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McMullen County, TX

All 8 county-scoped rules

Every published instrument scoped to McMullen 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 1–8 of 8

Local RulesMcMullen County

Rules of Court of the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties; signed and ordered promulgated June 16, 2026; McMullen County edition)

The 2026 local rules of the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts: bench exchange and emergency matters, judicial vacation, the Local Administrative Judge's duties, time standards, where juvenile and CPS cases are filed (county courts at law, except Bee County's CPS cases in the district courts), court calendars apportioned by county population, rotating assignment of cases and felony styling, transfers by consent, settings through the Court Administrators with docket control orders, preferential settings, ex parte relief with the applicant present, pre-trial and pre-trial motions, severance, continuances (presented at pre-trial or ten days before trial), summary-judgment courtesy copies by mail or delivery only, ADR referrals and objections, settlements, conflicting engagements, interpreters, a minute order on audio/video evidence and English translations, jury charges seven days before trial, the family standing order and parent-education course, sworn inventories and proposed property divisions, pro se divorce and adoption procedures (Exhibits C and D), criminal appearance, retention notices and interpreters, attorney vacation letters, courtroom decorum, entry of orders within seven days, and no photography or recording in the courtroom.

High confidence· verified September 7, 2026Rules of Court, 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties), signed and ordered promulgated June 16, 2026 by Judges Starr Boldrick Bauer (36th), Boyd W. Bauer (156th) and Janna K. Whatley (343rd) — TOPICs reg. doc 2999 (registered by San Patricio County 06/22/2026 as "Rules of Court").
Standing OrdersMcMullen County

Standing Order Regarding Children, Property, and Conduct of the Parties — San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Live Oak and McMullen County Family Law Courts (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts, San Patricio County Courts at Law Nos. 1 and 2, Aransas County Court at Law; effective June 15, 2026; McMullen County)

The automatic standing order attached to every divorce, SAPCR and modification petition filed in the five counties: no disruption, removal, hiding, disparagement or overnight dating guests concerning the children, no substance use before possession, no violence; no harassment, mail or account intrusion, interception, social-media posting or exclusion from the residence; 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 until final order or dismissal, subordinate to protective orders, bond waived.

High confidence· verified September 7, 2026San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Live Oak and McMullen County Family Law Courts Standing Order Regarding Children, Property, and Conduct of the Parties (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts, San Patricio County Court at Law No. 1 and No. 2 and Aransas County Court at Law), effective June 15, 2026, signed by Judges Starr B. Bauer, Boyd W. Bauer, Janna K. Whatley, Elizabeth Welborn, Viki Hesseltine Martino, Richard P. Bianchi and Harvey Hardwick — TOPICs reg. doc 3001 (registered by San Patricio County 06/23/2026 as "Standing Orders - Family").
Standing OrdersMcMullen County

Standing Order Regarding Persons Seeking Conservatorship in Family Law Cases — parent education and family stabilization course (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts, San Patricio County Courts at Law Nos. 1 and 2, Aransas County Court at Law and 2nd Multicounty Court at Law; effective June 15, 2026; McMullen County)

Every party seeking conservatorship, possession or access in a SAPCR or modification must complete a four-to-twelve-hour parent education and family stabilization course meeting Texas Family Code § 105.009 (petitioner within 31 days of filing, respondent within 31 days of first appearance or answer), offered by a qualified mental-health professional or religious practitioner, with a certificate of completion; non-completion may be sanctioned by contempt, striking pleadings or Rule 215 sanctions but does not delay judgment, and the assigned judge may waive the course for good cause.

High confidence· verified September 7, 2026San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Live Oak and McMullen County Family Law Courts Standing Order Regarding Persons Seeking Conservatorship in Family Law Cases (Tex. Fam. Code § 105.009), effective June 15, 2026, signed by Judges Starr B. Bauer, Boyd W. Bauer, Janna K. Whatley, Elizabeth Welborn, Viki Hesseltine Martino, Richard P. Bianchi and Harvey Hardwick — TOPICs reg. doc 3000 (registered by San Patricio County 06/23/2026 as "Standing Orders Conservatorship").
Case ManagementMcMullen County

Adoption Procedures in the District Courts in Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts; 2026; McMullen County edition)

The petitioner's attorney must provide an order appointing the pre-adoptive home screening and post-placement report provider (the judge chooses the provider; the attorney notifies the provider of the appointment, deadlines and dates and the client pays the provider), obtain the DPS criminal history required by Family Code § 162.0085 (the hearing is passed until the report is on file and the attorney must request a reset), provide an order appointing the ad litem (the judge chooses; the attorney notifies the ad litem of the appointment, the court of hearing dates) or give the judge a written waiver before obtaining a hearing date, and have the clients complete the Adoption Vital Statistics form before leaving the courthouse.

High confidence· verified September 8, 2026Adoption Procedures in the District Courts in Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties, District Judges Starr Boldrick Bauer (36th), Boyd W. Bauer (156th) and Janna K. Whatley (343rd), 2026 edition — posted by the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (www.36-156-343districtcourts.org; custody URL on the www.co.zapata.tx.us host, Civil/Family Case page, file "2026 ADOPTION PROCEDURES").
Self-Represented LitigantsMcMullen County

Pro-se Divorce Procedures in the District Courts of Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts and the 2nd Multicounty Court at Law; 2026; McMullen County edition)

A self-represented petitioner must serve the respondent under the Rules of Civil Procedure or file a waiver of citation dated and signed after the petition was filed; before requesting a setting must serve the Attorney General and consolidate any child-support case into the divorce, attend the family counseling program if children are involved (as must the spouse, with limited out-of-area exceptions), know the service or waiver date and whether the respondent answered or has counsel, and place a fully completed divorce decree and vital statistics form in the clerk's file; then requests a court date from the court administrator of the court where the case is filed, giving the case number — no date is set without service, waiver or answer and a decree on file, and every blank must be filled in before seeing the judge; the petitioner must keep a current address with the District Clerk or risk dismissal and loss of the filing fee.

High confidence· verified September 8, 2026Pro-se Divorce Procedures in the District Courts of Aransas, Bee, Live Oak, McMullen and San Patricio Counties, 36th, 156th & 343rd Judicial District Courts, 2nd Multicounty Court at Law, District Judges Starr Boldrick Bauer, Boyd W. Bauer and Janna K. Whatley, 2026 edition — posted by the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (www.36-156-343districtcourts.org; custody URL on the www.co.zapata.tx.us host, Civil/Family Case and Attorneys/Pro Se pages, file "2026 Pro se Divorce Procedures").
Divisional InstructionsMcMullen County

2026 Felony Appointment Certification — requirements for counsel accepting criminal appointments (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts; November 25, 2025; McMullen County edition)

For 2026 appointments the Board of Judges certifies attorneys on January 2, 2026; proof of CLE hours and the Request for Appointments form were due to the court administrator by December 20, 2025, with a sworn statement of compliance with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission's 2025 reporting; attorney fee requests are due at sentencing; appointed counsel must make face-to-face contact with an incarcerated client within 14 days of appointment or before pre-trial; the district judges' office accepts felony-only requests for San Patricio and Aransas, felony, prison-felony and juvenile for Bee, and felony and juvenile for Live Oak and McMullen, with misdemeanor and (in Aransas and San Patricio) juvenile certifications going to the county courts at law; the enclosed request form lists the case types per county.

High confidence· verified September 8, 20262026 Felony Appointment Certification, memorandum of the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Judges to counsel accepting criminal appointments, November 25, 2025, with the enclosed Request for Appointments — posted by the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (www.36-156-343districtcourts.org; custody URL on the www.co.zapata.tx.us host, Attorneys/Pro Se page, file "2026 Felony Appointment").
Trial ExhibitsMcMullen County

Minute Order Relating to Electronic Audio and/or Video Evidence (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts; August 19, 2022; McMullen County edition)

Audio or video evidence offered at pre-trial or trial must be in admissible form and format when offered (a flash drive is preferred over a DVD); questions of form and format go to the trial judge before the offer and, in jury cases, before jury selection; all objections to redaction of a recording are ruled on before a jury trial begins; every exhibit must be in English or offered with an English translation, and any translation must be disclosed to opposing parties at least 3 days before the offer; admission of non-conforming evidence is in the presiding judge's sole discretion. The judges' September 14, 2022 cover letter paraphrases the order and asks prosecutors to share it with law enforcement.

High confidence· verified September 8, 2026Minute Order Relating to Electronic Audio and/or Video Evidence, 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts, dated August 19, 2022, signed by Judges Starr Boldrick Bauer (36th), Patrick L. Flanigan (156th) and Janna K. Whatley (343rd), with Judge Whatley's cover letter of September 14, 2022 — posted by the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (www.36-156-343districtcourts.org; custody URL on the www.co.zapata.tx.us host, District Court home, Civil/Family and Criminal pages).
Case ManagementMcMullen County

Interpreters — the Spanish-interpreter scheduling policy for announcement, trial and pre-trial settings (36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts; May 8, 2018; McMullen County edition)

Under the courts' policy Spanish interpreters are scheduled only for announcement and trial dates; counsel who needs an interpreter for a pre-trial setting must notify the District Judge's office immediately on receiving the setting notice so the court administrator can schedule one; counsel are directed to the attached cancellation policies of the two interpreters the courts use (two-hour minimums for cancellations on less than 24 hours' notice).

High confidence· verified September 8, 2026Letter re Interpreters to Spanish speaking attorneys, 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts, May 8, 2018, signed by Janna Whatley, District Judge, with the two interpreters' cancellation policies attached — posted by the 36th, 156th and 343rd District Courts (www.36-156-343districtcourts.org; custody URL on the www.co.zapata.tx.us host, Criminal Cases page, file "Intrepreter Information").