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The county-wide family standing order of the Kaufman County District and County Courts at Law (signed July 15, 2024 by all five judges; effective for every divorce and SAPCR filed on or after July 18, 2024; adopted under Family Code §§ 6.501–6.503, 105.001, 105.009): contempt-enforceable (up to $500 and six months' county jail per violation plus fee judgments), it operates as a 14-day TRO after filing and continues as a temporary injunction unless contested; the petitioner must attach it to the Original Petition. It orders the familiar protections: TRO/ex-parte applications require 2-hour advance notice to the other side (with irreparable-harm certificate exceptions); children may not be hidden, moved from Texas, or withdrawn from school absent written agreement or court order; no derogatory comments, litigation talk in a child's hearing, alcohol within 12 hours of possession, illegal drugs, or overnight dating partners during possession (divorces); conduct rules against harassment, mail diversion, account access, and pet interference; property/records/insurance preservation in divorces (including a metadata/native-format preservation clause and a no-social-media-deletion clause); mediation REQUIRED in all contested family cases (≥45 days before trial, rotating-list assignment if not agreed, sanctions up to dismissal or default for non-participation, and no continuance for failure to mediate); bond waived.
Texas > Kaufman County > every divorce and SAPCR in the District Courts (86th, 422nd, 489th) and County Courts at Law — signed July 15, 2024 by Judges Casey Blair (86th), Shelton Gibbs, IV (422nd), Tracy Gray (489th), Joseph Russell (CCL), and Bobby Rich (CCL No. 2); effective for cases filed on or after July 18, 2024 (filed with the District Clerk July 18, 2024).
File No. [handwritten: Index-24-467] KAUFMAN COUNTY STANDING ORDER FOR FAMILY LAW CASES Effective for All Family Law Cases Filed on or after [handwritten: July 18, 2024] [File stamp: FILED FOR RECORD, KAUFMAN COUNTY, TEXAS, 2024 JUL 18 AM 11:19, RHONDA HUGHEY, DISTRICT CLERK, BY [initials] DEPUTY] This is an Order of the Kaufman County District and County Courts at Law. The purpose of this Order is to protect the parties and their children and to preserve the parties' property while a divorce case or suit affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) is pending before the Court. This Order was not requested by any party. The Courts have adopted this Order pursuant to Texas Family Code §§6.501-6.503, 105.001, and 105.009 because the parties, their children and family pets should be protected and their property preserved while the case or suit is pending. THIS ORDER MAY BE ENFORCEABLE BY CONTEMPT, INCLUDING A FINE OF UP TO $500, CONFINEMENT IN THE COUNTY JAIL FOR SIX MONTHS, OR BOTH FINE AND CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR EACH VIOLATION, AND A MONEY JUDGMENT FOR PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COURT COSTS. 1. GENERAL ORDERS a. WHO MUST OBEY THIS ORDER i. The Court ORDERS that parties in every divorce and every suit affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) filed in Kaufman County to obey this Order. ii. A SAPCR includes, but is not limited to, modification cases, paternity cases, and original suits affecting the parent-child relationship. iii. The Court further ORDERS any person who acts in concert with or participation with a party, or party's agent or attorney, who receives actual notice of the Order, to obey this Order. b. IF THIS ORDER CONFLICTS WITH A DIFFERENT ORDER i. If any part of this Order conflicts with any part of an active Court Order, including a Protective Order, Child Protective Services Order, or a Temporary or Final Order in a divorce case or SAPCR, then the parties must obey that part of the active Court Order. c. WHEN THIS ORDER STARTS AND ENDS i. This Order takes effect when an Original Petition is filed in a divorce case or SAPCR. ii. This Order remains in full force and effect as a Temporary Restraining Order for fourteen (14) days after the original petition is filed. If no party contests this Order by presenting evidence at a hearing on or before the fourteenth (14th) day after the original petition is filed, this Order shall continue in full force and effect as a temporary injunction until further Order of the Court. iii. This order terminates (ends) when the Court signs a final Order or the case is dismissed. d. PETITIONER MUST ATTACH A COPY OF THIS ORDER TO PETITION i. The Petitioner in a divorce case or SAPCR shall attach a copy of this Order to the Original Petition filed in the case and each copy of the Petition. ii. At the time the Petition is filed, if the Petitioner has not attached a copy of this Order to the Petition, the District Clerk shall ensure that a copy of this Order is attached to the petition and every copy of the petition presented. e. ATTORNEY'S FEES i. The Court may Order a party who violates this order to pay another party's attorneys' fees incurred to enforce this Order. ii. An award of Attorney's Fees is in addition to any other remedies available to enforce this Order. 2. APPLICATION FOR TRO AND OTHER EX PARTE ORDERS a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN THE FILING OF TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS OR OTHER EX PARTE ORDERS IN ANY SUIT FOR DIVORCE OR SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP. b. All parties are ORDERED: i. Counsel (or pro se party) presenting any application for a Temporary Restraining Order or other Ex Parte relief shall: 1. Notify the opposing party's counsel or the opposing party if unrepresented by counsel, and 2. Provide opposing counsel or party with a copy of the application and proposed order at least 2 hours before the application and proposed order are to be presented to the Court for decision. ii. Compliance with the above provision is not required if a verified certificate of a party or certificate of counsel is filed with the application and states that: 1. Irreparable harm is imminent and there is insufficient time to notify the opposing party or counsel; and/or 2. To notify the opposing party or counsel would impair or annul the Court's power to grant relief because the subject matter of the application could be accomplished or property removed, secreted or destroyed, if notice were required. 3. ORDERS ABOUT CHILDREN a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN ANY CHILD WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF ANY SUIT FOR DIVORCE OR SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP FILED IN KAUFMAN COUNTY. b. All parties are ORDERED: i. Do NOT hide the child from another party. ii. Do NOT change the child's current residence unless: 1. ALL parties agree in writing to the change, 2. The Court Orders the change, or 3. An Active Court Order gives you the exclusive right to designate the child's primary residence and the new residence is within the geographic area, if any, allowed in that Order. iii. Do NOT remove the child from the State of Texas for the purpose of changing the child's domicile or residence unless: 1. ALL parties agree in writing to the change, 2. The Court Orders the change, or 3. An Active Court Order gives you the exclusive right to designate the child's primary residence outside the State of Texas or without regard to geographic location. iv. Do NOT disrupt or withdraw the child from the school or day-care facility where the child is presently enrolled unless: 1. All parties agree in writing to the change, 2. The Court orders the change, 3. An active Court Order gives you the exclusive right to make decisions about the child's education, or 4. An active Court Order gives you the exclusive right to designate the child's primary residence and the withdrawal is related to designating a new primary residence for the child. v. Do NOT make derogatory comments about another party, another party's family members, or another party's dating partner, in the presence of or within hearing of the child or on social media accessible to the child. vi. Do NOT discuss any litigation related to the child or the other party with either the child or to another person within the child's hearing. vii. Do NOT consume alcohol within 12 hours before OR during any period of possession or access to the child. viii. Do NOT consume illegal drugs AT ANY TIME or use prescription drugs other than as prescribed by a treating physician. ix. In a suit for Divorce only, do NOT allow anyone with whom the party has a dating relationship to be in the same residence or premises while in the possession of the child within the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. 4. ORDERS ABOUT CONDUCT DURING THE CASE a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN ANY PARTY TO A SUIT FOR DIVORCE OR SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP FILED IN KAUFMAN COUNTY. b. All parties are ORDERED: i. Do NOT communicate with any other party in a way that is vulgar, profane, obscene, coarse, offensive, indecent, threatening or harassing. ii. Do NOT threaten to take unlawful action against any party, member of a party's family or household, a party's pet or companion animal, or a party's property. iii. Do NOT call, email, text, or use any other electronic communications to contact another party at an unreasonable hour, in an offensive or repetitious manner, anonymously, or without a legitimate purpose of communication. iv. Do NOT open or divert mail addressed to any other party. v. Do NOT access any other party's email account, financial account, social media account, or any other electronic account. vi. Do NOT illegally intercept or record any other party's electronic communications. vii. Do NOT harm, threaten to harm, or interfere with the care, custody, or control of a pet or companion animal that is possessed by a party or a child in a divorce case or a suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed in Kaufman County. viii. Do NOT communicate with the other party's employer or any person the other party does business with, without a legitimate purpose. 5. ADDITIONAL ORDERS THAT APPLY IN DIVORCE CASES a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN PROPERTY AND THE USE OF MONEY DURING DIVORCE CASES. b. All parties in a suit for Divorce are ORDERED: i. "Property" includes personal property and real property, without regard to whether the property is claimed as separate property or community property. ii. Do NOT destroy, remove, conceal, encumber, transfer, or otherwise harm or reduce the value of the property of one or both spouses. iii. Do NOT hide property from your spouse. iv. Do NOT misrepresent or refuse to disclose to your spouse or the Court, on proper request, the existence, amount, or location of any property of one or both spouses. v. Do NOT damage, destroy, or tamper with the tangible or intellectual property, of one or both spouses, including any document that represents or embodies anything of value. vi. Do NOT sell, transfer, assign, mortgage, encumber, or alienate in any manner property of either spouse, unless specifically authorized by this Order. vii. Do NOT incurs any debt, other than legal expenses in connection with this case, unless the debt is specifically authorized by the Order. viii. Do NOT withdraw or transfer money from any account in any financial institution for any purpose except as specifically authorized by this Order. ix. Do NOT spend any cash in either spouse's possession or subject to either spouse's control for any purpose, except as specifically authorized by this Order. x. Do NOT withdraw or borrow from any retirement, profit-sharing, pension, death, or other employee benefit plan or employee savings plan or from any individual retirement account or Keogh account, except as specifically authorized by this Order. xi. Do NOT sign or endorse, your spouse's name on any negotiable instrument, check, or draft, such as tax refunds, insurance payments, and dividends. xii. Do NOT attempt to negotiate any negotiable instrument payable to your spouse without your spouse's personal signature. xiii. Do NOT take any action to terminate or limit credit or charge cards in your spouse's name or possession or lines of credit in your spouse's name. xiv. Do NOT enter, operate, or exercise control over the motor vehicle in your spouse's possession. xv. Do NOT alter withholding for federal income taxes on your wages or salary while this case is pending. xvi. Do NOT cancel or change utilities or contractual services in any way or attempt to withdraw any deposits for utilities or contractual services. 1. Utilities include, but are not limited to: a. Water, b. Electricity, c. Gas, d. Telephone, e. Internet, and f. Cable television services. 2. Contractual services include, but are not limited to: a. Security, b. Delivery, c. Pest control, d. Landscaping, or e. Yard maintenance. xvii. Do NOT exclude your spouse from the residence you and your spouse currently share or have shared within the 30 days before the original petition for divorce was filed in this case. xviii. Do NOT enter any safe deposit boxes in the name of, or subject to the control of either spouse, whether owned individually or jointly, unless authorized by later Court order or written agreement signed by both spouses permitting such entrance. xix. Do NOT delete any data or content from any social network profile used or created by either spouse or any child who is the subject of this case. 6. ORDERS ABOUT PERSONAL AND BUSINESS RECORDS IN DIVORCE CASES a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN ANY PERSONAL AND BUSINESS RECORDS OF THE PARTIES IN DIVORCE CASES. b. All parties are in a suit for Divorce are ORDERED: i. "Records" include, but are not limited to: 1. Family records including photographs, calendars, journals, and diaries; 2. Property records; 3. Financial and business records; 4. Any records of income, debts, or other obligations (including a canceled check, deposit slip, and other records from a financial institution, a record of credit purchases or cash advances, a tax return, or financial statement; 5. Emails, text messages, videos or chat messages, or other digital or electronic data, whether stored on a computer hard drive, diskette, in removable storage device, in cloud storage, or other electronic storage medium. ii. Do NOT conceal, destroy, or dispose of any record. iii. Do NOT falsify or alter any record. iv. Do NOT modify, change, or alter the native format or metadata of any record. 7. ORDERS ABOUT INSURANCE IN DIVORCE CASES a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERN INSURANCE POLICIES OF THE PARTIES IN DIVORCE CASES. b. All parties are in a suit for Divorce are ORDERED: i. Do NOT withdraw or borrow in any way all or any part of the cash surrender value of life insurance policies on the life or either spouse, except as specifically authorized by this Order. ii. Do NOT change or alter in any way the beneficiary designation on any life insurance on the life or either spouse or any child who is the subject of this case. iii. Do NOT cancel or alter in any way the casualty, automobile, or health insurance policies insuring you, your spouse or any child who is the subject of this case or any property owned by or in possession of you, your spouse or any child who is the subject of this case. 8. SPECIFIC AUTHORIZATIONS IN DIVORCE CASES a. All parties are in a suit for Divorce are SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED by this Order to: i. Engage in acts reasonable and necessary to the conduct of that spouse's usual business and occupation. ii. Spend and incur debt for reasonable attorney's fees and expenses in connection with this case. iii. Spend and incur debt for reasonable and necessary living expenses for food, clothing, shelter, transportation, school, and medical care, including reasonable and necessary expenses for minor children. iv. Withdraw money from financial institution accounts only for the purposes authorized by this Order. 9. MEDIATION, OR OTHER FORMS OF ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION a. THE FOLLOWING ORDERS CONCERNS ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR), SUCH AS MEDIATION, OF CONTESTED SUITS FOR DIVORCE AND SUITS AFFECTING THE PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP. b. All parties are ORDERED: i. Mediation, or any other appropriate form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), is required in ALL CONTESTED FAMILY LAW CASES, unless specifically waived by the Court. ii. Prior to the setting of a jury trial or trial before the court, the parties will file an agreed order for Mediation or another form of Alternative Dispute Resolution, stating the name of the mediator or arbitrator. iii. If the parties cannot come to an agreement, then the parties shall file with the Court a Request to Assign a Mediator or a request for a different type of Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Court will assign a qualified mediator on a rotating basis from the Court's approved list of mediators. If the parties are requesting a different form of Alternative Dispute Resolution, then the Court will make appropriate rulings based on that request. iv. If the parties chose or the Court Orders Mediation: 1. Mediation is to take place no later than 45 days prior to trial. 2. After mediation, the Court will be advised by the mediator, counsel, and/or the parties only that the case did or did not settle. v. If the parties chose or the Court Orders a different form of Alternative Dispute Resolution: 1. The ADR is to take place within ______________ days of the Order Authorizing the ADR. 2. After the conclusion of the ADR, the parties or counsel will inform the Court as to the results. vi. All Mediation and ADR costs are to be born individually by the parties unless otherwise ordered by the Court. vii. Failure to participate in Court Ordered Mediation or other forms of ADR may result in the imposition of sanctions, as permitted by law, which may include dismissal or default judgment. viii. Failure to mediate will not be considered cause for continuance of the trial date. 10. BOND WAIVED a. It is ORDERED that the requirement of a bond is waived. Signed on the [handwritten: 15] day of [handwritten: July], 2024. [signature] HON. CASEY BLAIR, 86TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT [signature] HON. SHELTON GIBBS, IV, 422ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT [signature] HON. TRACY GRAY, 489th JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT [signature] HON. JOSEPH RUSSELL, KAUFMAN COUNTY COURT AT LAW [signature] HON. BOBBY RICH, KAUFMAN COUNTY COURT AT LAW #2
File No. [handwritten: Index-24-467] KAUFMAN COUNTY STANDING ORDER FOR FAMILY LAW CASES Effective for All Family Law Cases Filed on or after [handwritten: July 18, 2024] [File stamp: FILED FOR RECORD, KAUFMAN COUNTY, TEXAS, 2024 JUL 18 AM 11:19, RHONDA HUGHEY, DISTRICT CLERK, BY [initials] DEPUTY] This is an Order of the Kaufman County District and County Courts at Law. The purpose of this Order i
Reviewer note: Image-only signed scan read page-by-page through the vision lane (7 pages; the extracted OCR text layer is garbled and was not relied on). Dual custody: the registered TOPICs instrument and the county's own postings "Standing Orders 2024" at DocumentCenter/View/7255 (86th page) and View/8326 (422nd page) — BYTE-IDENTICAL at 338,743 B. Composed benchpath-ajr1-p6b. [TRANSCRIBED BY EYE 2026-09-21 (corpus-0920 P12): every page of the registered file (sha256 975548719232..., 7 page(s), digital layer that failed the machine checks; text taken from the layer and corrected word by word from the page) 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]
Standing order of the 109th Judicial District Court for every pending or later-filed case in Andrews, Winkler and Crane Counties: any attorney or self-represented litigant who uses any form of artificial intelligence for legal research or drafting in a case must, before using AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding, sign and submit the court's certification form stating that all language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments and legal analysis created or contributed to by generative AI were verified as accurate by a human through traditional (non-AI) legal sources, and acknowledging responsibility and potential sanctions for their or their co-counsel's failure to comply. Effective immediately; in effect until rescinded or replaced.
Standing order of the 109th Judicial District Court for every pending or later-filed case in Andrews, Winkler and Crane Counties: any attorney or self-represented litigant who uses any form of artificial intelligence for legal research or drafting in a case must, before using AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding, sign and submit the court's certification form stating that all language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments and legal analysis created or contributed to by generative AI were verified as accurate by a human through traditional (non-AI) legal sources, and acknowledging responsibility and potential sanctions for their or their co-counsel's failure to comply. Effective immediately; in effect until rescinded or replaced.