Tex. R. Civ. P. 3a · Part I. GENERAL RULES
LOCAL RULES, FORMS, AND STANDING ORDERS
Text — As posted by the Supreme Court of Texas (file dated October 2, 2026)
(a) General Rule. An administrative judicial region or a court governed by these rules may promulgate local rules, forms, and standing orders that govern local practice.
(b) Relationship with Other Authorities. Local rules, forms, and standing orders must not be inconsistent with state or federal law or rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas. This requirement extends to any time period provided by these rules. If adopted by a court, local rules, forms, and standing orders must not be inconsistent with any rule of the administrative judicial region in which the court is located.
(c) Publication Required. To be effective, local rules, forms, and standing orders must be published on the Office of Court Administration’s website.
Notes and commentary — not rule text
Notes and Comments
Comment to 1990 change: To make Texas Rules of Civil Procedure timetables mandatory and to preclude use of unpublished local rules or other “standing” orders to local practices to determine issues of substantive merit.
Comment to 2023 change: Rule 3a is amended to remove the requirement that the Supreme Court of Texas approve local rules and to expressly address local forms and standing orders. The amended rule provides that local rules, forms, and standing orders must not conflict with other laws or rules and that they are not effective unless published on the Office of Court Administration’s website. Section 74.093(b) of the Texas Government Code imposes additional requirements for local rules.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As posted by the Supreme Court of Texas (file dated October 2, 2026)
- Official file
- https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1463426/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf (PDF pages 19–20)
- Text hash
- sha256 7ac75276d6751ba50195fdedfbbab4678cf34acbe99d0a1e62d2bdf83323aec9
- Composed by
- compose_tx_rules.py 2026-10-05: two PDF extractors agree character for character after the same chrome removal
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
- Rules of Practice in the 198th & 216th Judicial District Courts (Bandera, Gillespie & Kerr Counties) — Gillespie County registration
- Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts (Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, La Salle and Wilson Counties; effective January 1, 2023; La Salle County edition)
- Rules of Practice in the 198th & 216th Judicial District Courts (Bandera, Gillespie & Kerr Counties)
- Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts (Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, La Salle and Wilson Counties; effective January 1, 2023; Frio County edition)
- Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts (Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, La Salle and Wilson Counties; effective January 1, 2023; Wilson County edition)
- Sixth Administrative Judicial Region — Rules of Administration and Procedure (SCOTX Misc. Docket No. 17-9016)
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (Calhoun County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
- Rules of Practice in the 198th & 216th Judicial District Courts (Bandera, Gillespie & Kerr Counties) — Kerr County registration
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th, 267th and 377th District Courts (Victoria County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (DeWitt County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990; Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (Jackson County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (Refugio County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
- Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts (Atascosa, Frio, Karnes, La Salle and Wilson Counties; effective January 1, 2023; Karnes County edition)
- Local Rules of Practice of the 81st and 218th Judicial District Courts, the Atascosa County Court at Law and the Atascosa County Court (effective January 1, 2023; Atascosa County edition)
- Rules of Court of the 24th, 135th and 267th District Courts (Goliad County edition; promulgated June 11, 1990, Rules 1.14 and 1.15 as amended December 31, 2014)
Cited by 3 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. R. Civ. P. 3a. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Rules and Forms for a Judicial Bypass of Parental Notice and Consent Under Chapter 33 of the Family Code
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.