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A standing docket control order of the Hays County Courts at Law governing the scheduling and deadlines in probate and guardianship cases, to ensure efficient management and disposition and safeguard the rights of parties, heirs, wards and proposed wards.
Applies to probate and guardianship cases before the Hays County Courts at Law. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
[Seal: Hays County, State of Texas] O-04-003 & O-05-002 [File stamp: FILED, 2026 JAN 13 PM 1:30, with the clerk's signature] In the County Courts at Law of Hays County, Texas STANDING ORDER REGARDING DOCKET CONTROL ORDER FOR PROBATE & GUARDIANSHIP CASES To ensure the efficient management and disposition of probate and guardianship matters, to provide uniformity and clarity in case administration, and to safeguard the rights and interests of all parties, heirs, wards, and proposed wards, the County Courts at Law hereby issues this Standing Order that shall govern the general authority and scope of proceedings in probate and guardianship cases before the Courts. This Order is effective until modified or rescinded and applies to all pending and future probated and guardianship cases before the Courts. THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 1. Schedule. [Table: Deadline/Date | Activity] At initial hearing or 30 days thereafter | SERVICE & JOINDER: All interested persons must be served as required by the Texas Estates Code. Applicant must provide a copy of this Order with service. 60 days after appointment | INVENTORY, APRAISMENT, & LIST OF CLAIMS: File as required by Estates Code §§309.051-.056 or §1154.051. Within 30 days of appointment as guardian | GUARDIANSHIP TRAINING & OATH/BOND: Complete training, take oath, and post bond as required. 30 days after first answer or appearance | REQUIRED INITIAL DISCLOSURES: TRCP 194.2 disclosures due. 90 days after initial hearing in contested matters | EXPERT DESIGNATIONS: Parties seeking affirmative relief – 90 days before end of discovery (TRCP 195.2(a)). 60 days before the end of discovery | EXPERT DESIGNATIONS: All other experts – TRCP 195.2(b). 60 days before trial | EXPERT REPORTS: TRCP 194.2(f)(4) reports due. 45 days before trial | FACT WITNESS LISTS: Exchange with contact info and subject matter. By mediation deadline | ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION: Mediation to be completed; mediator to e-file letter. Date set by Court | TRIAL STATUS CONFERENCE: Counsel only, remote permitted, report status to Court. By expert challenge deadline | CHALLENGES TO EXPERT TESTIMONY: All motions heard by this date. End of discovery period | DISCOVERY DEADLINE: All discovery completed; incomplete discovery will not delay trial. By pleadings deadline | PLEADINGS: All amendments and supplements filed; prompt filings to timely pleadings allowed. As per TRCP 194.4 | PRETRIAL DISCLOSURES: Filed and provided to all parties. By dispositive motion deadline | DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS: No-evidence SJ after discovery; all dispositive motions heard by this date. Per Rule 166 | PRETRIAL REQUIREMENTS: Includes pending motions, contentions, contested facts/law, stipulations, party/attorney lists, witness lists, remote witness waivers, expert lists, jury charge proposals, marked exhibits, objections, deposition excerpts, scheduling, and motions in limine. Pretrial conference date | PRETRIAL CONFERENCE: All aspects of trial discussed; failure to appear may result in dismissal. Trial docket date | TWO-WEEK TRIAL DOCKET: Begins this date; if not assigned by second Friday, case may be reset. 2. Additional Probate & Guardianship Requirements. Notwithstanding the above provision, the following are additional requirements for all probate and guardianship cases: a) Annual Reports: Guardians shall timely file annual reports as required by Section 1163.101 of the Texas Estates Code. b) Annual Accounts: Guardians shall timely file annual accounts as required by Section 1163.001 of the Texas Estates Code. c) Medical/Psychological Evaluations: In contested capacity matters, updated evaluations shall be filed at least 45 days before trial. d) Notice of Final Settlement: Executor(s)/Administrator(s) shall notify interested persons of intent to close estate as required. 3. Remote Appearances & Certificates of Conference. Physical presence is required unless the Court grants prior leave for remote appearance under TRCP 21d. Motions for Leave or Objections to remote appearances must show good cause. Certificates of Conference are required for all contested pretrial matters under TRCP 191.2, confirming reasonable efforts to resolve disputes before court intervention. 4. No Waiver. Nothing in this Order waives any statutory requirement of the Texas Estates Code or any party's right to object to discovery or seek protection. THIS HAYS COUNTY STANDING ORDER REGARDING DOCKET CONTROL ORDER FOR PROBATE & GUARDIANSHIP CASES SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON PUBLICATION ON THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION'S WEBSITE. [signature] Judge Jimmy Alan Hall, County Court at Law No. 1, Hays County, Texas [signature] Judge Chris Johnson, County Court at Law No. 2, Hays County, Texas [signature] Judge Elaine S. Brown, County Court at Law No. 3, Hays County, Texas [Running footer: O-04-003 & O-05-002 — Page 1 of 3 / Page 2 of 3 / Page 3 of 3]
[Seal: Hays County, State of Texas] O-04-003 & O-05-002 [File stamp: FILED, 2026 JAN 13 PM 1:30, with the clerk's signature] In the County Courts at Law of Hays County, Texas STANDING ORDER REGARDING DOCKET CONTROL ORDER FOR PROBATE & GUARDIANSHIP CASES To ensure the efficient management and disposition of probate and guardianship matters, to provide uniformity and clarity in case administration,
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-09-06 from the TOPICs custody scan (text layer read; image copy also in custody). Registered in two custody copies (docs 2518 and 2781); bundled as one instrument. Bound to Hays County (probate/guardianship). Receipt corrected 2026-09-07 (F2): the composed text is the January 2026 standing order (doc 2781); the receipt had pointed at the superseded August 2025 administrative order (doc 2518), now recorded as the prior edition. [TRANSCRIBED BY EYE 2026-09-21 (corpus-0920 P12): every page of the registered file (sha256 345da326f7f5..., 3 page(s), partly scanned file; native pages taken from the text layer, scanned pages typed from the render) read against the rendered file; verbatim, source typos kept, stamps/signatures bracketed; the earlier abstract replaced by the full instrument; confidence high. benchpath-tx-corpus0920-p12-2026-09-21]
6 verbatim requirements on case management in STEVEN P. DELUCA's division.
4 verbatim requirements on case management in LAUREN N. PEFFER's division.