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Information on Filing a Petition for an Occupational Driver's License — Harris County Justice Courts — posted on the court's own website — the court-procedure tier (standing procedures, policies, and preferences the court itself publishes), distinct from the TOPICs-registered local-rules tier (TRCP 3a registration applies to local rules). Operative requirements quoted verbatim; the posted document is the controlling text.
Texas > Harris County > Justice Courts
However, a verified petition may be filed only with the clerk of the court in which you were convicted if (1) your license was automatically suspended or canceled following a conviction of an offense under the laws of Texas, and (2) in the 10 years preceding the date of filing the petition, you have not been issued more than one occupational license after a conviction. … If your license was suspended following a conviction, the petition must state that you were convicted for an offense under the laws of the Texas in the court in which the petition is filed. … Simply put, if your license was automatically suspended or canceled following a conviction, you must file the petition in the same court that convicted you. … The petition must set out in detail your essential need for the occupational license. … Immediately on filing a petition for an occupational driver’s license, you must order a certified abstract of your complete driving record (type AR). … The certified 3-year history record (Type 2A) or the certified list of all crashes and violations (Type 3A) will not be sufficient. … At the hearing on your petition for an occupational driver’s license, in addition to the Certified Abstract of your Driving Record, you must provide evidence of financial responsibility in accordance with the Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Chapter 601, Texas Transportation Code. … At the hearing, the judge must determine whether an essential need exists, and determine your actual need to operate a motor vehicle. … Any order granting an occupational driver’s license must specify the hours of the day and day(s) of the week during which you may operate a motor vehicle, the reason(s) for which you may operate a motor vehicle, and the area or routes of travel permitted. … With an occupational license, a person may not operate a motor vehicle for more than four (4) hours in a 24-hour period, unless you show a necessity, in which case you may not exceed 12 hours in a 24-hour period. … Note: a court may not grant a person an occupational license for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle. … A certified copy of the court order must remain in your possession while operating a motor vehicle, and you must allow a peace officer to examine the court order upon request.
Reviewer note: Own-site content fetched by us 2026-08-23 (Phase 5 page-denominator close; hashed custody). Operative mandatory-language provisions quoted verbatim; the full posted document is the controlling text.
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.
Policy Regarding Pro Se Applicants — Harris County Probate Courts (Probate Court No. 1 posting) — posted on the court's own website — the court-procedure tier (standing procedures, policies, and preferences the court itself publishes), distinct from the TOPICs-registered local-rules tier (TRCP 3a registration applies to local rules). Operative requirements quoted verbatim; the posted document is the controlling text.