Court Rules
Judge

Judge Jeff Robnett

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Rules last changed:
Midland County District Courts

Communication

Email
Scheduling
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantProposed OrdersConferencesExhibits

Document Filing Requirements3 rules

Filing Requirements

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

After the parties agree on a hearing date and time, the proposed Order Setting Hearing must be e-filed with email addresses after the judge’s signature line, and all parties must be copied on the email.

Once the parties have agreed to a date and time, email the Court Coordinator with the agreed date and time and EFIlE your proposed Order Setting Hearing, including email addresses after the Judge’s Signature Line. Make sure you copy all parties on the email with the agreed setting.

Document Type

Order Setting Hearing

Content & Formatting
Proposed Order
Filing Requirements

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

Every motion, including an unagreed motion, must have an attached certificate of conference.

Regardless of a motion not agreed upon, the motion must still have an attached "certificate of conference."

Document Type

Motion

Content & Formatting
Certificate Of Conference
Filing Requirements

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

Before trial, a list of numbered exhibits must be provided to the court reporter.

Prior to trial, provide a list of numbered exhibits to the Court Reporter.

Document Type

Exhibit List

Content & Formatting
Exhibit List

Filing & Service rules

Electronic Filing Rules

The proposed Order Setting Hearing must be submitted electronically after the parties agree on the hearing date and time.

Once the parties have agreed to a date and time, email the Court Coordinator with the agreed date and time and EFIlE your proposed Order Setting Hearing, including email addresses after the Judge’s Signature Line. Make sure you copy all parties on the email with the agreed setting.

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

Page 1 | Requesting a Hearing

Filing Timing and Cure Windows

An objection or motion to exclude or limit expert testimony based on qualification or reliability must be filed within seven days after expert discovery closes or it is waived.

Any objection or motion to exclude or limit expert testimony due to qualification of the expert or reliability of the opinions must be filed no later than seven (7) days after the close of expert discovery, or such objection is waived.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 2 | 4

The parties must file the specified trial materials and any motions in limine by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before the Initial Trial Setting, with failure potentially resulting in dismissal or another sanction.

By 4 p.m. on the Thursday before the Initial Trial Setting, the parties shall file with the Court the materials stated in Rule 166(d)-(m), an estimate of the length of trial, designation of deposition testimony to be offered in direct examination, and any motions in limine. Failure to file such material may result in dismissal for want of prosecution or other appropriate sanction.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026 · Civil cases

Page 3 | 7. Pretrial Exchanges and Filings

A motion to compel discovery responses generally must be filed within seven days after fact discovery closes or it is waived, except for motions concerning post-discovery factual matters and Rule 193.6 exclusion sanctions.

Any motion to compel responses to discovery (other than relating to factual matters arising after the end of fact discovery) must be filed no later than seven (7) days after the close of fact discovery or such complaint is waived, except for the sanction of exclusion under Rule 193.6

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases

Page 2 | 4

Service and Proof of Service Rules

A party joining an additional party must serve a copy of the scheduling order on the new party concurrently with the pleading that joins the party.

The party joining an additional party shall serve a copy of this Order on the new party concurrently with the pleading joining that party.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below. · Civil cases

Page 3 | 6. Joinder of Additional Parties

Adjournment & Extension Requirements

Before contacting the court regarding a continuance or hearing reset, both parties must confer with each other.

Prior to contacting the Court, both parties must confer with each other in order to avoid unnecessary court time.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Requesting a Continuance or Re-setting A Hearing

When the parties agree to a continuance or hearing reset, they should file the agreed motion and submit an agreed order for the judge’s approval.

If both parties are in agreement, please file your agreed motion and submit an agreed order for the Judge’s approval.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.

Page 1 | Requesting a Continuance or Re-setting A Hearing

Chambers Communication Rules

Potential hearing dates should be requested from the Court Coordinator by email with all parties copied.

Unless you want a hearing set at the Court’s convenience, request potential hearing dates from the Court Coordinator via email with all parties copied on the email.

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

Page 1 | Requesting a Hearing

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 69 rules apply across Midland County District Courts. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Filing Requirements

All 40
  • Applies to
    Court proceeding coverage order

    Media coverage of a court proceeding is permitted only by written order.

  • Applies to
    Continuance motion
    Must include
    proposed order, certificate of conference

    Unless all affected attorneys and self-represented litigants consent in writing and the court approves, the request must be filed by motion under the applicable civil or criminal rule, include a Rule 4.05-compliant Certificate of Conference, and be accompanied by a proposed order setting the motion for hearing.

  • Applies to
    Motion for withdrawal

    Each motion for withdrawal must include the attorney's certification that no court rulings remain unwritten and unsigned.

Service

All 7
  • Applies to
    Notice of withdrawal
    Service
    Mail

    When no substitute attorney will be used or the party does not consent, the withdrawing attorney must notify the client in writing at least ten days before the requested withdrawal order; notice must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and also by email if the client provided an email address.

  • Applies to
    Notice of withdrawal
    Service
    Email

    The required client notice must also be sent by email when the client has provided the attorney with an email address.

  • Matters outside the scope of a Notice of Limited Appearance must be served on the represented party rather than only on the attorney.

Pre-Motion Conferences

All 6
  • All media equipment and personnel must be in place before the proceeding begins.

  • Before filing any motion, plea, application, request, objection, or special exception, filing counsel must schedule a conference to resolve the disputed matters.

  • In rare exigent circumstances when a conference is not practicable, counsel must explain the exigency, confer promptly after filing, and file an amended Certificate of Conference.

Filing Timing

All 5
  • Deadline
    3 business days

    Within three business days after a bankruptcy filing, the party's attorney must provide written notice to the court and all attorneys containing the specified party, filing, bankruptcy-court, and debtor-attorney information.

  • Deadline
    7 calendar days

    The debtor's attorney must notify the court in writing and file the concluding bankruptcy order or judgment within seven days after the bankruptcy proceeding concludes.

  • Deadline
    7 calendar days

    The attorney for a deceased party must file a suggestion of death within seven days after learning of the death.

About Judge Jeff Robnett

Presiding Judge, 441st District Court. - Address: 500 N Loraine Street, Suite 901, Midland, TX 79701 - Phone: 432-688-4520 - Fax: 432-688-4981 - Jury phone in: 432-688-4901 - Court administrator: Nancy Berdoza, 432-688-4522, nberdoza@mcounty.com - Official court reporter: Monica Lancaster, 432-688-4523, mlancaster@mcounty.com - Bailiff: Angel Hernandez, 432-688-4524, ahernandez@mcounty.com General jurisdiction the court publishes: concurrent jurisdiction with all other district courts in Midland County, with docket sheets sent out weekly by email. Type of cases the court publishes: civil suits and felony-level criminal offenses. Hearings the court lists: civil and criminal bench trials, civil and criminal jury trials, civil and criminal motions, civil pretrial matters, civil default judgments and civil summary judgments. Trial schedule the court publishes: the next year's civil and criminal trial schedule is usually issued by mid-October. Civil case groups are welcomed to choose any trial week, though a week set for a criminal trial week subjects the civil trial to any criminal trials heard first. Criminal guilty pleas are every Monday at 1:30 p.m. Felony arraignments are every Friday at 8:30 a.m., and Midland County district judges alternate on a regular schedule. Notice the court publishes: effective March 22, 2021 all hearings in the 441st District Court are conducted in person, and guilty plea packets must be turned in before the day of hearing.

Common questions about Judge Jeff Robnett's rules

What must be included with order setting hearing filings before Judge Jeff Robnett?

The rule requires proposed order. After the parties agree on a hearing date and time, the proposed Order Setting Hearing must be e-filed with email addresses after the judge’s signature line, and all parties must be copied on the email.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Requesting a Hearing

What must be included with motion filings before Judge Jeff Robnett?

The rule requires certificate of conference. Every motion, including an unagreed motion, must have an attached certificate of conference.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Requesting a Hearing

How may parties contact Judge Jeff Robnett's chambers?

The rule addresses email communications. Potential hearing dates should be requested from the Court Coordinator by email with all parties copied.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Requesting a Hearing

How do I request an adjournment or extension before Judge Jeff Robnett?

Advance notice is not fully stated in the structured details. Before contacting the court regarding a continuance or hearing reset, both parties must confer with each other.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Requesting a Continuance or Re-setting A Hearing

Is electronic filing required before Judge Jeff Robnett?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. The proposed Order Setting Hearing must be submitted electronically after the parties agree on the hearing date and time.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Requesting a Hearing

What filing deadlines does Judge Jeff Robnett set?

An objection or motion to exclude or limit expert testimony based on qualification or reliability must be filed within seven days after expert discovery closes or it is waived.

View ruleSource: page 2, section 4

What rule applies to service for pleading before Judge Jeff Robnett?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. A party joining an additional party must serve a copy of the scheduling order on the new party concurrently with the pleading that joins the party.

View ruleSource: page 3, section 6. Joinder of Additional Parties
Complete rules summary for Judge Jeff Robnett

After the parties agree on a hearing date and time, the proposed Order Setting Hearing must be e-filed with email addresses after the judge’s signature line, and all parties must be copied on the email.

The proposed Order Setting Hearing must be submitted electronically after the parties agree on the hearing date and time.

Potential hearing dates should be requested from the Court Coordinator by email with all parties copied.

Every motion, including an unagreed motion, must have an attached certificate of conference.

Before contacting the court regarding a continuance or hearing reset, both parties must confer with each other.

When the parties agree to a continuance or hearing reset, they should file the agreed motion and submit an agreed order for the judge’s approval.

Before trial, a list of numbered exhibits must be provided to the court reporter.

An objection or motion to exclude or limit expert testimony based on qualification or reliability must be filed within seven days after expert discovery closes or it is waived.

A motion to compel discovery responses generally must be filed within seven days after fact discovery closes or it is waived, except for motions concerning post-discovery factual matters and Rule 193.6 exclusion sanctions.

A party joining an additional party must serve a copy of the scheduling order on the new party concurrently with the pleading that joins the party.

The parties must file the specified trial materials and any motions in limine by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before the Initial Trial Setting, with failure potentially resulting in dismissal or another sanction.

More Judges in Midland County District Courts

Brent Morgan
Judge
David G. Rogers
Judge
Elizabeth Byer Leonard
Judge
Leah Robertson
Judge