33rd / 424th District Courts

An SASE is required for any item for which you desire an item to be mailed
back to you. Also, due to budget constraints, we will no longer fax
outbound to a long distance number except for items which the
Administrator considers to be time-critical or less expensive to fax
than to mail. Phone calls are returned collect.

Preferred manner of communication:

Email. Email the coordinator, get an email, it's in writing and no-one's workflow has been disturbed. Oh, and it's free.

Email: See the CONTACT US link. Only email the judge directly when specifically directed to do so.

SASE's TO GET DOCKETS:

We will not send dockets on either civil or criminal settings UNLESS you
furnish a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope with sufficient postage. They
often require up to $1.20 in postage and require a manila envelope due
to size. OR, you can sign up to receive them via email for free. Please
see the information on the Yahoo Groups system under email lists for further detail.

WHERE TO SEND PAPERS & ORDERS

Everything should be sent to the office of the District Clerk for the county in which the matter is pending, EXCEPT:

When specifically instructed to send it to Burnet.

Setting notices (Court Coordinator's copy -- which may be mailed/hand-carried or faxed)

Courtesy copies of materials for the Judge's review in preparation for a hearing
such as Motions for Summary Judgment and replies thereto.

Courtesy copies of matters to be heard outside of the county of filing.

JUDGE'S 'SQUAKS' a/k/a pet peeves ....

Counsel not getting orders/judgments back to the Court in a timely fashion. If
the other side won't approve your form, then submit it to the Court and
request signing after five business days if no written objection is
received by opposing counsel.

Requesting a setting without first making a genuine attempt to coordinate the date with opposing counsel.

Any Order prepared by counsel should be submitted to opposing counsel for approval as to form.

Attempts by counsel to pass a hearing "by agreement." There are no agreed passes
in this district without consent of the Court. Keep in mind that a
multi-county, general jurisdiction district does not sit in each county
on each docket daily. Scheduling is a problem and a pass just adds to
the backlog.

Non-dispositive motions (i.e. other than motions for summary judgment, jurisdictional,
abatement, etc) that are filed without consulting opposing counsel and
lack a certificate of conference on the motion.

Settling a case on Monday with the panel sitting there. In a multi-county,
general jurisdiction court where there is not a steady flow of jury
weeks in any one county, this wreaks havoc on the docket and means
someone who needed a trial is postponed. PLEASE settle by 4pm on Friday
so we can either queue up another case or call off the venire.

Counsel appearing for family law cases without the proposed property division
sheet or, where applicable, the financial info sheet being complete.
See local rules.