Judge Christina A. Bryan
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Deposition Excerpts
- 1 copy
Joint Pretrial Order
- 1 copy
Adjournments
- Motions for continuance must be filed at least two weeks before the trial date set in the Scheduling and Docket Control Order.
Communication
Clerk
Phone
Clerk
Phone
Clerk
Phone
Clerk
Page & Word Limits2 rules
Letter requesting court conference on discovery dispute must not exceed 3 pages.
- Letter
- Up to 3 pages
Court's wording
The requesting party must file a letter of no more than three pages summarizing the dispute, the date, time and method of the parties’conference and the identity of the attendees, the outcome of the discussions, and the relief sought from the court.
Without leave of court, all motions are limited to 25 double-spaced pages with 12-point font and 1” margins.
- Motion
- Up to 25 pages
- Format
- Double-spaced; 12-point; 1-inch margins
Exception
More pages with leave of court
Document Format Requirements8 rules
If a power-point presentation is used during oral argument, provide a printed copy of the presentation to the court and opposing counsel at the hearing.
Provide video or audio exhibits on a thumb drive or disc labeled with the exhibit number.
The .pdf document must contain bookmarks identifying each exhibit and bookmarks set to the portions of the document cited or referenced in the motion or brief. Further, when a motion or brief refers only to a small portion of a voluminous exhibit, the party should highlight the referenced portion of the exhibit.
- File type
Formatting
- •Bookmarks identifying each exhibit
The Joint Pretrial Order shall follow the form set forth in Local Rule 16.2, Appendix B.
Parties must submit Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law to the court in an electronic Word document.
- File type
- Word
- Findings of fact conclusions of law
The parties shall submit the proposed charge to the Case Manager in an electronic Word document.
- File type
- Word
Counsel for each party shall provide a tabbed and indexed notebook of exhibits for the court and the witness.
- Exhibit notebook
Formatting
- •Indexed
Counsel must provide the court with a single copy of any deposition from which excerpts will be used at trial and should use color-coded highlighting to represent each parties’ requested deposition excerpts.
- Deposition excerpts
Formatting
- •Color-coded highlighting
Document Filing Requirements15 rules
Joint Discovery/Case Management Plan must be filed prior to Rule 16 Conference.
Court's wording
Prior to any scheduled Rule 16 Conference, the parties must conduct the initial meeting required by Rule 26, make mandatory disclosures in accordance with Rule 26, file the Joint Discovery/Case Management Plan, and submit a proposed Scheduling and Docket Control Order.
Non-dispositive motions will be automatically struck if they do not include a Certificate of Conference in compliance with Local Rule 7.1(D).
For bench trials, each proposed conclusion of law will contain citation of legal authority supporting the conclusion.
These references shall be supplemented at the close of each trial day during the bench trial.
Findings of fact shall include references to testimony and exhibits that support the finding.
Whenever possible, the charge should conform to the Fifth Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions or the Texas Pattern Jury Charge, as modified by case law or statutory amendments. Counsel must identify and provide legal authorities for any proposed deviation from the applicable pattern jury charge.
The parties shall include in the proposed jury charge all necessary instructions or definitions.
If the parties cannot, in good faith, agree on all instructions, definitions or questions, the parties should nonetheless submit a single, unified charge with notations of any disagreement. Each disputed item should be labelled to show which party is requesting the disputed language. Accompanying each instruction shall be all authority or related materials upon which each party relies.
Each requested instruction must be numbered and presented with authority.
Objections to designations of deposition excerpts must be identified by page and line, include supporting authority, and be filed with the Pretrial Order.
Such numbering shall correspond to the exhibit list included in the Joint Pretrial Order.
The proposed voir dire questions and topics must be included in the Joint Pretrial Order.
Parties shall mark and number all exhibits prior to trial.
Counsel should designate the portions of any deposition to be read at trial by citing the page and line reference in the Joint Pretrial Order.
Parties must notify the court of agreed continuances by submitting an unopposed or agreed motion for continuance along with a proposed order.
- Document
- Motion
Must include
- •Proposed order
Filing & Service rules
Courtesy Copy Requirements
The court generally does not require courtesy copies of motions or exhibits. However, if the exhibits exceed 50 pages (either singly or in combination), the party must provide the exhibit/exhibits in the form of a single electronic pdf document.
The court generally does not require courtesy copies of motions or exhibits. However, if the exhibits exceed 50 pages (either singly or in combination), the party must provide the exhibit/exhibits in the form of a single electronic pdf document.
Page 6 | VI. MOTION PRACTICE
Plaintiff must deliver one courtesy copy of the Joint Pretrial Order with attachments to the court.
Plaintiff must deliver a courtesy copy of the Joint Pretrial Order to the court with all attachments.
Page 7 | VII. Trial
Counsel must provide single copy of deposition excerpts with color-coded highlighting.
Counsel must provide the court with a single copy of any deposition from which excerpts will be used at trial and should use color-coded highlighting to represent each parties’ requested deposition excerpts.
Page 8 | VII. Trial
Sealing & Redaction Procedures
Documents subject to confidential treatment or disclosing Confidential Information must be filed under seal, retained until court order, with only confidential parts sealed if possible.
8. Documents or information filed with the court that is subject to confidential treatment under this Order, and any pleadings, motions, or other papers filed with the court disclosing any Confidential Information, must be filed under seal to the extent permitted by the law, rules, or court orders, and must be kept under seal until the court orders otherwise. To the extent the court requires any further act by the parties as a precondition to filing the documents or information under seal, the party filing the document or information is responsible for satisfying the requirements. If possible, only the confidential parts of documents of information filed with the court will be filed under seal.
Civil cases
Page 13 | 8
Designated Material filed with the Court or used in a judicial proceeding is public unless a party moves to file it under seal; the Protective Order does not automatically seal it.
Any Designated Material which becomes part of an official judicial proceeding or which is filed with the Court is public. Such Designated Material will be sealed by the Court only upon motion and in accordance with applicable law. This Protective Order does not provide for the automatic sealing of such Designated Material. If it becomes necessary to file Designated Material with the Court, a party must move to file the Designated Material under seal.
Civil cases
Page 10
Pleadings, motions, and other papers disclosing Confidential Information must be filed under seal until further court order, with only confidential portions sealed where possible.
this Stipulation and Order that is filed with the Court, and any pleadings, motions or other papers filed with the Court disclosing any Confidential Information, shall be filed under seal to the extent permitted by law (including without limitation any applicable rules of court) and kept under seal until further order of the Court. To the extent the Court requires any further act by the parties as a precondition to the filing of documents under seal (beyond the submission of this Stipulation and Order Regarding Confidential Information), it shall be the obligation of the producing party of the documents to be filed with the Court to satisfy any such precondition. Where possible, only confidential portions of filings with the Court shall be filed under seal.
Civil cases
Page 9 | Stipulation and Order Regarding Confidential Information
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
Counsel must confer by phone/video before requesting court conference on discovery dispute; must file 3-page letter with required content.
Only after counsel have conferred by telephone or video conference and are unable to reach agreement may any party request a conference with the court. The requesting party must file a letter of no more than three pages summarizing the dispute, the date, time and method of the parties’conference and the identity of the attendees, the outcome of the discussions, and the relief sought from the court.
Page 4 | IV. DISCOVERY DISPUTES
To the fullest extent possible, the court will dispose of discovery disputes at the conference and without resort to motion practice. If a written motion continues to be necessary, the remaining issues to be addressed in the motion and a briefing schedule will be established during the conference.
To the fullest extent possible, the court will dispose of discovery disputes at the conference and without resort to motion practice. If a written motion continues to be necessary, the remaining issues to be addressed in the motion and a briefing schedule will be established during the conference.
Page 5 | IV. Discovery disputes
Parties must discuss options to reduce e-discovery burdens before seeking court intervention for electronic data disputes.
The parties must also discuss prior to court intervention, the potential options for decreasing the alleged burdens of searching for and producing electronic data.
Page 5 | IV. Discovery disputes
Counsel resisting e-discovery must be prepared to discuss search/production burdens or have a knowledgeable person available.
Counsel for a party resisting discovery of electronic data shall be prepared to discuss, or have in attendance (in person or by telephone) a person prepared to discuss, the specific burdens or difficulties involved in the searching for and/or production of the requested electronic data.
Page 5 | IV. Discovery disputes
Discovery motions should be filed only after the procedures in Section III “Discovery Disputes” have been followed but have failed to resolve the dispute.
Discovery motions should be filed only after the procedures in Section III “Discovery Disputes” have been followed but have failed to resolve the dispute.
Page 6 | VI. MOTION PRACTICE
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Motions for continuance must be filed at least two weeks before the trial date set in the Scheduling and Docket Control Order.
The court will consider motions for continuance filed at least two weeks prior to the trial date provided in the Scheduling and Docket Control Order.
Page 9 | VIII. CONTINUANCES
Chambers Communication Rules
Do not address substantive issues in phone calls or emails to the Case Manager. To the extent substantive issues are addressed in a letter, the letter must be filed on the ECF.
Do not address substantive issues in phone calls or emails to the Case Manager. To the extent substantive issues are addressed in a letter, the letter must be filed on the ECF.
Page 3 | II. CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
Case-related inquiries must be made only to the Case Manager; law clerks may not be contacted for case-related questions.
Case-related inquiries should be made only to the Case Manager. Do not contact law clerks with case-related questions.
Page 3 | II. CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
Questions regarding criminal matters must be directed to Case Manager (713-250-5860) or Criminal Intake Desk Clerk (713-250-5123).
Direct all questions regarding criminal matters to the Case Manager, (713) 250-5860, or the Clerk for the Criminal Intake Desk, (713) 250-5123.
Page 3 | II. CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
Requests for telephone or video appearances must be made in writing to the Case Manager at least 3 days before the scheduled appearance.
Requests to appear by telephone or video conference shall be made in writing to Judge Bryan’s Case Manager at least three days prior to the scheduled appearance.
Page 5 | V. ATTORNEY APPEARANCES
Case Manager Melissa Morgan can be contacted via telephone, email, or letter at the provided address, phone, and email.
Inquiries may be made to the Case Manager via telephone, email, or letter addressed to: Melissa Morgan, Case Manager United States District Clerk 515 Rusk Street, Room 7007 Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 250-5860 melissa_morgan@txs.uscourts.gov
Page 4 | II. CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
Parties may inquire about status of civil motions ripe for decision over 60 days by contacting the Case Manager.
Parties may contact the Case Manager to inquire about the status of any civil motion that has been ripe for decision for more than sixty days.
Page 4 | II. CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
Junior Lawyer Participation Incentives
Junior lawyers (licensed fewer than 7 years) are encouraged to receive speaking roles, especially if they drafted the motion/response or prepared the witness.
The court encourages experienced lawyers and their clients to provide speaking roles for lawyers licensed fewer than 7 years, particularly when those lawyers have, to a substantial degree, drafted the motion or response being argued, or prepared the witness being presented.
Page 5 | V. ATTORNEY APPEARANCES