Harris County District Courts Adjournment & Extension Requirements

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

First continuances require a showing of good cause and substantial need for delaying the trial setting.

First continuances may be granted for good cause and must demonstrate substantial need for a delay of the trial setting.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

Agreed/unopposed continuances in cases older than 2 years must be set for an oral hearing.

Agreed/Unopposed Continuances (Exception: All continuances filed in cases older than 2 years must be set for an oral hearing.)

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

A continuance after the first reset must demonstrate substantial need and be set for oral hearing, whether agreed or opposed.

Any request for a continuance after the first reset must demonstrate a substantial need to delay the trial setting and must be set for oral hearing, regardless of whether the motion is agreed or opposed.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

A motion for continuance is required; agreed motions need all counsel signatures; second motion needs thorough reason; third needs dire necessity.

A Motion for Continuance must be filed in order for the Court to consider a trial to be continued. Motions that notate "Agreed" must contain signatures of all counsels. The Court will consider a first motion for continuance, a second motion for continuance must have a thorough reason, and a third motion for continuance must have a dire necessity reason notated. The Court will not be so inclined to grant a third, fourth, or fifth motion for continuance.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Continuance/reset requires agreed motion and proposed amended DCO; if no agreement, state reasons; deadlines remain until new DCO.

Parties seeking continuance/reset, must submit an agreed motion for continuance/reset, along with a proposed amended DCO agreed to by all parties. If parties cannot agree to a proposed amended DCO, the reasons for non-agreement should be stated with specificity. All deadlines remain in effect until a new DCO is entered. The Court prefers motions to reset the trial date instead of motions for continuences.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Motions for continuance are suspended until further notice.

Motions for Continuance are suspended until further notice.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

File motions for continuance as soon as possible, preferably 7 days prior to trial and before assignment to a trial.

Motions for Continuances need to be filed as soon as possible preferably 7 days prior to trial and before you are assigned.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Motions for continuance should be filed as early as possible; motions filed after trial coordinator assignment are disfavored.

Motions for Continuance should be filed as early as possible. Motions filed after receiving assignment from the trial coordinator will not be looked upon favorably.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Continuances: first motion and first two agreed motions granted without oral hearing; later motions need additional explanation and must demonstrate need and client notification.

The Court will grant the first motion for continuance filed by either party. Additionally, the Court will grant the first two agreed motions for continuance without the need for an oral hearing. Any subsequent motion for continuance will require additional explanation. The movant must demonstrate the need for the continuance and indicate that the clients have been informed.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Agreed continuance motions do not bind the Court and may be granted only at its discretion.

Agreed motions for continuance are not binding on the Court and will be granted only at the Court’s discretion.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

A first continuance may be granted for good cause or party agreement if the motion is filed sufficiently before trial.

A first continuance may be granted for good cause or upon agreement of the parties, provided the motion is filed sufficiently in advance of the trial setting.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

When passing (adjourning) a hearing, call the court clerk and all parties as soon as possible.

When passing a hearing, call the court clerk and all parties as soon as possible.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Continuance requests, even agreed ones, are not expected to be granted without good reasons.

Parties should not expect that a continuance request, even an agreed request, to be granted in the absence of good reasons for the continuance.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

An agreed continuance motion on the first trial setting does not require an oral hearing unless the case is three years old.

If you are currently on your 1st trial setting, and have filed an agreed motion with an order, it does not have to be set for an oral hearing, unless the case is 3 years old.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Agreed continuances may be submitted immediately for ruling without an oral hearing.

Agreed continuances may be submitted immediately for ruling without oral hearing.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Opposed continuance requests may be set for oral hearing or submission docket.

Opposed continuance requests may be set for oral hearing or submission docket.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Continuance motions based on trial conflicts are held by the Court until the morning of the Court's trial assignment.

If counsel has a conflict with another trial setting, the motion for continuance will be held by the Court until the morning of this Court's trial assignment.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

That they understand that there will be no continuances granted to move from the preferential setting except for the death or serious illness of a party/lead counsel or an immediate member of her/his family (unavailability of a witness at the time of trial will not be grounds to continue a preferential setting); and

Summary: No continuances will be granted to move from a preferential setting except for death or serious illness of a party/lead counsel or an immediate family member; witness unavailability is not grounds for a continuance.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Any motion to continue a preferentially set case will require an oral hearing.

Summary: Any motion to continue a preferentially set case requires an oral hearing.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.CRITICAL?

Continuations after the third continuance must demonstrate substantial need for a delay of the trial setting and must be set for oral hearing whether agreed or opposed.

Summary: Continuances after the third must show substantial need and must be set for an oral hearing whether agreed or opposed.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.WARNING?

First continuances may be granted for good cause or upon agreement if a motion for continuance is filed sufficiently in advance of the trial setting. If agreed, first continuances will not require a hearing unless after considering the motion the Court deems one necessary.

Summary: First continuances are available for good cause or by agreement, and an agreed first continuance does not require a hearing unless the Court decides otherwise.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.WARNING?

Civil cases

Hearings and submission settings for Motions for Summary Judgment cannot be passed via e-mail or phone call. If a party wishes to withdraw their pending motion for summary judgment and cancel the hearing, they must file a notice withdrawing the motion and a proposed order granting the withdrawal. If a party wishes to reset an oral hearing or submission setting on a Motion for Summary Judgment, they must file an affidavit or declaration indicating why the hearing needs to be moved.

Summary: Summary judgment hearings cannot be continued via email or phone; withdrawal requires a notice and proposed order, and resetting requires an affidavit or declaration explaining the need.

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

Civil cases

Passing a motion for summary judgment is not permitted under Rule 166a, as amended. A party must either proceed on the motion or withdraw it. Any request to reset the hearing or submission must strictly comply with Rule 166a and will be granted only if authorized by the rule.

Summary: A summary-judgment motion cannot be passed; the party must proceed or withdraw, and any reset request must comply with Rule 166a and be authorized by it.

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

Civil cases

If a non-moving party would like an oral hearing, then a motion for continuance of the submission date should be filed.

Summary: A non-moving party requesting an oral hearing on a summary judgment motion must file a motion for continuance of the submission date.

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

Civil cases

Any request to reset the hearing or submission must strictly comply with Rule 166a and will be granted only if authorized by the rule.

Summary: A request to reset a summary judgment hearing or submission must strictly comply with Rule 166a and will be granted only when that rule authorizes it.

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

Civil cases

All opposed Motions for Continuance require an oral hearing. If it is the 3rd or more Motion for Continuance, an oral hearing is required regardless of any agreements between the parties.

Summary: Opposed continuance motions require an oral hearing; a third or later continuance motion requires an oral hearing even if agreed.

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

Civil cases

If agreed, a hearing is not required unless, upon review of the motion, the Court determines that one is necessary.

Summary: An agreed first continuance does not require a hearing unless the Court determines one is necessary.

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

Civil cases

Motions for Continuance should be filed as early as possible. Motions filed after receiving assignment from the trial coordinator will not be looked upon favorably.

Summary: Continuance motions should be filed as early as possible; those filed after trial assignment are disfavored.

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

Civil cases

Parties should generally follow these guidelines in determining if extra time is required: Dispositive motions, summary judgment motions, and jurisdictional motions, requiring more than 20 minutes of total (for both the movant and all respondents) time for argument; All evidentiary hearings (other than defaults, minor settlements, or transfer of structured payments); and Pre-trial motions - including sanctions, discovery, and procedural motions - that will require more than 10 minutes of total (for both the movant and all respondents) time for argument.

Summary: Guidelines for extra time: dispositive/summary judgment/jurisdictional motions over 20 minutes, evidentiary hearings, and pre-trial motions over 10 minutes require off-docket settings.