions and the Estates Code; approval is discretionary under Estates Code § 205.003, and the Court may approve, reject for deficiencies, or require corrections before approval.
Administrative Order Regarding Procedures for Obtaining Hearings (Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1; signed April 6, 2026)
To obtain a hearing in Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1: check the Court's online calendar or call the coordinator, e-file a Proposed Order Setting Hearing with the County Clerk stating the hearing type, the requested date and complete contact information for all parties; nothing is on the docket until Judge Beeler signs the order, which the Clerk then distributes as the only notice of hearing; probate settings have additional requirements; Zoom appearances need a request with a specific reason at least fifteen days before the hearing; cancellations require Court approval with a document signed by all parties.
Standing Protective Order for DFPS Records in Criminal Cases (District Courts of Calhoun County)
In criminal cases in which defense counsel (Crossroads Defenders) subpoenas records of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS is ordered to release its records, including audio and video, without redaction by the agreed date, subject to an incorporated protective order (Attachment A); all such records are confidential, remain subject to the order, and must be destroyed by defense counsel when appeals are exhausted or the case is finally disposed.
Notice to Litigants in Title IV-D Court Matters of the Right to a De Novo Hearing Before the Referring Court (Title IV-D Court No. 22; Calhoun County)
Unless waived, a party in a Title IV-D (Attorney General) child-support matter may obtain a de novo hearing before the referring court on any decision of the IV-D Court associate judge by filing a written request with the clerk of the referring court not later than the third working day after receiving notice of the substance of the associate judge's report (or the rendering of a temporary order), specifying the issues and giving notice to the clerk and all other attorneys and parties.
Standing Order Regarding Public Access to DFPS Court Records (24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts; Calhoun County)
Public access to pleadings, orders and documents filed in suits brought by the Department of Family and Protective Services under Chapters 261, 262 and 264 of the Texas Family Code is restricted; the District Clerks of the six counties may release them only to DFPS, the parties, their attorneys, the attorney ad litem and the guardian ad litem unless the Court specifically permits access for good cause shown.
Bench Exchange Agreement of the Justices of the Peace, Precincts 1 through 5 (Calhoun County; January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026)
A standing agreement under Texas Government Code § 27.054 by which Calhoun County's five justices of the peace exchange benches whenever convenient or necessary, so that any of the five may hear a matter pending in another precinct's justice court; it terminates December 31, 2026.
Joint Standing Order Exempting Tax Suits from Mandatory Disclosures under Rule 194 (24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts; Calhoun County)
Parties in tax lawsuits filed under Texas Tax Code Chapters 31-34 in the 24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts are exempt from the mandatory initial-disclosure requirements of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 194, but must still timely respond to party-initiated discovery requests.
Getting Started with Zoom — District Clerk's instructions for attending district-court Zoom hearings (Calhoun County; updated April 27, 2020)
The Calhoun County District Clerk's instructions for appearing at a Zoom hearing: join through the link in the setting letter or by entering the meeting id at zoom.us or in the app, under your first and last name (not a device name), with video and audio allowed, then wait in the waiting room until admitted; the judge must be able to see and hear you, so appear from a location without background noise.
Instructions to Pro Se Litigants in Divorce Cases (District Courts of Calhoun County)
Ten court rules that a self-represented party must satisfy before the district courts will grant a divorce in Calhoun County: clean and fully completed pleadings and decrees on letter-size paper, vehicle and real-property descriptions, mandatory child provisions (custody, possession schedule, health insurance, guideline child support that cannot be waived without court approval, paternity and prior orders by certified copy), the Bureau of Vital Statistics form, decree submission to the judge on the final-hearing date, and settings obtained through the District Clerk.
Standing Order Requiring a Parent Education and Stabilization Course in Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (District Courts of Calhoun County)
In every suit affecting the parent-child relationship (original or modification) filed on or after September 1, 2003, the parties must complete a Parent Education and Stabilization Course meeting Texas Family Code § 105.009 and file proof before the final hearing, with six enumerated exceptions; contested SAPCR issues are heard only on written request for the Contested SAPCR Docket, set on 45 days' notice.
Standing Order Referring Title IV-D Matters to the Associate Judge for Title IV-D Cases (24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts; Calhoun County)
Every aspect of a Title 5 or Chapter 45 Texas Family Code case, including ancillary matters, in which the Title IV-D agency is the moving party is referred to the Associate Judge for Title IV-D Cases appointed to serve the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region.
Order Amending Local Rules for the 24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts — Rules 1.14 and 1.15, Requests for Settings (Calhoun County edition; signed December 31, 2014)
Local Rules 1.14 and 1.15 of the 24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts are amended so that every request for a motion hearing, non-jury trial or jury trial goes to the Court Coordinator by e-mail or in writing with a copy to all counsel and a certification that the requesting attorney conferred with every party and that the date is agreed — or, if not agreed, that a good-faith effort to agree failed, in which case the Court sets a telephonic or in-chambers docket control conference to fix the date; the rules bind self-represented litigants directly. Effective immediately on signing, December 31, 2014.
Standing Order on Summary-Judgment Setting Notices: 15-Minute Argument Limit per Side (District Courts of Calhoun County)
By standing order of the Local Administrative Judge, every setting notice (or order setting hearing) on a motion for summary judgment must state that argument on the motion is limited to 15 minutes per side.
Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (Calhoun County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
The local rules of the district courts serving Calhoun County (24th, 135th and 267th Judicial Districts, promulgated jointly with the 377th of Victoria County under Rule 3a): case assignment and bench exchange, settings (as amended in 2014 to require conferral and certification of agreed or non-agreed dates through the Court Coordinator), preferential settings, docket calls, dismissal and suspense dockets, pre-trial and scheduling conferences and sanctions for non-compliance, discovery, settlements, conflicting engagements, witnesses and exhibits, voir dire, jury charges and motions in limine, family-law preparation requirements, default and liquidated claims, a 1990 appointed-counsel fee schedule, jury management, attorney vacations, lead counsel, withdrawal, courtroom decorum and local administration.
Probate Court Procedures for Filing a Notice of Setting (Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1; Judge Beeler)
Before e-filing a notice of setting for a probate hearing in Calhoun County Court at Law No. 1, counsel must have on file the death certificate (redacted copy acceptable), the original will, a proposed proof of death and other facts, a proposed oath (or oath of no debts for a muniment of title), the proposed order admitting the will or declaring heirship, a proposed order setting hearing and any required affidavits, witness testimony or heir waivers, and citation by posting or publication must be returned under Estates Code § 51.053 before the hearing can proceed; incomplete settings may be refused or removed from the docket.
Calhoun County Divorce with Children Information — an Attorney General child support order is required before the final decree (County Court at Law; Judge Beeler)
In divorce cases involving minor children, the Calhoun County Court at Law will not sign a Final Decree of Divorce until a child support order issued or approved by the Office of the Attorney General is on file; the parties must open a child support case with the OAG Child Support Division and submit its order before the decree is considered. Resources listed for unrepresented parties (Texas RioGrande Legal Aid; the OAG Victoria office).
Calhoun County Divorce Hearing Information — appearing and what to bring to a final divorce hearing (County Court at Law; Judge Beeler)
Judge Beeler's letter to parties set for a final divorce hearing in the Calhoun County Court at Law: self-represented parties must appear and answer the Court's prove-up questions under oath (residence, that the marriage cannot continue, division of property and debts, children), bring a copy of the original petition and any documents required by law or prior order, seek legal information from TexasLawHelp.org or Texas RioGrande Legal Aid before the hearing, and bring a qualified interpreter or request one before the hearing date; failure to appear or to bring the documents may reset or delay the case.
Fourth Administrative Judicial Region of Texas — Procedures for Attorney Fee Appeals (signed January 17, 2017; effective for decisions on or after January 20, 2017)
The Fourth Region's presiding-judge procedures for court-appointed attorneys' fee appeals under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 26.05, applying to the district and county courts of the region's twenty-two counties: an appeal lies from a trial court's attorney-fee decision or from its failure to decide within the 60-day period of article 26.05(c); the appeal packet (the written documentation sent to the trial court, a copy of the court's decision with the written findings and reasons article 26.05 requires, and a motion or letter explaining why the decision should be modified) must be sent to both the Presiding Judge and the trial court within fourteen days after the attorney receives notice of the decision, by e-mail with PDF attachments or by hard copy to the region's office at the Bexar County Courthouse; the trial court may modify its findings or decision in writing within five days of receiving the packet, sending the modification to the Presiding Judge and the attorney; and the Presiding Judge "determine[s] the appropriate amount of payment" under article 26.05(c) and notifies the attorney and the trial court. Signed January 17, 2017 by Presiding Judge David Peeples; effective for decisions made on or after January 20, 2017.
Fourth Administrative Judicial Region of Texas — Rules of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region (adopted March 8, 1993)
The thirteen region-wide rules of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region (the 22-county South Texas region), adopted by the Council of Presiding Judges at Austin on March 8, 1993: time standards for disposition (criminal trial within 180 days of indictment, civil jury 18 months and non-jury 12 months from appearance, contested family cases 6 months and uncontested 3 months, juvenile detention hearings the next business day with adjudication within 10 or 30 days and disposition within 15), complex-case allowance, continuances only as the rules permit and one agreed pass; monthly OCA reports to the regional presiding judge; county boards of judges must adopt uniform local rules for civil, family/juvenile and criminal cases, a jury plan, a judicial-absence plan and a rule for regular judges' meetings; local rules must follow the region's numbering and take effect only on approval by the presiding judge and the Supreme Court; conflicting-engagement priorities (criminal, statutory preference, preferential settings, earliest setting, earliest filing, multi-judge counties yield to rural counties); four weeks' attorney vacation on 90 days' written notice; pretrial motions three days before docket call and certified requests for settings; and courtroom decorum.
N.D. Tex. LR 83.9 — Attorneys Not Admitted to Practice Before this Court
N.D. Tex. LR 83.9 — Attorneys Not Admitted to Practice Before this Court: the court's own rule, verbatim from LOCAL CIVIL RULES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS (Effective September 1, 2026), official PDF, sha-custodied. Court-level requirement: applies in every case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas alongside the federal rules and any judge-specific procedures.
N.D. Tex. LR 83.8 — Loss of Membership and Discipline of Attorneys
N.D. Tex. LR 83.8 — Loss of Membership and Discipline of Attorneys: the court's own rule, verbatim from LOCAL CIVIL RULES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS (Effective September 1, 2026), official PDF, sha-custodied. Court-level requirement: applies in every case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas alongside the federal rules and any judge-specific procedures.
N.D. Tex. LR 83.7 — Admission of Attorneys
N.D. Tex. LR 83.7 — Admission of Attorneys: the court's own rule, verbatim from LOCAL CIVIL RULES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS (Effective September 1, 2026), official PDF, sha-custodied. Court-level requirement: applies in every case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas alongside the federal rules and any judge-specific procedures.
N.D. Tex. LR 83.6 — Applications to Proceed In Forma Pauperis
N.D. Tex. LR 83.6 — Applications to Proceed In Forma Pauperis: the court's own rule, verbatim from LOCAL CIVIL RULES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS (Effective September 1, 2026), official PDF, sha-custodied. Court-level requirement: applies in every case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas alongside the federal rules and any judge-specific procedures.