Court Procedures

Status Conferences

Trial Settings

Trial Continuances

Entry Docket

STATUS CONFERENCES

At the time of filing, all cases will be set for a Status Conference ninety (90) days from the filing date.

Cases will be removed from that Status Docket if an answer is filed or if service is obtained and a default judgment is subsequently filed with the County Clerk’s office prior to the Status Docket date.
Please call the Coordinator, Debra Worley at 713-368-6686 to remove a case from the Status Conference docket for either of the above reasons. You may also complete a Case Status Form and bring it to the Court on the date of the Status Conference or mail the form to the Court. If mailed, please be advised that it may take up to two (2) weeks to receive and process the form.

TRIAL SETTINGS

NON-JURY – Attorneys and parties must appear ready for trial at 9:00 a.m. on the date set in the Trial order.  All non-jury trials will be heard on that day.

JURY – Jury trials are set for a one (1) week docket.  The Court shall notify each party of their specific trial date via telephone.  Each party must provide a current telephone number to the Court.  If you are not notified by the Court that you are being called to trial by Wednesday of the week before the scheduled trial week, you will NOT be called to trial and your case will be re-set on a future docket.

All motions in limine and proposed jury charges must be filed with the Court by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday immediately preceding the trial week.  Please file these with the clerks on the 5th floor and tell the clerks the date of your trial week.

*Should the case settle prior to trial, please call Debra Worley, Trial Coordinator, at 713-368-6686 at your earliest convenience.

TRIAL CONTINUANCES

The Court will honor a timely filed vacation letter, provided the case has not already been preferentially set for trial.  To assert a vacation letter, file a continuance with a copy of the printout from the District Clerk’s Office attached and the case will be reset without a hearing.  The continuance must be filed by 9:00 a.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the Trial week.

Uncontested motions for continuance must be filed on or before 9:00 a.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the Trial week and will be submitted to the Court without a hearing if the case is less than two (2) years old.  All other continuances require a hearing with proper notice to the Court.

ENTRY DOCKET

No cases will be reset from the Entry of Judgment docket.  The Court will allow an additional two (2) weeks after the Entry date to allow for completion and signature(s) of paperwork.  After that, the case will be automatically dismissed by the Court.

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Downloads

Case Status Form

Court Procedures