New: a trial court in 1 of every 10 U.S. counties. Read the post
Court Rules
Judge Megan Fahey
Judge

Judge Megan Fahey

Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies

Tarrant County Civil District Courts

Limits & Logistics

Courtesy Copies

Exhibits

  • 2 copies

Communication

Email
348dc@tarrantcountytx.gov
Email
pafutrell@tarrantcountytx.gov
Filters:

Document Format Requirements7 rules

FormattingMandatory

Please submit your proposed orders in word format by email to 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov

Applies to
  • Proposed order

Formatting

  • Submitted in word format
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionCourt’s Policies and Procedures
FormattingMandatory

A required hearing binder must be appropriately tabbed.

Applies to
  • Motion
  • Opposition
  • Reply
  • Exhibits
  • More than 50 pages

Formatting

  • Appropriately tabbed

Court's wording

If your motion, response, reply, and/or related exhibits combined are in excess of 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver to the Court by 12 p.m. the day before the hearing a binder containing all documents related to the hearing (e.g., both parties’ motions, responses, replies, exhibits, and attachments) appropriately tabbed with a table of contents. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the hearing.

Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionCourt’s Policies and Procedures
FormattingImportant

All other exhibits you wish to offer are to be submitted at the time of hearing or trial in hard-copy form.

File type
Paper
Applies to
  • Exhibits

Formatting

  • Excludes video/audio file exhibits
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionGUIDELINES FOR VIDEO/AUDIO FILE EXHIBITS:
FormattingImportant

Please bring correctly sized and formatted audio/video exhibits on a flash drive to be given to the court reporter at the time of your trial or hearing.

Applies to
  • Audio video exhibits

Formatting

  • Correctly sized and formatted
  • Brought on a flash drive
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionGUIDELINES FOR VIDEO/AUDIO FILE EXHIBITS:
FormattingImportant

“…audio and video files may be submitted in MP3 or MP4 format with a file size limit of 10GB.”

Applies to
  • Audio video exhibits

Formatting

  • MP3 or MP4 format
  • Maximum file size of 10GB
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionGUIDELINES FOR VIDEO/AUDIO FILE EXHIBITS:
FormattingImportant

Please have exhibits numerically marked, tabbed, and in binders.

Applies to
  • Exhibits

Formatting

  • Numerically marked
  • Tabbed
  • Placed in binders
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionGUIDELINES FOR EXHIBITS DURING HEARINGS AND TRIALS:
FormattingImportant

All exhibits are to be in hard-copy form except for video/audio file exhibits.

File type
Paper
Applies to
  • Exhibits

Formatting

  • Hard-copy form is required except for video/audio file exhibits
Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionGUIDELINES FOR EXHIBITS DURING HEARINGS AND TRIALS:

Document Filing Requirements1 rule

Filing RequirementsMandatory

A hearing binder assembled for documents exceeding 50 combined pages must include a table of contents.

Document
Hearing binder

Must include

  • Table of contents

Court's wording

If your motion, response, reply, and/or related exhibits combined are in excess of 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver to the Court by 12 p.m. the day before the hearing a binder containing all documents related to the hearing (e.g., both parties’ motions, responses, replies, exhibits, and attachments) appropriately tabbed with a table of contents. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the hearing.

Tarrant:03a5492720b8ead4a6569fa1|SectionCourt’s Policies and Procedures

Filing & Service rules

Filing Timing and Cure Windows

For hearing-related documents exceeding 50 combined pages, the binder is due to the court by 12 p.m. on the day before the hearing.

If your motion, response, reply, and/or related exhibits combined are in excess of 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver to the Court by 12 p.m. the day before the hearing a binder containing all documents related to the hearing (e.g., both parties’ motions, responses, replies, exhibits, and attachments) appropriately tabbed with a table of contents. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the hearing.

Page 1 | Court’s Policies and Procedures

Courtesy Copy Requirements

Two copies of the exhibits must be provided, including one courtesy copy for the judge.

Please provide TWO (2) copies, one for the witness/jury/court reporter and a courtesy copy for the Judge.

Page 1 | GUIDELINES FOR EXHIBITS DURING HEARINGS AND TRIALS:

Filing Bundling Requirements

When the combined motion, response, reply, and related exhibits exceed 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver a binder containing all hearing-related documents by noon on the preceding day, failing which the hearing may be cancelled.

If your motion, response, reply, and/or related exhibits combined are in excess of 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver to the Court by 12 p.m. the day before the hearing a binder containing all documents related to the hearing (e.g., both parties’ motions, responses, replies, exhibits, and attachments) appropriately tabbed with a table of contents. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the hearing.

Page 1 | Court’s Policies and Procedures

Chambers Communication Rules

Proposed orders must be submitted by email to 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov.

Please submit your proposed orders in word format by email to 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov

Page 1 | Court’s Policies and Procedures

For Zoom hearings, marked exhibits must be emailed to pafutrell@tarrantcountytx.gov at least one hour before the hearing.

If your hearing is by Zoom, please provide your marked exhibits to pafutrell@tarrantcountytx.gov at least one hour before your hearing.

Page 1 | GUIDELINES FOR EXHIBITS DURING HEARINGS AND TRIALS:

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 24 rules apply across Tarrant County Civil District Courts. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Service

All 8
  • Service
    Mail

    For purposes of these local rules, “counsel” includes a party proceeding without an attorney.

  • Discovery documents and related materials must be served on all other lead counsel or parties but generally must not be filed with the clerk except by special order.

  • Discovery responses and related material must be served on all other lead counsel or parties and filed with the Clerk, although items designated optional need only be served and may be filed.

Filing Requirements

All 8
  • Applies to
    Motion

    A motion seeking affirmative relief must include an order granting or denying the motion, or the order must be brought to the hearing.

  • Applies to
    Certificate of Written Discovery

    The original or an exact copy of the listed discovery responses and related material must be retained during the case and related appellate proceedings and for one year afterward, with a Certificate of Written Discovery signed and filed when necessary.

  • Applies to
    Certificate of Written Discovery

    A signed Certificate of Written Discovery must be filed with the clerk whenever Rule 1.07(b) discovery materials are retained or sent to another party.

Adjournments

All 3

  • If a case is set for trial by the court on a date for which an attorney has planned a vacation, the attorney will notify the Court as soon as the notice of trial setting is received and the case may be reset for a different time at the discretion of the court. If plans for a vacation are made by an attorney after a trial setting notice.has been received, the attorney will immediately notify the Court and other parties with a request that the case be reset for a different time. The Court will rule on such request after giving all parties to the lawsuit an opportunity to respond to the request.

  • A continuance motion based on facts arising on or after the Wednesday before trial must be filed as soon as possible and will be heard at a time set by the Court.

  • A continuance motion ordinarily must be filed by the Wednesday preceding trial and heard at 2:00 p.m. the following Thursday, unless the Court sets otherwise.

Pre-Motion Conferences

All 2

  • A motion, objection, or special exception may not be set for hearing unless the moving party includes the prescribed conference certification in the filing or a separate letter.

  • The conference-certification requirement does not apply to dispositive motions, including summary-judgment, dismissal, cause-of-action dismissal, and new-trial motions.

More categories

View all Tarrant County Civil District Courts rules
About Judge Megan Fahey
  • Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building
  • 3rd Floor
  • 100 North Calhoun Street
  • Fort Worth, TX 76196
  • Court phone: 817-884-2715
  • Court Coordinator: Hillary Fillmore (817-884-2715, 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov)
  • Administrative Court Clerk: Lisa Adams (817-884-2787, LAAdams@tarrantcountytx.gov)
  • Court Reporter: Pennie Futrell (817-884-1790, pafutrell@tarrantcountytx.gov)
  • Associate Clerk (817-884-2902)
  • Bailiff: Cesar Castillo (817-884-3453)
Common questions about Judge Megan Fahey's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge Megan Fahey?

Courtesy-copy rule applies for exhibits. Details: 2 copies. Two copies of the exhibits must be provided, including one courtesy copy for the judge.

View ruleSource: page 1, section GUIDELINES FOR EXHIBITS DURING HEARINGS AND TRIALS:

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Megan Fahey?

Judge Megan Fahey's formatting rule includes submitted in word format.. Proposed orders must be submitted in word format by email to the specified address.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Court’s Policies and Procedures

What must be included with hearing binder filings before Judge Megan Fahey?

The rule requires table of contents. A hearing binder assembled for documents exceeding 50 combined pages must include a table of contents.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Court’s Policies and Procedures

How may parties contact Judge Megan Fahey's chambers?

The rule lists email 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov. Proposed orders must be submitted by email to 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Court’s Policies and Procedures

Does Judge Megan Fahey require motion papers to be bundled?

When the combined motion, response, reply, and related exhibits exceed 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver a binder containing all hearing-related documents by noon on the preceding day, failing which the hearing may be cancelled.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Court’s Policies and Procedures

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge Megan Fahey?

The rule states a 12 p.m. filing cutoff. For hearing-related documents exceeding 50 combined pages, the binder is due to the court by 12 p.m. on the day before the hearing.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Court’s Policies and Procedures
Complete rules summary for Judge Megan Fahey

Proposed orders must be submitted in word format by email to the specified address.

Proposed orders must be submitted by email to 348DC@tarrantcountytx.gov.

For hearing-related documents exceeding 50 combined pages, the binder is due to the court by 12 p.m. on the day before the hearing.

A required hearing binder must be appropriately tabbed.

A hearing binder assembled for documents exceeding 50 combined pages must include a table of contents.

Exhibits must be submitted in hard-copy form unless they are video or audio file exhibits.

Exhibits should be numerically marked, tabbed, and placed in binders.

Two copies of the exhibits must be provided, including one courtesy copy for the judge.

For Zoom hearings, marked exhibits must be emailed to pafutrell@tarrantcountytx.gov at least one hour before the hearing.

Audio and video exhibits may be submitted in MP3 or MP4 format, with a maximum file size of 10GB.

Audio and video exhibits must be brought on a flash drive and given to the court reporter at the time of the trial or hearing.

All exhibits other than video/audio file exhibits must be submitted in hard-copy form at the time of the hearing or trial.

When the combined motion, response, reply, and related exhibits exceed 50 pages, the party requesting a hearing must deliver a binder containing all hearing-related documents by noon on the preceding day, failing which the hearing may be cancelled.

More Judges in Tarrant County Civil District Courts

Chris Taylor
Judge
Don Cosby
Judge
Dusty Fillmore
Judge
J. Patrick Gallagher
Judge
John P. Chupp
Judge
Josh Burgess
Judge
Kimberly Fitzpatrick
Judge
Melody Wilkinson
Judge