Harris County District Courts Document Format Requirements

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

Civil cases

All exhibits must be printed, indexed, and placed in a notebook for the Judge. The court reporter will accept exhibits from each party on flash drive.

All exhibits must be printed, indexed, and placed in a notebook for the Judge. The court reporter will accept exhibits from each party on flash drive.

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

Format

PAPER

Counsel must provide the Court with a hardcopy trial binder.

Counsel must provide the Court with a hardcopy trial binder.

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

Civil cases

Proposed orders for substitute service or service by publication must use the Court's standard format.

All proposed orders for substitute service or service by publication be in the format of the Court's standard format.

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

Civil cases

Do not alter or mark exhibits during proceedings; altered exhibits will not be accepted.

Do not alter or mark through exhibits with pen/pencil/marker during court proceedings. Should this occur, the exhibit (s) will not be accepted.

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

Civil cases

All motions and proposed orders must be double-spaced.

All Motions and Proposed Orders MUST be double spaced.

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

Civil cases

Counsel must test courtroom equipment before trial; failure won't delay trial.

PRIOR TO THE START OF TRIAL, Counsel and/or counsel's Tech team MUST visit the Courtroom to test out the equipment. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL NOT DELAY THE TRIAL PROCEEDING AND COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PARTIES WHO HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY.

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

Civil cases

For trial exhibits referencing depositions, provide a condensed version of the full deposition.

If an exhibit is referring to depositions in trial, please provide a CONDENSED version of the full deposition.

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

Civil cases

Mark exhibits with numbers rather than letters.

Exhibits should be marked with numbers, not letters.

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

Civil cases

Any exhibit with more than one page must be stapled, binder clipped, or contained in a notebook.

Please ensure any exhibit that has more than one page is stapled, binder clipped, or contained in a notebook.

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

Civil cases

Prepare an 8-by-11-inch exhibit for any blowup used.

Mark an 8 x 11 size exhibit for any blowup used.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

Format

DOCX

The Court may require modified orders to be submitted in Word format to the court clerk.

Occasionally, the Court may require the parties to submit modified orders to the Court clerk in Word format to the court clerk.

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

Civil cases

Format

DOCX

The Court may require longer or more complex proposed orders to be emailed to the Clerk in Word format.

In some instances, the Court may require that longer or more complex proposed orders be emailed to the Clerk in Word format.

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

Civil cases

All hearings are held in person.

All hearings are held in person

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

Civil cases

All oral hearings are in-person only.

All Oral hearings are In-Person ONLY.

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

Civil cases

Pleas to the jurisdiction and Rule 91A motions must be heard on the oral docket only.

Pleas to the Jurisdictions and 91A Motions are to be heard on the Oral Docket ONLY.

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

Civil cases

Motions for summary judgment must be heard by submission only.

Motions for Summary Judgment are to be heard by Submission ONLY.

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

Civil cases

Mark plaintiff exhibits with red Plaintiff’s Exhibit stickers and defendant exhibits with blue Defendant’s Exhibit stickers.

Plaintiff’s exhibits are to be marked with red “Plaintiff’s Exhibit” stickers. Defendant’s exhibits are to be marked with blue “Defendant’s Exhibit” stickers.

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

Civil cases

Use numbers, not letters, to mark exhibits.

Use only numbers when marking exhibits instead of letters.

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

Civil cases

Multi-page exhibits should be stapled, bound, or otherwise assembled for accurate preservation.

Exhibits with multiple pages should be stapled, bound and/or assembled so that they may be accurately preserved.

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

Civil cases

For an oversized exhibit, identify an 8.5-by-11-inch copy as an exhibit.

For over-sized exhibits, identify an 8.5 x 11 sized copy as an exhibit.

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

Civil cases

Video depositions should be edited to remove long pauses between questions and answers.

Further, please edit the video depositions to remove long pauses between questions and answers, etc.

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

Civil cases

Format

DOCX

Only after assignment to trial, the parties should arrange with the Trial Coordinator to email their proposed jury charge to the court in Microsoft Word format for compilation during trial.

Only when actually assigned to trial, the parties should make arrangements with the Trial Coordinator to e-mail their proposed charge to the court in Microsoft Word format so that the court may compile the court’s charge as the trial proceeds.

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

Civil cases

When e-filing, type the full pleading title in the description field, label exhibits, avoid all caps, and keep titles to 10 words or fewer.

When filing documents, please type the entire title of your pleading in the description field and clearly label all exhibits. Do not use all caps. Please limit the title of documents to no more than 10 words.

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

Civil cases

Footnotes are accepted; hyperlinked motions may be provided on a USB thumb drive with courtesy copies.

Footnotes on filings are accepted. If you have hyperlinks on motions that have been filed, you can provide a courtesy copy of the motion in a USB thumb drive with your courtesy copies.

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

Plaintiff’s exhibits are to be marked with “Plaintiff’s Exhibit” stickers. Defendant’s exhibits are to be marked with “Defendant’s Exhibit” stickers. Use only numbers when marking exhibits instead of letters. Parties should provide their own. In an emergency, a limited number of exhibit stickers may be obtained from the court reporter.

Summary: Exhibits must be marked with party-specific stickers using numbers only (not letters), and parties must provide their own stickers.

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

Once an exhibit number has been assigned, the same exhibit number may not be used for another exhibit, even if the original exhibit is withdrawn or not used in the hearing or trial.

Summary: An assigned exhibit number may not be reused for another exhibit, even if the original is withdrawn or unused.

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

If you are offering more than 30 exhibits, please scan them to a CD. Scanned exhibits must have a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi). Photographic images other than documents (e.g., photos of physical exhibits) must be included within the computer file as images with a resolution of not less than 2,048 x 1,536 pixels (approximately 3 megapixels). Higher resolutions are not encouraged. If a full color rendition is necessary, color depth should be between 12-bit and 18-bit. Otherwise, grayscale images are encouraged.

Summary: Exhibits over 30 must be scanned to a CD with specific resolution and pixel requirements.

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

Please have all exhibits on a flash drive numerically labeled. Have a hard copy for the Court and a hard copy for the jurors.

Summary: All exhibits must be on a numerically labeled flash drive with hard copies for the Court and jurors.

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

Please bring your proposed Jury Charge on a flash drive or cd.

Summary: Proposed jury charge must be brought on a flash drive or CD.

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

Civil cases

Appear in person unless Judge Hughes has agreed to another method of appearance.

Summary: Appear in person unless Judge Hughes has agreed to another method.

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

Civil cases

The parties must file their proposed charge and must provide the court with a copy on a flash drive.

Summary: The Court requires a copy of the proposed jury charge on a flash drive.

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

Civil cases

The exhibits must be in binders with individual tabs.

Summary: Exhibit courtesy copies must be in binders with individual tabs.

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

Civil cases

Counsels are required to wear business attire for all hearings, whether conducted in the courtroom or via Zoom. Business attire includes a suit or comparable professional courtroom attire customarily worn in a trial court. Men are required to wear a tie.

Summary: Counsel must wear business attire at all hearings, including hearings by Zoom, and men must wear a tie.

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

Civil cases

Type the entire title of your pleading. Do not abbreviate parts of the title. The clerks need the full and complete title of the pleading to insure proper filing. Do not split your documents in different envelopes. Clearly label all exhibits. Do not attach proposed orders as exhibits.

Summary: E-filed pleadings must have full un-abbreviated titles, labeled exhibits, and proposed orders must not be attached as exhibits.

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

Civil cases

Format

PDF

The court finds that the best and least expensive practice (this is not required) is to create .pdf (Adobe) files of these filings and the exhibits and exchange them on a flash drive or by sending them to opposing counsel an e-mail with attachments. A link to a cloud-based version of these documents is also acceptable.

Summary: Although not required, the Court considers PDF exchange by flash drive, email attachments, or a cloud link the best and least expensive practice.