Order Amending Local Rules Tweaks 1992 Rule Change
Recently I’ve been tweaking something from 1992. So has the Court.
General Orders
EDTX local rule changes
The court just issued a set of local rule changes, effective December 1. The changes affect only L.R. AT-2(b) dealing with reciprocal attorney discipline.
EDTX General Order on Filing of “Highly Sensitive Documents”
The EDTX order on HSD filings came out this morning.
EDTX Local Rule Changes
Changes to the unopposed filings and invalidity contention requirements.
COVID-19 General Orders Amended
The EDTX judges met by videoconference earlier today and adopted the following revisions to the COVID-19 – related General Orders.
General Order Restricting EDTX Courthouse Access
I just realized this post on the General Order establishing targeted visitor restrictions for EDTX courthouses through May 1, didn’t go up when it should have. Here it is, with my apologies.
General Order (No, a Different One) Closing Plano Courthouse
The Plano courthouse is now closed as result of a visit by a person with a “presumptive positive” diagnosis for the COVID-19 virus.
EDTX Jury Trials Cancelled to May 1; Other Deadlines Continue to Run
This General Order provides additional guidance regarding EDTX operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The important take-away is that all jury trials which were scheduled to begin through May 1, 2020 are continued to a date to be reset by each presiding judge. But that continuance of the trial settings does not continue any pending deadlines other than the trial dates.
Similar to Judge Gilstrap’s prior order for his cases, attorneys should contact the presiding judges in their cases if they need to modify other deadlines. Individual judges may continue to hold proceedings as they deem appropriate, and counsel, again, are directed to seek relief from those matters by appropriate motions when necessary. “This order is intended to afford each presiding judge with maximum discretion to handle their respective dockets (aside from jury trials addressed above) as they deem best considering the totality of the circumstances.”
New General Orders Assigning EDTX Civil and Criminal Actions
When your district gets two new judges in the same month you get – two new orders assigning civil & criminal actions, and not always just to the judges you’d expect.
Changes to EDTX Jury Wheel
Currently, EDTX jury wheels draw from lists of registered voters. Other courts, such as, for example the adjacent Northern District of Texas, draw from voter lists and drivers license lists, and eliminate duplicates. The EDTX proposes to change to a similar system including drivers licenses. If the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council approves, the change will take effect on January 1, 2020. (I know they don’t actually use rotating drums with slips of paper any more, but I’m fond of the old terminology).