W. Kent Walston

Standing Order Establishing Confidentiality of DFPS Court Records, 279th District Court (Aug. 1, 2025) (TOPICs reg. doc 2483)

The 279th District Court’s standing order (Aug. 1, 2025) establishing that pleadings, orders, and documents in suits brought by the Department of Family and Protective Services under Texas Family Code chapters 261, 262, and 264 are CONFIDENTIAL: the District Clerk maintains them as confidential and allows access only to the court, an associate judge, DFPS employees, Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) employees, and other authorized participants — grounded in CAPTA (42 U.S.C. 5106a) and Family Code sec. 261.201 (DFPS abuse/neglect records are confidential absent a court order after in-camera inspection and a finding of necessity).

317th District Court Self-Represented (Pro Se) Litigant Guidelines (rev. Jan. 10, 2025) (Jefferson County own-site)

The 317th District Court’s guidelines for self-represented (pro se) family-law litigants (rev. Jan. 10, 2025): the court’s expectations, filing and setting procedures, and conduct requirements for parties proceeding without counsel, so pro se litigants can comply with the court’s family-law practice.

Standing Order in re Motions for Summary Judgment Practice, 58th/60th/136th/172nd Civil District Courts (eff. Sept. 1, 2025) (TOPICs reg. doc 2650)

The Jefferson civil district courts’ (58th, 60th, 136th, 172nd) summary-judgment standing order implementing Gov’t Code § 23.303 (S.B. 293, 89th Leg.): all MSJs filed on/after Sept. 1, 2025 must be heard within 60 days of filing; a notice of hearing is filed contemporaneously as a separate document; absent a movant setting the court sets it, and once set the date is not reset without written good cause ruled on by the court; and no MSJ may be filed until the discovery period expires (a premature MSJ is denied by operation of the order, with rehearing available after discovery closes on a new notice of hearing).

Standing Order Regarding Ad Litems in Tax Suits, Jefferson civil district courts (TOPICs reg. doc 2484)

The Jefferson civil district courts’ standing order governing the appointment and practice of attorney ad litems in delinquent-tax suits, setting the procedure for ad litem service for defendants served by other than personal service.

Court Rules for Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 (TOPICs reg. doc 2496)

The local rules for Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 (Judge Terrence L. Holmes): a fixed weekly docket schedule (Monday jury trial/announcement; Tuesday jail run/arraignment; Wednesday announcement-plea/jury trial; Thursday pretrial conference/plea; Friday jail run/MTRP/announcement/pretrial motions), an arraignment-docket procedure, and the court’s criminal case-flow practice.

General Order No. 2017-1, Standard Bond Conditions, Jefferson CCL No. 1, 2 & 3 (TOPICs reg. doc 2498)

General Order No. 2017-1 sets standard bond conditions in Jefferson County Courts at Law No. 1, 2, and 3: following the return of a criminal information, all bail bonds executed for a defendant’s release carry the order’s standard conditions (reporting and related requirements).

Second Amended Local Rule — Electronic Filing and Service, Jefferson CCL No. 2 & No. 3 (eff. Jan. 1, 2018) (TOPICs reg. doc 2497; supersedes first-amended doc 2499)

The second amended local rule for Jefferson County Courts at Law No. 2 and No. 3 on electronic filing and service: effective January 1, 2018, all documents in criminal matters must be e-filed (per the Supreme Court’s Misc. Docket No. 16-003) except where the defendant is pro se, and all proposed orders and judgments must be e-filed as an attachment coded as a Proposed Order.

Remote Hearing Orders and Plan for Detention and Related Proceedings, Jefferson County District Courts (TOPICs reg. doc 1852)

The Jefferson County district courts’ remote-hearing orders and plan for detention and related proceedings, authorizing and governing remote (Zoom/videoconference) appearances for detention and related hearings, including the platform, notice, and participation requirements.

Local Rules for the Probate Court of Jefferson County (2025) (TOPICs reg. doc 2501; supersedes doc 352)

The 2025 local rules for the Jefferson County Court sitting in probate (the constitutional county court, Judge Jeff Branick), governing probate proceedings for uniformity, fairness, and efficiency; adopted as standing orders of the Jefferson County Court, with knowing/intentional violation sanctionable.

Local Rules of Administration for the District and Statutory County Courts of Jefferson County (Amended Oct. 4, 2024) (TOPICs reg. doc 2091; supersedes 430/1850/1957)

The county-wide master administration rules of the Jefferson County district and statutory county courts (Gov’t Code sec. 74.093, amended Oct. 4, 2024): four court divisions — Civil (58th, 60th, 136th, 172nd District Courts + County Court at Law No. 1), Probate (constitutional County Court), Family Law/Juvenile (279th and 317th District Courts), and Criminal (Criminal District Court, 252nd, and County Courts at Law No. 2 and No. 3); the clerks assign cases by subject matter and jurisdiction per the divisions (child-welfare cases to the 279th, juvenile-delinquency to the 317th); cross-division transfers with affected-court consent; felony transfers to the Felony Drug Court or a civil district court with the civil judge’s consent; and assigned-judge coverage on a requesting judge’s vacation/illness/conference with the receiving judge’s consent.

Local Rules of Jefferson County Court at Law No. 1 (updated 06/2026) (TOPICs reg. doc 2983; supersedes 2495; incl. e-filing amendment 2500)

The local rules of Jefferson County Court at Law No. 1 (Judge Gerald W. Eddins, updated June 2026): trial-setting practice (the Court Coordinator sets trials, or any party by written request certifying pleadings are in order, discovery is/will be complete, and lead counsel is available; a party may object within 7 days or waive); special/preferential settings (priority over later settings, with a duty to advise the court and other tribunals of conflicts, and limited continuance grounds); and the court’s docketing, hearing, and case-management procedures.

Local Rules of the 279th and 317th District Courts of Jefferson County for Family Law Proceedings (TOPICs reg. doc 1360)

The family-law local rules of the 279th and 317th District Courts: attorney and self-represented conduct/decorum (Disciplinary Rules and the Lawyer’s Creed); photographs and audio/video recording prohibited in the courtroom absent a written TRCP 18c order (except adoptions); current contact information required with the court and District Clerk (the court notices by email); lead-counsel vacation letters up to three weeks per year (June–Aug designations filed by May 15, other months by Feb. 1); mandatory e-filing and TRCP 21c sensitive-data redaction (no initials in place of names absent redaction authority); bench exchange (a case stays in the original court absent a transfer order); and the prior-filing rule sending a later suit involving the same parties/subject (divorce, support, conservatorship, and incident matters, by original, modification, clarification, or enforcement) to the court that first had jurisdiction.

Local Rules of the 58th, 60th, 136th and 172nd Civil District Courts of Jefferson County (eff. Oct. 20, 2025) (TOPICs reg. doc 2639)

The comprehensive local rules of the Jefferson County civil district courts (58th, 60th, 136th, 172nd), effective October 20, 2025: disposition time standards (civil jury cases within 18 months, non-jury within 12 months of appearance); random filing/assignment with a case staying on its assigned docket unless transferred; transfer rules (prior-judgment claims and bills of review to the rendering court; ancillary garnishments to the court of the pending suit); and the courts’ settings, docketing, motion, pretrial, and trial procedures.

Supplement to the Local Rules of the 279th and 317th District Courts of Jefferson County (TOPICs reg. doc 1485)

The supplement to the 279th/317th family local rules, adding or refining family-law practice provisions (settings, submissions, and procedural requirements) beyond the base local rules.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b)–(c)

The citation directs the defendant to answer by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of twenty days after the date of service — the distinctive Texas answer date every deadline calculation starts from.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 4

How Texas procedural deadlines are computed: exclude the trigger day, include the last day unless it falls on a weekend or legal holiday, skip weekends and holidays entirely in periods of five days or less, and count them for the three-day mail-service extensions under Rules 21 and 21a.

Business Court Division 8A, Division 8A - Judge Bullard Specific Procedures (TOPICs reg. doc. 2240)

Division 8A - Judge Bullard Specific Procedures, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/15/2025). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Business Court Division 8B, Division 8B - Judge Stagner Specific Requirements Eff. 4/1/26 (TOPICs reg. doc. 2916)

Division 8B - Judge Stagner Specific Requirements Eff. 4/1/26, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 04/02/2026). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Anders Requirements (TOPICs reg. doc. 747)

Eighth Court of Appeals Anders Requirements, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 740)

Eighth Court of Appeals Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Oral Argument Requests (TOPICs reg. doc. 746)

Eighth Court of Appeals Oral Argument Requests, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a(a)

A document filed electronically must be served electronically through the electronic filing manager whenever the recipient's email address is on file with it; otherwise service may be made in person, by mail, by commercial delivery, by fax, by email, or as directed by the court.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.8, 510.11, 510.15, 510.19

In justice-court eviction cases: the citation sets a personal-appearance trial day not less than 10 nor more than 21 days after the petition is filed; a written answer is permitted but NOT required (appearing on the trial day is what matters); no trial may be held until 4 days after service; and an appeal must be perfected within 5 days after the judgment is signed.

First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule (TOPICs reg. doc. 767)

First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Appeals (TOPICs reg. doc. 768)

First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Appeals, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Original Proceedings (TOPICs reg. doc. 769)

First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Original Proceedings, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

First (1st) Court of Appeals, 3. Form of Motions for En Banc Reconsideration (TOPICs reg. doc. 2910)

First (1st) Court of Appeals — 3. Form of Motions for En Banc Reconsideration, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 04/01/2026). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 245

Contested cases may be set for trial on any party's written request or the court's own motion with reasonable notice of not less than forty-five days for a FIRST setting; resets need only reasonable notice. A request for a setting is a good-faith representation of expected readiness.

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule (TOPICs reg. doc. 751)

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Appeals (TOPICs reg. doc. 752)

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Appeals, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Original Proceedings (TOPICs reg. doc. 753)

Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Original Proceedings, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals, 4th COA Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 2749)

Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals — 4th COA Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/07/2026). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals, Fee Schedule (TOPICs reg. doc. 1108)

Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals — Fee Schedule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/27/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 216

A written jury request must be filed a reasonable time before the non-jury trial setting and not less than thirty days in advance, with the jury fee deposited within the same window.

Tex. R. Jud. Admin. 10

Local rules, forms, and standing orders must be published on the Office of Court Administration's website (TOPICs) — with regional presiding judges and the Supreme Court empowered to order amendment or withdrawal — and no court may require a party to use a local form or reject a properly completed Supreme Court–approved form.

Local Rules of Administration for the Texas Business Court (eff. July 1, 2026)

The Business Court's administrative rules (eff. July 1, 2026, adopted by all ten judges under Gov't Code §§ 25A.005, 25A.020(b) and TRJA 7 and 10): a three-month ruling standard for matters under advisement; reassignment and consolidation mechanics (severed cases stay with the severing judge; substantially related cases may be consolidated before the first-filed judge by the administrative presiding judge or by consent; relief premised on a prior Business Court judgment returns to its rendering judge; APJ docket-equalization reassignments); quarterly docket-equalization orders assigning a confidential, randomly sequenced number of next-filed cases (TRO cases excluded) to judges of other divisions who sit as judges of the originating division; the court calendar (state/national holidays, county closures per division, no settings during the Texas Center for the Judiciary annual conference week); visiting judges (§ 25A.014, TRJA 8) including APJ-requested coverage for absences beyond ten consecutive court business days; the emergency-matter referral chain (same-division judge first, then an APJ-designated judge); budget submissions through the APJ; the administrative-presiding-judge structure (majority election at the annual meeting by September 15 of even-numbered years for two-year terms, a pro tempore, § 25A.017(b) duties, delegation and committees, annual meeting the first Tuesday after Labor Day with monthly meetings); and rule-adoption mechanics (majority vote or 30-day no-objection circulation for these administrative rules; judge- and division-level local rules and guidelines under § 25A.020(b) and TRJA 7.2(f)(5) with division-uniform options; TRJA 10(a) publication on the OCA and clerk websites; a TRJA 7.1 confidentiality policy binding all court staff).

Second (2nd) Court of Appeals, Local Rules of the 2nd Court of Appeals (including amendments received through June 21, 2025) (TOPICs reg. doc. 2512)

Local Rules of the 2nd Court of Appeals (including amendments received through June 21, 2025), as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 08/15/2025). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Local Rules of the Texas Business Court (eff. July 1, 2026) (TOPICs reg. doc 3023)

The court-wide local rules adopted by all ten Business Court judges (eff. July 1, 2026), supplementing the TRCP in the statewide Business Court: bench exchange and administrative-presiding-judge docket re-assignment (trials stay in the division absent agreement; the assigned judge's forms and division practices govern); deemed consent to supplemental jurisdiction absent a severance motion or objection within 30 days; consolidation motions in the first-filed case; the mandatory Case Information Sheet and counsel-of-record mechanics with eFileTexas e-service subscription; scheduling orders proposed jointly within 30 days of first appearance or removal/transfer, accompanied by corporate-disclosure statements (14 days for later-joined parties; governmental entities exempt); the discovery-dispute prerequisite (good-faith resolution attempt, then a summary letter capped at 700 words with a 300-word conference certificate, a 7-day 700-word response, no replies without leave, and court-directed next steps) with cost-shifting statements; motion word limits (discovery 3,000 / replies 1,250; all others 7,500 / replies 3,000, with compliance certificates), 10-day responses and 7-day replies, pinpoint citations, unopposed labeling, conference certificates for all but dispositive motions, 10-day written-opinion requests, and summary-judgment written submission on the last business day before the 60th day after filing; mediation referral and immediate settlement notice; emergency-relief mechanics (clerk notification, proposed order, and a 2-hour pre-hearing certificate of grounds or notice); removal practice (TRCP deadlines unchanged, certified copies, re-filing of pending motions, filing in the operating division containing the removal county); sealing practice (redaction-first, in-camera delivery by secure link or Case Center, TRCP 76a, sensitive-data indicator does not seal); and miscellaneous rules — pro hac vice continuity after removal, vacation letters up to four weeks, the ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE accountability clause (use not prohibited; the filing attorney or party is independently responsible for accuracy and must comply with TRCP 13 and CPRC chs. 9–10), deemed consent to remote proceedings absent a 3-business-day objection, and amicus-brief leave with required disclosures.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 21(f)

Attorneys must electronically file documents in courts where e-filing has been mandated (statewide for civil cases in district, county, and appellate courts); unrepresented parties may e-file but are not required to. Filing runs through the certified electronic filing manager (eFileTexas).

Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals, Fee Schedule (TOPICs reg. doc. 643)

Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals — Fee Schedule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals, Statewide E-Filing Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 641)

Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals — Statewide E-Filing Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Tex. R. App. P. 26.1

A civil notice of appeal is due 30 days after the judgment is signed — extended to 90 days by a timely motion for new trial, motion to modify, motion to reinstate, or proper findings request; accelerated appeals allow only 20 days; restricted appeals six months; and any other party may appeal within 14 days after the first notice.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 194.1–194.2(a)

In suits not governed by the Family Code, every party must serve initial disclosures — without awaiting a discovery request — within 30 days after the first answer or general appearance (later-joined parties: within 30 days of being served or joined), unless the parties agree or the court orders otherwise.

Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(d), (e), (g)

Under the restructured Rule 166a, the deadlines anchor to the MOTION'S FILING, not a noticed hearing: the response is due within 21 days after the motion is filed, any reply within 7 days after the response, the hearing or submission may not be set within 35 days of filing and must be set within 60 days (or 90 for docket need, good cause, or movant agreement), and each side must submit a proposed order before the hearing or submission date.

Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals, Standing Order No. 1 (TOPICs reg. doc. 104)

Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals — Standing Order No. 1, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals, Standing Order No. 2 (TOPICs reg. doc. 105)

Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals — Standing Order No. 2, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.

Third (3rd) Court of Appeals, Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 190)

Third (3rd) Court of Appeals — Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.