DeWitt County District Court, Texas Document Filing Requirements

CRITICAL

Applies to

Certification form

Must include

ai disclosure

Anyone using AI for legal research, drafting, or analysis in a case must sign and submit the attached certification before using AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding; the certification must attest to human verification through traditional legal sources and acknowledge potential responsibility and sanctions for noncompliance.

All self-represented litigants and attorneys who utilize any form of artificial intelligence for legal research, drafting, or analysis in connection with a case before this Court shall, before using any AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding, sign and submit the attached certification form, stating that: 1. All language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence were, before submission, verified as accurate through traditional (non-AI) legal sources by a human being; and 2- The self-represented litigant or attorneysubmittingsuch information understands and acknowledges that they are and will be held responsible and potentially sanctioned for their own, their staffs, or their Co-Counsel's failure to comply with this Order.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Sworn inventory

In property or liability division cases, each spouse must file a sworn inventory or exchange one by written mutual agreement, including the specified property, liability, and separate-property information.

In all cases requiring a division of property and/or liabilities, the husband and wife shall each file with the Court or upon written mutual agreement exchange between themselves, sworn inventories. Each inventory shall list the value of each item of property and shall list each liability, the number of periodic payments in arrears, if any, the property securing its payments, and the name of the creditor. Any property or liability claimed to be separate shall be so characterized.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Family law trial decree

At the conclusion of a family-law trial, the appropriate BVS forms and child-related information must be completed and a decree prepared and presented to the Court.

At the conclusion of any trial on family law cases, the appropriate BVS forms and information on child (suit affecting parent-child relationship forms) shall be filled out and a decree prepared and presented to the Court forthwith.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Course completion evidence

Parties must file evidence of course completion before the final hearing date, subject to the stated exceptions.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the parties to a "SAPCR" (whether it is an original suit or a motion to modify an existing order) shall attend and successfully complete a "Parent Education and Stabilization Course" that meets the requirements of §105.009 of the Texas Family Code and file evidence of completion prior to the final hearing date except as noted below.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Motion to withdraw

A criminal attorney of record may withdraw only with leave of court after a written motion and, if the court requires it, a hearing.

In criminal cases, an attorney who has entered an appearance and became counsel of record by being retained by the defendant or his family, by signing a bail bond, or by appointment of the Court, may not withdraw as counsel of record except upon leave of court after a motion in writing and, if required by the court, a hearing thereon.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Vacation notice

The attorney's vacation notice must be in writing and filed with the clerk in the county of residence, with copies to clerks in other counties where the attorney has pending cases.

In civil cases not specially set, an attorney may not be put to trial for a period not to exceed four (4) consecutive weeks of a given year if he has in writing filed with the appropriate Clerk of the County of his residence, with a copy to the appropriate Clerk in the other counties where he has pending cases, at least sixty (60) days in advance, notice of his vacation period.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Order for withholding from income for child support

Any child-support income-withholding order must include the obligor’s employer name and address.

The name and address of the obligor•s employer must accompany any order for withholding from income for child support.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Financial information sheet

A Financial Information Sheet showing each party’s income and expenses must be furnished in support- or property-rights hearings or trials.

A Financial Information Sheet showing the income and expenses of each party shall be furnished to the Court and opposing counsel not later than the commencement of hearing or trial in which the payment of support or property rights will be an issue.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Scheduling conference order

When directed, an attorney must prepare an order recording actions taken or agreements reached at the scheduling conference; once signed and entered, the order controls the action unless later modified by the Court.

The Judge will direct one of the attorneys to prepare an order reciting any action taken or agreements reached at the scheduling conference, and such order when signed and entered, shall control the subsequent course of the action, unless later modified by the Court.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pre trial order

A continued dismissal case must be reset by pretrial order, which must set deadlines for joinder, pleading amendments, depositions, discovery responses, and other pretrial matters.

The reset of any dismissal case continued shall be by a Pre-trial Order which also shall set forth deadlines for joinder of parties, amendment of pleadings, completing depositions, and the making of a response or supplemental response to discovery, and other pre-trial matters.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Case filing answer or appearance

Each party must designate one attorney as Lead Counsel when filing the case and when answering or appearing.

Each party shall designate upon filing of each case and each party at the time of answering or appearing therein shall designate one atto~ney as Lead Counsel for each such party.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Referral objection

An objection to referral must be written and state a reasonable basis for the objection.

Any party may, within ten (10) days after receiving notification of a referral, file a written objection which sets forth a reasonable basis for the party's objection to referral and the same shall be forthwith set by the Judge for hearing and resolution.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Monetary claim

A qualifying documented monetary claim may be presented without a hearing if attorney-fee affidavits or other supporting documents are presented to the Court with the request.

A monetary claim represented by an instrument in writing or on open account supported by documentary evidence shall be presented without necessity of hearing, provided that affidavits with respect to attorney fees or other supporting documents are presented to the court at the time of request for

CRITICAL

Applies to

Objection

An objection to a judgment must include a form of order setting a hearing on the objection.

Any objections to the judgment must include a form of order setting a hearing on the objection.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed property division

Each attorney must submit a proposed property division, including property claimed or recognized as separate, to the Court and opposing counsel.

Each attorney shall submit a proposed property division, including property claimed or recognized as separate property, to the Court and opposing counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Ex parte application

An application for ex parte relief must state whether the opposing party is represented by counsel and, if so, identify counsel by name.

All applications for ex parte relief shall state whether or not within the knowledge of the applicant and his attorney the opposing party is represented by counsel and if so the names of such counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Final judgment

A final judgment not approved by all appearing counsel or opposing parties must be forwarded to the Court.

All final judgments which are not approved by all counsel or opposing parties who appeared before the Court shall be forwarded to the Court

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Contested sapcr setting request

A written request for a setting on the Contested SAPCR Docket is required for a contested SAPCR issue to be heard.

the SAPCR issue will be heard only by a written request for a setting on the CONTESTED SAPCR DOCKET

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pleadings requests for settings and other filed documents

When a litigant has multiple lawyers or is represented by a law firm, one counsel must be identified as Leading Counsel or Counsel in Charge on pleadings, setting requests, and all other filed documents.

When a litigant is represented by a firm of lawyers or more than one lawyer, one counsel must be designated on the pleadings and on the requests for settings and all other documents filed as Leading Counsel or, Counsel in Charge.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Retainer notice

In criminal cases, attorneys must give the Judge's office and the Clerk written notice that they are employed in the case.

Attorneys are required to notify the office of the Judge and of the Clerk that they are employed in the case in writing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Child support order

Child support payments are to be ordered withheld from the obligor’s earnings.

Child support payments are to be ordered withheld from the obligor 1 s earnings.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Continuance motion

A motion to pass, postpone, or reset a jury trial must contain the correct name and address of every client represented by the movant.

The motion shall also contain the correct name and address of each client represented by the Movant.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Ai use certification

Must include

ai disclosure

The AI-use certification states that AI-created or AI-contributed information must be independently verified by a human using traditional legal sources before submission to the court.

Any information created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence — including, but not limited to, language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis — was, before submission to this court, independently verified as accurate using traditional (non-Al) legal sources by a human being.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Trial setting request

A request for a trial setting must be written and directed to the District Clerk.

If counsel for either party is requesting a setting for trial, the request shall be in writing and directed to the District Clerk, with a copy to opposing counsel and any pro se parties.

WARNING

Applies to

Docket sheet or notice of setting

The Judge must record when the trial was set on either a docket sheet or notice of setting.

The Judge shall make of record a note when the trial was set, such record to be either on a docket sheet or notice of setting.

WARNING

Applies to

Default judgment request

After the defendant's appearance date has passed, a written request for default judgment may be made with a form of judgment and any affidavits concerning unliquidated parts of the claim.

After the appearance date of the defendant in a case has passed, a written request for entry of a Default Judgment may be made, and a form of judgment presented, together with any affidavits as to unliquidated parts of such claim.

WARNING

Applies to

Claim for payment

A court-appointed attorney seeking Rate Basis compensation must submit an itemized, documented, and verified claim for payment.

A court-appointed attorney will be compensated on a "Fixed Fee Basis" as hereinafter set forth unless said attorney submits an itemi·zed, documented and· verified claim for payment on the 11 Rate Basis" before the conclusion of the final hearing on the case.

WARNING

Applies to

Jury charge and motions in limine

Counsel should prepare and submit the jury charge, reasonably anticipated special questions and instructions, and all Motions in Limine to the Court by the later of the pre-trial hearing or seven days before trial.

A jury charge, with special questions and instructions that may be reasonably anticipated and all Motions in Limine should be prepared and submitted to the Court at pre-trial hearing, or at least seven (7) days in advance of trial, whichever is later.

INFO

Applies to

Original divorce decree

Counsel and parties are encouraged to consider alternatives for the child’s minority and address them in the original divorce decree.

Counsel and parties are urged to consider all alternatives which may be needed during the minority of the child and the same be addressed in the original divorce decree so as to avoid the necessity for future court amendments and modifications.