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Part 5 of the Tarrant County Local Rules governs every case filed in the county's Criminal Courts — County Criminal Courts Nos. 1–10, Criminal District Courts Nos. 1–4, and the 213th, 297th, 371st, 372nd, 396th, 432nd and 485th District Courts (Rule 5.11). It sets courtroom conduct and decorum for counsel and all persons (Rule 5.2), motion practice (presentment within three business days of filing, a proposed order with every motion, "unopposed"/"agreed" in the title with a certificate of conference, 14-day responses), amended-versus-supplemental documents, the Rule 5.33 certification regime for filings created with artificial intelligence, attorney-in-charge and withdrawal rules, indigent-defense appointment and fee disclosure, 30-day vacation/CLE notices with sworn continuance motions within 7 days of a conflicting setting, interpreter requests (28 days before jury selection; 14 days before other settings), docket management and conflicting-setting rules, and the Presiding Criminal Judges Panel that administers the criminal court system. Adopted by majority vote of the criminal judges Mar. 11, 2025; this registration (Aug. 27, 2026) replaces all prior versions of Part 5.
Texas > Tarrant County > the Criminal Courts as defined in Rule 5.11 — County Criminal Courts Nos. 1–10, Criminal District Courts Nos. 1–4, and the 213th, 297th, 371st, 372nd, 396th, 432nd and 485th District Courts; every case filed in those courts.
Rule 5.14 Scope: "The Local Rules shall govern all cases filed in the Criminal Courts, but each court retains its inherent authority to adopt individual rules of court." Rule 5.31 Motions: "(a) All motions requesting affirmative relief shall be presented to the Court within three (3) business days of filing. (b) All motions shall be accompanied by a proposed order. (c) If a motion is unopposed or is agreed, the word “unopposed” or “agreed” shall appear in the title of the motion and shall include a certificate of conference confirming that fact. (d) A response to a motion may be filed no later than 14 days after the filing of the original motion. The Court may rule on the original motion before a response is filed. (e) If an evidentiary hearing is required or requested, the movant or the respondent shall clearly state that fact in the motion or response." Rule 5.32: "An amended document, other than an indictment or information, shall include the word “amended” or a variation thereof in the document’s title. A supplemental document shall include the word “supplemental” … An amended document supersedes the original document. A supplemental document does not supersede the original document." Rule 5.33 Use of Artificial Intelligence in Court Filings (composed in full as its own rule): "(c) All motions and briefs filed with the court shall include a certification, signed by the filing party, attesting either that the document was created using A.I. or that the document was not created using A.I." Rule 5.41: "Upon a party’s first appearance through counsel, the attorney whose signature appears on the initial pleading shall be the attorney in charge, unless another attorney is specifically designated … the attorney shall remain as the attorney in charge until final disposition of the case or until permission is otherwise granted by the Court." Rule 5.42(b): a newly retained attorney replacing appointed counsel "shall file a notice of appearance, at which time the clerk shall automatically replace the appointed attorney … The appointed attorney does not need to file a motion to withdraw." Rule 5.43(b): "Attorneys appointed to represent indigent defendants must disclose to the Court all compensation received from any source on behalf of the defendant." Rule 5.44: "(b) If an attorney has a scheduled vacation or CLE commitment, the attorney shall provide written notice thereof to the court no later than 30 days before the first day of the planned absence. Submission of such notice does not preclude the Court from setting a case for hearing or trial during the noticed period. (c) If a Court setting, including a trial, conflicts with an attorney’s scheduled vacation or CLE commitment, the attorney shall file a sworn motion for continuance under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 29 no later than 7 days after receiving notice of the setting." Rule 5.45: "(a) Requests for an interpreter for trial shall be made to the Court no later than 28 days before the commencement of jury selection. (b) Requests for an interpreter for any other non-trial setting shall be made to the Court no later than 14 days prior to the setting." Rule 5.5(e): "(2) When a conflicting setting occurs, the attorney with the conflict shall immediately file a notice informing all affected courts. (3) Conflicts in settings may be resolved by agreement of the affected courts. If an agreement is not reached, the conflict shall be resolved by Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 32A.01, Texas Government Code section 23.101 and Rule 10 of the Eighth Administrative Judicial Region Rules of Administration." Rule 5.61–5.64: the judges of the Criminal Courts elect a Presiding Criminal Judges Panel (a Criminal Courts Presiding Judge, a County Courts Presiding Judge and a District Courts Presiding Judge) that "shall be responsible for the administration and management of the Tarrant County Criminal Court system and its auxiliary services." Rule 5.8: "The Local Rules replace all prior versions of Part 5 and are effective immediately upon being published on the Texas Office of Court Administration website under Rule 3(a) of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Rule 10(a) of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration." Adopted Mar. 11, 2025; Rule 5.33 adopted Mar. 27, 2026; Rule 5.44(b) amended June 4, 2026.
Rule 5.14 Scope: "The Local Rules shall govern all cases filed in the Criminal Courts, but each court retains its inherent authority to adopt individual rules of court." Rule 5.31 Motions: "(a) All motions requesting affirmative relief shall be presented to the Court within three (3) business days of filing. (b) All motions shall be accompanied by a proposed order. (c) If a motion is unopposed or
Reviewer note: Text-layer registration (11 pages, 15,338 chars) read in full 2026-09-05; every quotation verbatim. Effective on OCA publication per Rule 5.8 — the registration date of this edition (2026-08-27) is used as the effective date; it replaces all prior versions of Part 5 (the earlier registration no longer appears in the registry). Rule 5.33 is also composed as its own rule under the same receipt so the AI regime surfaces on the Texas AI tracker. Composed benchpath-ajr8-tarrant. County-site receipt(s) in custody 2026-09-06: https://www.tarrantcountytx.gov/content/dam/main/criminal-courts/Documents/criminal-courts-admin/Rules_Governing_Proceedings_In_Cases_Before_The_Criminal_Courts_2026.pdf (older edition).
Establishes a Traffic Violations Bureau within the Clerk of the County Court under Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.100(a) (Burnstein, C.J., Nov. 1, 1988).
Approves the National Highway Safety Council Defensive Driving course as a school to which traffic courts may require attendance (Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.110(a)).
Designates the D.W.I. Counterattack School (Broward County Commission on Alcoholism) as an approved school for court-ordered attendance (Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.110(a)).