Cynthia Marie Chapa

Court Procedures in Civil Cases — Courtroom Preferences of the 288th District Court (Judge Cynthia Marie Chapa; Bexar County)

Nine sections: contact only the clerk (Stephanie Holman) by e-mail on procedural matters, copying all parties; courtesy copies of everything the court will hear; attorneys at hearings must know the case, have authority and be ready to log on to Zoom for hybrid hearings; for trials and evidentiary hearings, exhibit and witness lists, designated deposition excerpts and objections; voir dire of about 30 minutes in panels of eight with follow-up one juror at a time and an alternate always seated; a single joint proposed jury charge with numbered instructions and authority, disputed items marked, uploaded to Google Drive or sent in Word; jury assignments received Thursdays with a letter of expectations, no passing a setting for another trial unless actually in trial, everyone in court by 9:30; pre-marked, exchanged exhibits in tabbed notebooks, objections ruled on before trial, no passing exhibits to the jury without permission; Zoom cart, ELMO and easels available on arrangement; trial hours 9:30–5:00 with a 12:00–1:30 recess; decorum (stand to address the court; no eating, phones, iPads or recording; proper attire in person and on Zoom); counsel responsible for witnesses; counsel stay near the courtroom during deliberations and may not contact jurors without permission.