Southern District of Texas Electronic Filing Rules

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Motion to reopen

Any motion to reopen must be filed in the Court's electronic filing system.

3. Any motion to reopen must be filed in the Court's electronic filing system.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Case related correspondence

Case-related correspondence must be addressed to and electronically filed with the United States District Clerk at the stated address.

2) Case-related correspondence must be addressed to and e-filed with: United States District Clerk 515 Rusk Street, Room 5300 Houston, Texas 77002

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Exhibit and witness lists

Counsel must electronically file copies of their exhibit and witness lists.

Counsel must provide electronically filed copies of their exhibit and witness lists

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Each party must enter its exhibit on the Court’s ECF system.

Each party is responsible for entering their exhibit on the Court’s ECF system.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Criminal cases

Electronic filings must comply with the Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases; filing questions should be directed to the Clerk’s Office.

B. Electronic filings shall be in accordance with Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases. Questions regarding electronic filing should be directed to the Clerk’s Office.

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Required

Always ?

The court expects parties to file documents through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) System. See Southern District Local Rule 5.1 and the District's Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF (as amended and available at www.txs.uscourts.gov).

Summary: Parties are expected to file documents electronically through the CM/ECF System in accordance with Local Rule 5.1 and the District's CM/ECF Administrative Procedures.

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Criminal cases

Required

Always ?

The Court requires that parties file documents through the District Court's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) System. See Southern District of Texas Local Rule 5.1 (LR 5.1) and the District's Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF (as amended and available at www.txs.uscourts.gov).

Summary: Parties must file all documents electronically through the District Court's CM/ECF System in accordance with Local Rule 5.1 and the District's Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF.

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Criminal cases

Required

Always ?

The documents may not be faxed without express prior permission of the Court.

Summary: Documents may not be faxed to the Court without express prior permission of the Court.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Original documents ?

Assistant does not constitute the filing of the documents in the CM/ECF system.

Summary: Delivering documents to the Judicial Assistant does not constitute filing them in the CM/ECF system.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Original documents

All original documents must be filed through the CM/ECF system.

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Applies to

Case-related letters

The parties must file copies of all case-related letters to the Court via CM/ECF.

Summary: Parties must file copies of all case-related letters to the Court via CM/ECF.

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Required

Always ?

All documents must be filed through the District Court's Case management/Electronic Case Filing ("CM/ECF") System. See Southern District Local Rule 5.1 and the District's Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF (available at www.txs.uscourts.gov). Parties who do not have counsel and are not granted access to CM/ECF may file their documents in person, at the Clerk's Office.

Summary: All documents must be filed electronically through CM/ECF, except unrepresented parties without CM/ECF access may file in person at the Clerk's Office.

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Applications for immediate relief must be filed electronically through the CM/ECF system.

Summary: Applications for immediate relief must be filed electronically through CM/ECF.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Pleadings

The Southern District of Texas requires electronic filing of all pleadings. LR 5.1.

Summary: The Southern District of Texas requires electronic filing of all pleadings under Local Rule 5.1.

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Civil cases

Required

Always ?

Electronic filings shall be in accordance with Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases.

Summary: Electronic filings must comply with the Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Document

Leave of Court is required for the conventional filing of documents greater than 25 pages in length. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Conventional (paper) filing of documents greater than 25 pages requires leave of court, and such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

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Civil cases

Leave of Court is required for the conventional filing of documents printed on both sides. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Conventional filing of double-sided documents requires leave of court, and such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

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Civil cases

Leave of Court is required for the filing of over-sized or irregularly shaped documents which are not capable of being readily imaged by court personnel and equipment. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Conventional filing of over-sized or irregularly shaped documents that cannot be readily imaged requires leave of court, and such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law ?

Counsel must e-file the originals, provide hard copies to the Case Manager, and email the Word version to the Case Manager.

Summary: For proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, counsel must e-file the originals, provide hard copies to the Case Manager, and email the Word version to the Case Manager.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Memorandum of law

Memorandum of Law should be e-filed according to the prevailing rule. Hard copies need only be filed of those authorities not readily available.

Summary: Memoranda of Law should be e-filed under the prevailing rule, with hard copies required only for authorities not readily available.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Each party is responsible for entering their exhibit on the Court's ECF system.

Summary: Each party must enter its exhibits on the Court's ECF system.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Letter

The parties must file copies of all letters.

Summary: Parties must file copies of all letters sent to the Court.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Letter

Letters concerning discovery and scheduling matters must be filed in the docket.

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In exceptional circumstances, copies of urgent documents can be hand-delivered to the Clerk's Office during regular business hours (see Emergencies, § 2 infra) or emailed to the Case Manager.

Summary: In exceptional circumstances, copies of urgent documents may be hand-delivered to the Clerk's Office during regular business hours or emailed to the Case Manager.

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Parties without lawyers may file their documents by mail or in person at the clerk's office on the fourth floor of the Galveston courthouse.

Summary: Pro se parties may file documents by mail or in person at the clerk's office on the fourth floor of the Galveston courthouse instead of electronically.

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Civil cases

The Court requires that parties file documents through the District Court’s Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (“CM/ECF”) System. See Local Rule 5.1 and Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF (as amended and available at www.txs.uscourts.gov).

Summary: All parties must file documents electronically through the CM/ECF system per Local Rule 5.1.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Motion

Each motion must be filed as a separate docket entry, with only one motion per filing. A motion must be filed as its own, standalone document on CM/ECF and may not be filed as an exhibit or attachment to another filing.

Summary: Motions must be filed as standalone documents on separate CM/ECF docket entries, not as exhibits or attachments to other filings.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Any exhibits provided on CDs, USBs, or other non-paper formats must be filed with the Clerk of Court and must include a cover letter clearly indicating the style of the case, the non-paper exhibit being filed, and, if applicable, the electronic filing associated with the exhibit.

Summary: Non-paper exhibits must be filed with Clerk of Court in paper format with a required cover letter.

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E-filing required. All parties must file documents through the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System pursuant to LR5.1 and CrLR49. All parties must also obtain and follow the Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases from the website of the Southern District of Texas.

Summary: All parties must electronically file all documents through the CM/ECF system, following local administrative procedures.

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Applies to

Application for relief ?

File any application for restraining orders or other immediate relief through the CM/ECF system.

Summary: Applications for restraining orders or immediate relief must be e-filed via CM/ECF.

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Emergency motions. File emergency motions on the CM/ECF system.

Summary: Emergency motions must be e-filed via CM/ECF.

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Applies to

Letter

Do not file copies of letters or email on the CM/ECF system. The Court dockets or directs filing as determined advisable.

Summary: Do not file copies of letters or emails on CM/ECF; the Court will docket or direct filing as needed.

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Applies to

Initial disclosures

Do not file initial disclosures.

Summary: Initial disclosures must not be filed with the court.

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Handing documents to the Court or Case Manager does not constitute filing.

Summary: Physical delivery of documents to the Court or Case Manager does not satisfy filing requirements.

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The Court expects that parties will file documents through the District Court’s Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (“CM/ECF”) System. See Southern District Local Rule 5.1 (as amended in September 2004) and Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF.

Summary: Parties are expected to file documents through the CM/ECF electronic filing system per Local Rule 5.1 and Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF.

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Applies to

Jury instructions ?

All submissions shall be by both hard copy and on a disk or via email.

Summary: Criminal jury instruction submissions must be made via hard copy and disk or email.

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Civil cases

All parties are expected to file documents through the District Court=s Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (ACM/ECF@) system. See S. D. Tex. Local R. 5.1 (as amended on September 7, 2004) and Administrative Procedures for CM/ECF. Counsel is required to register to use the Court=s CM/ECF system

Summary: All parties are expected to file documents via CM/ECF; counsel must register to use the system.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Application for restraining order

Applications for restraining orders or for other immediate relief shall be filed electronically through the CM/ECF system and all related communications with the Court must be made by contacting the Case Manager.

Summary: Restraining order and immediate relief applications must be filed electronically via CM/ECF; related communications to Case Manager.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Proposed jury charge

The parties shall submit the proposed jury charge electronically and by e-mail to the Case Manager, in Microsoft Word format.

Summary: Proposed jury charges must be submitted electronically and via email to the Case Manager.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Proposed findings of fact

Proposed findings of fact, electronically and by e-mail, to the Case Manager in Microsoft Word format. Counsel should include references to testimony and exhibits that support each proposed finding;

Summary: Proposed findings of fact must be submitted electronically and via email to the Case Manager.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Proposed conclusions of law

Proposed conclusions of law, electronically and by e-mail, to the Case Manager in Microsoft Word format. Each proposed conclusion of law should contain citation to legal authority supporting the conclusions;

Summary: Proposed conclusions of law must be submitted electronically and via email to the Case Manager.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Pleadings

All pleadings are to be electronically filed through the Electronic Case Filing System (“ECF”). Electronic filings must follow the “Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing in Civil and Criminal Cases.” Answers to frequently asked questions about electronic filing may be obtained from the District Clerk’s Office.

Summary: All pleadings must be electronically filed through ECF following Administrative Procedures for Electronic Filing; FAQs available from District Clerk’s Office.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Exhibit

All exhibits and witness lists must be marked and exchanged between counsel on the same date as the JPO deadline. The offering party will mark each of his/her own exhibits with the party’s name, case number, and exhibit number. All exhibits and witness lists must be filed electronically by the JPO deadline.

Summary: Exhibits must be marked with party name, case number, and exhibit number; exchanged between counsel; and filed electronically by the JPO deadline.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Exhibits that are not easily stored in a file folder (like posters or models) must be withdrawn after trial, and reproductions or photographs must be submitted in their place and filed electronically as soon as possible.

Summary: Reproductions or photographs of exhibits not easily stored must be filed electronically as soon as possible after trial.

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Applies to

Letter

The parties must file copies of all case-related letters to the Court via CM/ECF.

Summary: All case-related letters to the Court must be filed electronically via CM/ECF.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Pleading

A. The Southern District of Texas requires electronic filing of all pleadings. LR 5.1.

Summary: All pleadings must be filed electronically in the Southern District of Texas.

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Criminal cases

1) Leave of Court is required for the conventional filing of documents greater than 20 pages in length. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Conventional filing of documents longer than 20 pages requires leave of Court, and electronic filing should be used when possible.

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Criminal cases

2) Leave of Court is required for the conventional filing of documents printed on both sides. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Conventional filing of double-sided documents requires leave of Court, and electronic filing should be used when possible.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Criminal cases

3) Leave of Court is required for the filing of over-sized or irregularly shaped documents which are not capable of being readily imaged by court personnel and equipment. Such documents should be filed electronically when possible.

Summary: Filing oversized or irregularly shaped documents that cannot readily be imaged requires leave of Court, and electronic filing should be used when possible.

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Electronic filing is required in most cases. Counsel must register to use the court CM/ECF system.

Summary: Electronic filing is required in most cases, and counsel must register for the CM/ECF system.

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Applies to

Exhibit

Two copies of exhibits must be provided to the case manager before or during trial, as well as filed on the court CM/ECF system.

Summary: Exhibits must be filed on the court CM/ECF electronic filing system.