McLennan County District Courts Filing Rules

A motion to seal a document and any response to that motion may be filed electronically.

An affidavit or other Rule 3.4(a) or (b) paper attached to an electronically filed document may be scanned and filed with that document.

Documents already e-filed and accepted by the Clerk need not be refiled.

McLennan County has been subject to mandated electronic filing since July 1, 2014.

A filer electronically serving a document must file a written service certification with the document that includes the sender's email or telecopier number, recipient's email address, and date and time of electronic service.

Electronic service is complete when the filer transmits the document to the party's email address.

A copy of each written request to the Court must be sent to the opposing party.

A registered filer must use their confidential, unique electronic identifier when e-filing, and that use constitutes a digital signature.

The court will not set a discovery hearing if the required certificate of conference is missing.

A pro se litigant must present a complete Final Divorce Decree or Order that settles all issues.

For Family Code cases, mediation is required before a final-orders hearing lasting two hours or longer, and a party seeking an exception must file a verified motion with a certificate of conference.

If the PSI paperwork is not timely submitted to the CSCD, the client must appear in court with the completed packet.

Except for documents governed by subsection (h), the filing date and time are the date and time the filer transmitted the document to its EFSP.

Electronic filing does not change applicable filing deadlines.

The Court will not consider exhibits that are not timely emailed to the court reporter.

Proposed jury charges must be emailed to the Court Administrator.

To set a case for final hearing, a pro se litigant should call the District Court Coordinator or Administrator.

Hearing and trial settings must be scheduled through the Court Administrator's office by phone or email.

Requests regarding settings should be directed to Jessica Ficker or Deeanna Ayres by phone, fax, or mail.

Requests about settings should be sent to Trisha Dees by phone, fax, or mail.

Attorneys must email requested proposed jury charges to the Court Administrator in Microsoft Word format.

Electronically filed documents must be computer-formatted under TexasOnline specifications and formatted for printing on 8½-inch by 11-inch paper.

A digital signature on an electronically filed document satisfies applicable legal signature requirements.

The listed circumstances generally constitute sufficient cause to grant a continuance.

A motion for continuance must be filed and set by 9:00 a.m. on the Friday morning of the jury docket call when announcing that a case is not ready, unless the motion is uncontested or the case is passed by agreement and court consent.

A motion for continuance must be filed and set by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the jury trial if counsel will announce that the case is not ready, unless opposing counsel does not contest the motion or all parties agree and the court consents to passing the case.

Without a Pass or submitted plea paperwork, attorneys must appear at pretrial to announce for the in-jail defendant.

An EFSP may impose an additional convenience fee for electronic filing.

An EFSP may charge filers a convenience fee for electronically filing documents, in addition to regular filing fees.

Attorneys must confer and attempt to resolve every discovery dispute before requesting a hearing.

Attorneys must attempt to resolve discovery disputes through discussion before requesting a court hearing.

A filer may include only one document in an electronic transmission to TexasOnline, except for an attached document permitted under Rule 4.5(b).

Public access to pleadings, orders, and documents in DFPS suits under Chapters 261, 262, and 264 is restricted by the District Clerk, with access limited to the parties, their attorneys, the attorney ad litem, and the guardian ad litem unless the court orders otherwise.