What are Local Rules?

Every attorney and litigant who steps foot in a courtroom should be familiar with the Texas Family Law Code, the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Texas Rules of Evidence.  What is less common and more known is something called “local rules.”  Nearly each county and sometimes each individual court has judge has specific rules and regulations that the Judge(s) expects each person who walks in their courtroom to follow.

Local rules may provide additional rules, regulations and preferences, such as when a motion can be filed, how many days notice you have to give to someone before a hearing can be set or how they want you to present evidence during a hearing or trial.  If you do not follow the local rules, then chances are your hearing or trial will not go smoothly.

The most important thing in anyone’s hearing or trial is evidence.  Nearly every single Judge has a preference on how they want the litigants to present evidence to them.  Some judges may only want loose leaf paper copies, some judges may want exhibits in a binder and others may want the evidence in a USB format.  If you do not have the evidence present the right way, in the right manner and to the right person, it is completely possible and highly likely that the judge will not look at your evidence and you will ultimately lose your case.

You may find the local rules posted on the court website.  If you cannot find the local rules on the website, call the court coordinator and they should be able to point you in the right direction.