Dallas County District Courts Document Format Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Reduced, multiple pages (Min-u-script) are prohibited.

Additionally, the use of reduced, multiple pages (i.e.: Min-u-script) is hereby prohibited.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

PDF

Exhibits and evidence must be delivered electronically to the Court Reporter in PDF format, pre-marked and numbered, before remote hearings.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness’s attention) during remote proceedings. The pages of each Exhibit, deposition, declaration of other proffered evidence must be sequentially numbered for ease of reference.

CRITICALCivil cases

Fonts smaller than 12 point are prohibited.

The use of any font less than 12 point, or margins less than 1” on each side of a page is hereby prohibited.

CRITICAL

Inventories have no required form except that complex property matters require a consolidated spreadsheet inventory.

There is no required form for inventories except in complex property matters a consolidated (spreadsheet) inventory is required.

CRITICAL

Exhibits must be premarked and saved by exhibit number in PDF or MP3 format.

The exhibits must be premarked/saved by exhibit number in PDF or MP3 format.

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

E-filed documents may not contain security restrictions, password protection, encryption, or embedded multi-media.

An e‐filed document may not contain any security or feature restrictions including password protection or encryption and may not contain embedded multi‐media video, audio, or programming.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

PDF

Document exhibits must be in PDF format and audio/video exhibits in MPEG format, each identical to the exhibit admitted or played at trial.

Document exhibits shall be in PDF format and must be identical to the actual exhibit admitted. Audio exhibits (recordings, voicemails or similar ) shall be in MPEG format and shall be identical to the audio played during the trial. Video file exhibits must also be in MPEG format and shall be identical to the video file played during trial.

CRITICAL

Parties and witnesses must keep video on at all times and mute only when instructed by the Court.

Parties and witnesses MUST have their video connection on at all times and their microphones should only be muted if instructed to by the Court and Court Reporter, so that they can be heard and seen by the court during all Bench Trial proceedings.

CRITICALCivil casesCourt notice

Please submit all media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

Please submit all media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

CRITICALCivil cases

Parties must jointly ensure audio and video files are playable and viewable on the laptop provided to the jury.

The parties shall be jointly responsible for ensuring that any audio or video files can be played or viewed on the laptop that will be provided to the jury.

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

E-filed documents must not be locked.

not be locked;

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Format

PDF

E-filed documents must be text-searchable PDF, use PDF-spec fonts, 8.5x11 inch page size, with content appropriately rotated.

An e‐filed document must be in text‐searchable PDF, using fonts specified in the PDF specification, on 8.5 x 11 page size, with the content appropriately rotated.

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Format

PDF

Electronically filed documents must be in text-searchable PDF format.

be in text‐searchable portable document format (PDF);

CRITICALCivil casesCourt notice

Format

PDF

Paper exhibits for the court reporter must be submitted on a thumb-drive or SD card in PDF format only.

Please submit paper exhibits, such as color photos, emails, letters, reports, etc., that are expected to be presented to the Court Reporter, on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .pdf format ONLY.

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Scanned documents must have 300 DPI resolution (600 DPI for color) and should be made searchable using OCR.

Prior to being filed electronically, a scanned document must have a resolution of 300 DPI. Preferably, scanned documents should be made searchable using OCR technology.

CRITICAL

Videoconferencing must use Microsoft Teams; consumer-level platforms are not supported.

The court uses enterprise-level videoconferencing: Microsoft Teams. The court does not support consumer-level videoconferencing.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Paper exhibits: All proposed/admitted/offered exhibits should be pre-marked and emailed to the Court Reporter. Paper exhibits should be in PDF format and can be emailed to the Reporter at tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

Paper exhibits: All proposed/admitted/offered exhibits should be pre-marked and emailed to the Court Reporter. Paper exhibits should be in PDF format and can be emailed to the Reporter at tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

CRITICALCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Documents may not contain package PDFs; PDFs should not be embedded inside another PDF, and each document must be a single PDF.

Documents may not contain package PDFs. PDFs should not be embedded inside of another PDF. Each document must be a single PDF.

CRITICALCivil cases

The use of reduced, multiple pages (Min-u-script) is prohibited.

Additionally, the use of reduced, multiple pages (i.e.: Min-u-script) is hereby prohibited.

CRITICAL

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Fonts smaller than 12 point and margins smaller than 1 inch are prohibited.

The use of any font less than 12 point, or margins less than 1” on each side of a page is hereby prohibited.

CRITICAL

Reduced multiple-pages-per-sheet (Min-u-script) filing is prohibited.

Additionally, the use of reduced, multiple pages (i.e.: Min-u-script) is hereby prohibited.

CRITICALCivil cases

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Fonts smaller than 12 point and margins smaller than 1 inch on each side are prohibited.

The use of any font less than 12 point, or margins less than 1” on each side of a page is hereby prohibited.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

PDF

Exhibits must be scanned and emailed to the court reporter in PDF format.

Any party needing to admit exhibits must scan them and email them directly to the court reporter in PDF format at a minimum of two (2) days in advance of the trial.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

PDF

Exhibits must be delivered to the Court Reporter in PDF format before the hearing, pre-marked with exhibit stickers, chronologically numbered, and with sequentially numbered pages.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness's attention) during remote proceedings. The pages of each Exhibit, deposition, declaration of other proffered evidence must be sequentially numbered for ease of reference.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Jury charges and findings of facts and conclusions must be submitted in hard copy and via email in Microsoft Word.

Jury charges and findings of facts and conclusions need to be submitted to the court in hard copy and via email in Microsoft Word.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Exhibits and other evidence must be delivered to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of remote hearings.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness's attention) during remote proceedings.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Exhibits and other evidence must be electronically delivered to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing, pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically and sequentially numbered.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness's attention) during remote proceedings. The pages of each Exhibit, deposition, declaration of other proffered evidence must be sequentially numbered for ease of reference.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Courtesy copies must be in PDF format and must not contain links or zip files.

This is needed in PDF format (NO LINKS, NO ZIP FILES).

CRITICALCivil casesCourt notice

Media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb- drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

Media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb- drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

CRITICALCivil casesCourt notice

If video deposition testimony will be offered in lieu of live testimony, please provide the reporter with the video cuts in (1) MP4 format and (2) the excerpt deposition transcript that reflects the video cuts.

If video deposition testimony will be offered in lieu of live testimony, please provide the reporter with the video cuts in (1) MP4 format and (2) the excerpt deposition transcript that reflects the video cuts.

CRITICALCivil casesCourt notice

Format

PDF

Trial exhibits of 50 pages or more must be submitted in PDF format on a thumb drive.

All trial exhibits consisting of 50 pages or more must be submitted in .pdf format to the court reporter on a thumb drive.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

The working charge should be presented in a manner that identifies the instructions, definitions and questions on which there are competing proposals. The working charge should be sent via e-mail to the Court Administrator and in color hard-copy to the Court. It should be submitted in MS Word format.

The working charge should be presented in a manner that identifies the instructions, definitions and questions on which there are competing proposals. The working charge should be sent via e-mail to the Court Administrator and in color hard-copy to the Court. It should be submitted in MS Word format.

WARNINGCivil cases

Use of reduced, multiple pages (Min-u-script) is prohibited.

Additionally, the use of reduced, multiple pages (i.e.: Min-u-script) is hereby prohibited.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits referenced in a motion or response must be tabbed and the referenced portions highlighted.

Whatever is referenced in the motion or response as an exhibit should be tabbed as such and the portion referenced should be highlighted.

WARNINGCivil cases

Fonts smaller than 12 point are prohibited.

The use of any font less than 12 point, or margins less than 1” on each side of a page is hereby prohibited.

WARNING

All filings must be descriptively titled, with consecutively numbered and titled pages in the lower margin continuing through attachments; orders and judgments must be filed as separate documents.

All pleadings, motions, briefs, orders and other papers, including exhibits attached thereto, when offered for filing or entry, shall be descriptively titled. Each page of each instrument shall, in the lower margin thereof, be consecutively numbered and titled; e.g., "Plaintiffs Original Petition- Page 2." Page numbers should continue in sequential order through the last page of any attachments or exhibits (i.e. should not re-start with each succeeding document). Any reference to an attachment shall include the sequential page number where the reference can be found. Orders and Judgments shall be separate documents completely separated from all other papers. If documents not conforming to this Local Rule are offered, the Clerk before receiving them shall require the consent of a

WARNING

Exhibit emails should use a subject line identifying the full cause number and whether the exhibits are the Mother’s/Wife’s or Father’s/Husband’s.

the hearing. 'Fhe subject line of the email should be "full cause number - Mother’s/Wife’s Exhibits or "full cause number - Father’s/Husband’s Exhibits

WARNING

Audio/Visual exhibits: Audio/Visual file names should include the exhibit number and whether it's a video or audio recording. Audio/Visual exhibits can be send to the Reporter via Dropbox - tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

Audio/Visual exhibits: Audio/Visual file names should include the exhibit number and whether it's a video or audio recording. Audio/Visual exhibits can be send to the Reporter via Dropbox - tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

WARNING

Please check in advance of Bench Trials that your audio and video connections are working.

Please check in advance of Bench Trials that your audio and video connections are working.

WARNINGCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

All information entered into the eFileTexas.gov portal must be in all caps; lower or mixed case letters are not permitted.

All information entered into the eFileTexas.gov portal must be completed in all caps! Please do not use lower or mixed case letters.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

The Court requests the parties provide an electronic copy of the proposed charge or findings of fact and conclusions of law so that the documents can be reviewed and considered by the Court, in a word processing format.

The Court requests the parties provide an electronic copy of the proposed charge or findings of fact and conclusions of law so that the documents can be reviewed and considered by the Court, in a word processing format.

WARNINGCivil cases

Please submit all media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

Please submit all media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

WARNINGCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Documents should be generated directly from originating software using a PDF distiller when possible.

When possible, the document should be generated directly from the originating software using a PDF distiller.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits on the jump drive must not contain stray markings or writing unless present on the original admitted exhibit.

No exhibit on the jump drive shall contain any stray markings or writing unless such markings or writing are on the original exhibit admitted into evidence.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits within each folder should be listed sequentially and labelled 'Exhibit (insert number)'.

Within each folder, each party’s exhibits should be listed sequentially and labelled simply as “Exhibit (insert number)”

WARNINGCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

Document should contain page numbering for the entire filing. When including one or more appendices to a filing, each should be numbered individually and then the entire document should be numbered as a whole.

Document should contain page numbering for the entire filing. When including one or more appendices to a filing, each should be numbered individually and then the entire document should be numbered as a whole.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

PDF

Paper exhibits should be in PDF format and can be emailed to the Reporter at tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

Paper exhibits should be in PDF format and can be emailed to the Reporter at tina.thompson@dallascounty.org.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

PDF

Paper exhibits for the Court Reporter must be submitted on a thumb-drive or SD card in PDF format only.

Please submit paper exhibits, such as color photos, emails, letters, reports, etc., that are expected to be presented to the Court Reporter, on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .pdf format ONLY.

WARNING

All filings must be descriptively titled, pages consecutively numbered in the lower margin through attachments, and orders/judgments filed as separate documents.

All pleadings, motions, briefs, orders and other papers, including exhibits attached thereto, when offered for filing or entry, shall be descriptively titled. Each page of each instrument shall, in the lower margin thereof, be consecutively numbered and titled; e.g., "Plaintiffs Original Petition- Page 2." Page numbers should continue in sequential order through the last page of any attachments or exhibits (i.e. should not re-start with each succeeding document). Any reference to an attachment shall include the sequential page number where the reference can be found. Orders and Judgments shall be separate documents completely separated from all other papers.

WARNINGCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

be directly converted to PDF rather than scanned, if possible;

be directly converted to PDF rather than scanned, if possible;

WARNINGCourt noticeProposed or draft document; may not be in force

E-filed document filenames must contain only alphanumeric characters from the Latin1_General character set, with no special characters and a maximum length of 50 characters.

Any e‐filed document filename should contain only alphanumeric characters that are part of the Latin1_General character set. No special characters are allowed and the length of the filename should be restricted to 50 characters.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits must be pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for remote proceedings.

All exhibits must be pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference during remote proceedings.

WARNING

Flash drives and other computer devices may not be submitted to the Court.

Do not submit to the Court a flash drive or other computer device with materials for the Court's consideration.

WARNINGCivil cases

Media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

Media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., should be submitted on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .wav, .mp3 or .mpeg formats ONLY.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

fact and conclusions of law before the trial. These documents also should be emailed in WORD format to the Court Coordinator at 101court@dallascounty.org

fact and conclusions of law before the trial. These documents also should be emailed in WORD format to the Court Coordinator at 101court@dallascounty.org

WARNING

Media exhibits must be submitted on thumb drive or SD card in .wav or .mp3 format only.

Please submit all media exhibits, such as audio recordings, videos, etc., on a thumb drive, or on an SD card, in .wav or .mp3 format ONLY.

WARNING

Format

PDF

Paper exhibits must be submitted on thumb-drive or SD card in .pdf format only.

Please submit paper exhibits, such as color photos, emails, letters, reports, etc., that are expected to be presented to the Court Reporter, on a thumb-drive, or on an SD card, in .pdf format ONLY.

WARNING

Exhibits must be marked numerically or with letters before going on the record.

Please have all exhibits marked numerically or letters prior to going on the record.

WARNING

Format

PDF

Exhibits and evidence must be delivered to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing, pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered, with sequentially numbered pages.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must electronically deliver same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and chronologically numbered for ease of reference (and directing a witness's attention) during remote proceedings. The pages of each Exhibit, deposition, declaration of other proffered evidence must be sequentially numbered for ease of reference.

WARNINGCivil cases

Reduced, multiple-page formats (Min-u-script) are prohibited.

Additionally, the use of reduced, multiple pages (i.e.: Min-u-script) is hereby prohibited.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

The working charge should be initiated in Microsoft Word format by Plaintiff and emailed to Defendant.

The working charge should be initiated in Microsoft Word format by Plaintiff and emailed to Defendant.

WARNINGCivil cases

Margins

top 1 in, bottom 1 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Motions and briefs must use 12-point font and 1-inch margins on each side.

Motions and/or Brief shall be 12 point, and margins of 1” on each side of a page.

WARNINGCivil cases

Format

DOCX

Bench trial submissions must be in Microsoft Word format.

The submission must be emailed to Sheria West at sheria.n.west@dallascounty.org with a copy to all parties, in Microsoft Word

INFOCivil cases

Format

DOCX

These should be submitted to the Court Administrator via e-mail in MS Word format.

These should be submitted to the Court Administrator via e-mail in MS Word format.

INFO

Format

PDF

Exhibits should be pre-marked in a single PDF and tabbed/bookmarked if possible.

The exhibits should be pre-marked in one PDF, if possible, and tabbed/bookmarked.

INFOCivil cases

In multi-party cases, parties may optionally segregate and list exhibits by party.

In a multi-party case, the parties may segregate and list exhibits by party in a format similar to this:

INFOCivil cases

The court uses Microsoft Teams for videoconferencing; consumer-level platforms are not supported.

The court uses enterprise-level videoconferencing: Microsoft Teams. The court does not support consumer-level videoconferencing.

INFOCivil casesCourt notice

Format

PAPER

Trial exhibits of 50 pages or less are accepted in paper form.

Trial exhibits 50 pages or less will be accepted in paper form.

INFOCivil cases

Judge Frazier prefers motions written in Arial font.

Judge Frazier prefers motions to be written in Arial Font.

CRITICALCivil cases

Format

PDF

Exhibits and other evidence used in remote proceedings must be sent to the Court Reporter in PDF in advance, pre-printed, and date-numbered.

Any party needing to admit either exhibits or other evidence referred to above must apply electronically send same to the Court Reporter in PDF format in advance of the hearing already pre-marked with exhibit stickers and frequency numbered for ease of reference (and in the event the witness’s attention) during remote proceedings. The pages of the he each probative Exhibit, deposition, declaration within other proffered evidence must be sequentially numbered for ease of reference.