Administrative Order (recording of proceedings prohibited), 123rd District Court and County Court at Law of Panola County, Texas, signed January 6, 2021. TOPICs registration 7 (Panola County, Administrative Orders).
Joint administrative order of the 123rd District Court and the Panola County Court at Law, entered during the COVID-19 remote-hearing period: the only recording of any proceeding is the Official Court Reporter's, and any other person who records a court proceeding in any manner, in the courtroom or via remote access, whether an active participant or a public viewer, is strictly prohibited from doing so and may be held in contempt of court.
Guidelines for the Payment of Expert and Investigative Expenses and Fees, Panola County, Texas, effective February 8, 2017, executed by the judges of the 123rd Judicial District Court and the County Court at Law. TOPICs registration 8 (Panola County, Administrative Orders).
Panola County's guidelines for investigator and expert-witness expenses in indigent criminal cases: appointed counsel must file a pretrial request (which may be ex parte and confidential) and obtain written prior court approval; the request must describe the investigation or expert, set out facts showing the work is reasonably necessary, and itemize anticipated expenses; experts are paid at their actual hourly rate up to the pre-approved amount, investigators at $45.00 per hour plus 53 1/2 cents per mile with no charge for travel to and from Carthage; payment requests go through the attorney with a typed itemized list and the Attorney Fee Voucher after final disposition, and compensation disputes are appealed under Code of Criminal Procedure article 26.05.
Joint Order of the 123rd Judicial District Court and County Court at Law of Panola County, Children's Interest Seminar, entered October 1, 1997. TOPICs registration 9 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
Joint 1997 order requiring every party to litigation affecting the parent-child relationship to attend and complete the Children's Interest Seminar (For Kids Sake) within sixty days of filing: the courts designate the seminar administrators, the order fixes the course content (developmental stages, needs of children, stress indicators, the grief process, visitation, financial obligations, conflict management and more), a two- to four-hour length, a fee of not more than $30.00 unless waived, and a certificate of completion to be filed with the court.
Local Rules for the 123rd Judicial District Court and the County Court at Law of Panola County, Texas, effective March 1, 2001 (Rule 6.15); approved by the Supreme Court of Texas, Misc. Docket No. 02-9091 (May 7, 2002). TOPICs registration 10 (Panola County, Local Rules).
Local rules of the 123rd District Court and the Panola County Court at Law: time standards for criminal, civil, family and juvenile cases (Rule 1.10); court sessions and trial months (1.11); concurrent jurisdiction, transfer, docket and bench exchange (1.12-1.13); requests for jury and non-jury settings, preferential settings, docket calls and announcements, resetting, and the dismissal docket under TRCP 165a (1.14-1.18); pre-trial motions filed and served at least five working days before the pre-trial hearing, with motions not urged at pre-trial deemed waived (2.10); exchange of marked exhibits and edited video depositions five working days before pre-trial (2.11); motions practice, continuances, default and summary judgment settings, status and scheduling conferences, pre-trial conferences, discovery motions, jury selection and jury charges (2.12-2.20); family law cases, including the Title IV-D master, child support guidelines, the standard possession order and the "For Kid's Sake" seminar (3.10); compensation of appointed counsel, attorney vacations and withdrawals (4.10-4.12); courtroom conduct and decorum (5.10); certification for ex parte and TRO applications, proposed judgments within 30 days, proposed orders, same-day service of papers on expedited matters, and the certificate of conference (6.10-6.14). Effective March 1, 2001; prior local rules repealed.
In re Felony Criminal Cases of Panola County, Texas, order of the 123rd District Court and County Court at Law of Panola County regarding assignment of newly indicted felony cases, filed November 8, 2022, effective November 30, 2022. TOPICs registration 51 (Panola County, Administrative Orders).
Directs the Panola County District Clerk to assign newly indicted felony cases from each grand jury two-thirds to the 123rd District Court and one-third to the County Court at Law, alternating from a randomly selected starting case and continuing from whichever court received the last case of the prior grand jury, subject to fixed exceptions: a defendant with a pending felony case or on felony probation in one court is filed in that court, and co-defendants are assigned to the same court. Effective November 30, 2022.
Panola County Standing Order Regarding Children, Pets, Property and Conduct of the Parties, 123rd Judicial District Court and Panola County Court at Law, effective July 18, 2025. TOPICs registration 2486 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
Standing order of the 123rd District Court and the Panola County Court at Law in every divorce and suit affecting the parent-child relationship: no disruption of the children (removal from Texas, school changes, hiding the children, disparaging remarks, alcohol within 24 hours of or during possession, overnight unrelated adult guests between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.); protection of family pets and companion animals; conduct of the parties (no harassing or threatening communication, bodily injury, mail or e-mail interception, or tracking of a party's property, vehicle or person); in divorce cases, preservation of property and funds, of personal and business records including electronically stored information and social-network content, and of insurance; specific authorizations for business, attorney's fees and living expenses. The petitioner attaches the order to the original petition and each copy; it takes effect on filing as a temporary restraining order for fourteen days and continues as a temporary injunction unless contested at a hearing; protective-order provisions prevail; mediation is encouraged and may be required; bond is waived. Effective July 18, 2025.
Remote Detention Hearing Procedures, County Court at Law of Panola County, Texas, sitting as a juvenile court, filed January 25, 2024. TOPICs registration 1789 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
The Panola County Court at Law's plan under Texas Family Code section 54.012 for remote juvenile detention hearings: the court may in its discretion hold detention hearings remotely and may allow or require any party, attorney, witness or court reporter to appear remotely; parties keep the right to cross-examine; a testifying party or witness must be on camera with an unobstructed view or may not testify; physical evidence must be displayed so that everyone views it simultaneously, digital copies go to the District Attorney's office and to counsel before the hearing where practicable, and evidence that cannot be rendered digitally is tendered within 7 days; the proceeding is recorded and preserved under section 54.012(c).
Standing Order Regarding Psychotroptic [sic] Medication in All Child Protection Cases in the County Court at Law of Panola County, Texas, signed July 23, 2024. TOPICs registration 2036 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
Standing order on psychotropic medication for children in DFPS conservatorship in Panola County: the right to consent to psychotropic medication is exercised jointly by the Department's primary caseworker and the child's guardian ad litem; a child who was not on psychotropic medication when placed in conservatorship may not be started on one without a court order, except that in an emergency involving immediate danger the Department and guardian ad litem may agree to start medication with a hearing within five business days; the order covers relative, fictive-kin and foster placements, is effective immediately, supersedes prior medical-consenter designations, and does not apply where a parent or the child is the consenter.
Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence in the County Court at Law and County Court of Panola County, Texas, signed August 20, 2026 by Judge Rick McPherson (County Court at Law) and County Judge Rodger G. McLane; filed for record August 21, 2026. TOPICs registration 3097 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
Panola County's 2026 standing order on artificial intelligence for the County Court at Law and County Court: attorneys and self-represented litigants may not rely on AI-generated legal research that a human has not reviewed and confirmed; the order prohibits filing pleadings that misstate the law, misrepresent holdings or cite non-existent authority, entering sensitive or confidential case information into an AI program, filing pleadings that contain such information, using AI to create, edit, enhance or alter evidence for any contested hearing or trial, and using experts who relied on AI in forming their opinions; violations draw sanctions after a show-cause hearing (fines, struck pleadings, referral to law enforcement or the State Bar); and every attorney or self-represented litigant must read the order and file the sworn verification with their initial pleading or appearance.
Standing Orders in All Child Protection Cases in the County Court at Law of Panola County, Texas, signed July 15, 2024, effective September 1, 2024. TOPICs registration 2035 (Panola County, Standing Orders).
Standing orders for child protection cases in the Panola County Court at Law: hair and nail drug tests must include fentanyl detection (not alcohol testing); the Department files the visitation plan under Family Code § 262.115 before the adversary hearing; absent an emergency a child's placement does not change without the guardian ad litem/CASA's agreement or a court order; the common application and ECAP assessment go to the child's attorney and guardian ad litem at each placement search; placement searches cover every licensed placement in Texas including the GPS database, and no emergency-shelter placement outside Panola County is made before that search; after three months outside Panola County or 150 miles, the placement specialist files a written report and appears in person; least restrictive setting; placement types, counties, changes and respite or temporary stays are listed in the Status Report and each court report; monthly adoptive-placement searches with written reports for children in permanent managing conservatorship whose parents' rights have been terminated or whose parents are deceased; adoption subsidy packet and TARE application deficiencies are met on within three business days; the travel approval form goes to the attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem/CASA before the judge's approval of out-of-state travel. Effective September 1, 2024.
