18th & 249th District Courts — Local Rules (Johnson & Somervell Counties)

High confidence· verified September 6, 2026Local RulesLocal Rules of the 18th and 249th Judicial Districts, Johnson and Somervell Counties (eff. Jan. 1, 1994; approved by the Supreme Court Misc. Docket 93-0239) (www.johnsoncountytx.org/home/showpublisheddocument/720; custody 2026-09-06).

Summary

The local rules of the 18th and 249th Judicial District Courts (Johnson and Somervell Counties), approved by the Supreme Court: decorum, the setting process for jury and non-jury cases (the 18th sends jury cases to mediation; the 249th makes mediation optional), conflicting settings, and criminal case procedure.

Applies to

Applies to civil, family and criminal matters in the 18th and 249th District Courts (Johnson and Somervell Counties). The 18th's current court rules (doc 20335) supplement these for the 18th.

Requirement

The local rules of the 18th and 249th Judicial District Courts govern practice in Johnson and Somervell Counties. Rules of decorum require that all present rise, be suitably attired (male officers in coats and ties), refrain from smoking or chewing tobacco, and that counsel instruct parties not to contact the judge and advise clients and witnesses of the rules. Court generally begins at 9:00 a.m. Settings for jury cases are requested through the Court Coordinator at least 30 days in advance; in the 18th District Court all requests for jury trials will result in the court assigning the case to mediation (a party may circumvent mediation by written motion), while in the 249th District Court jury requests do not result in automatic mediation, which is encouraged but optional unless ordered. Non-jury settings are made on written request with reasonable notice of not less than 45 days for a first setting (Rule 245), and a non-jury setting may be removed by paying a jury fee 30 days before the setting. On conflicting trial settings, district-court cases have priority over county-court-at-law cases, criminal over civil, and preferentially set cases over others. In criminal cases the court sets an arraignment, pretrial hearing and jury docket call, and there are no summary or automatic first continuances. Signed October 6, 1993, effective January 1, 1994, and approved by the Supreme Court of Texas (Misc. Docket 93-0239).

Source of truth

The local rules of the 18th and 249th Judicial District Courts govern practice in Johnson and Somervell Counties. Rules of decorum require that all present rise, be suitably attired (male officers in coats and ties), refrain from smoking or chewing tobacco, and that counsel instruct parties not to contact the judge and advise clients and witnesses of the rules. Court generally begins at 9:00 a.m.

Official source: Johnson County Courts — www.johnsoncountytx.org (court website)
Source health: Healthy · checked October 6, 2026
Effective date: January 1, 1994
Last verified: September 6, 2026benchpath-tx-ajr8-johnson-ownsite-2026-09-06

Reviewer note: Composed 2026-09-06 from the county-site scan (image-only, read via the vision lane). Court-less division_family (18th & 249th); the same print (doc 720) also carries the County Courts at Law local rules, composed as their own rule on this receipt. No judge join (1993 joint print).

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