Source: http://www.txed.uscourts.gov/page1.shtml?location=rules:local&r=index.shtml
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 18:25:04
Document Index: 197024071

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2255', '§ 2241', '§ 2255', '§ 753', '§ 1827', '§ 455', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 753', '§ 2255', '§ 102', '§ 112', '§ 112']

Chief Judge Leonard DavisRichard SchellThad HeartfieldMarcia A. CroneRon ClarkMichael H. SchneiderRodney GilstrapAmos L. MazzantCaroline M. CravenDon D. BushKeith F. GiblinJohn D. LoveZack HawthornRoy PayneK. Nicole Mitchell
LOCAL RULES AND APPENDIXES
(b) These rules may be known and cited as Local Civil Rules.
(c) The Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims, as adopted by the Supreme Court of the United States, shall govern all admiralty and maritime actions in this court.
(b) Page Limitations for Petitions for a Writ of Habeas Corpus and 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motions.Absent leave of court, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241 and 2254 habeas corpus petitions and 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motions and the initial responsive pleadings thereto, shall not exceed thirty pages in non-death penalty cases, and one hundred pages in death penalty cases, excluding attachments. Replies and sur-replies, along with all other motions and responses thereto, shall not exceed fifteen pages in length in non-death penalty cases and thirty pages in length in death penalty cases, excluding attachments. All documents that exceed ten pages in length shall include a table of contents and table of authorities, with page references. Such tables and certificates of service and conference of counsel shall not be counted against the indicated page limit.
If service of summons is not waived, an original and two copies of the summons in a civil action must be prepared by the attorney for the plaintiff and submitted for each defendant to be served with a copy of the complaint. The clerk is required to collect the filing fee authorized by federal statute before accepting a complaint for filing.
(b) Electronic Filing of Complaints. Attorneys must electronically file a civil complaint upon opening a civil case in CM/ECF. See LOCAL RULE CV-3.
(d) Service of civil process shall not be executed by the United States marshal except for government initiated process, extraordinary writ, or when ordered to do so by a judge.
(1) The attorney (or any plaintiff acting pro se) seeking service of civil process upon a pleading filed in this district will be responsible for designating a person over the age of eighteen years who is not a party in the case to make service.
(2) Service may be made by such designated person by personal service pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 4, or by mailing a copy of the pleadings and summons by registered or certified mail to the person (restricted to addressee only) with return receipt requested, in accordance with Texas law.
(3) The service of subpoenas shall be completed pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 45(c). A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party or attorney in the case and who is not less than eighteen years of age.
(4) The party requesting service shall be responsible for preparing all process forms to be supplied by the clerk. When process is to be served by the United States marshal, the party seeking service shall complete the required U.S. Marshal Form 285.
(e) Service through the Secretary of State for the State of Texas may be accomplished in the same manner as in (d)(1) and (d)(2) above and must be in accordance with applicable Texas statutes [two copies of the summons and complaint are required, as well as a fee to be paid to the Secretary of State].
(B) filing from pro se litigants (prisoner and non-prisoner); (C) return of the completed summons or waiver of service in a civil case;
(A) The clerk shall register all attorneys admitted to the bar of this court, including those admitted pro hac vice, as Filing Users of the court’s Electronic Filing System. Registration as a Filing User constitutes consent to electronic service of all documents as provided in these rules in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. The clerk shall provide Filing Users with a user log-in and password once registration is completed. Filing Users agree to protect the security of their passwords and immediately notify the clerk if they learn that their password has been compromised. After registration, attorneys are required to maintain their own account information, including changes in e-mail address. Documents sent from the court will be deemed delivered if sent to the last known e-mail address given to the court. (B) If the court permits, a party to a pending proceeding who is not represented by an attorney may register as a Filing User in the Electronic Filing System solely for purposes of the action. If, during the course of the proceeding, the party retains an attorney who appears on the party’s behalf, the attorney must advise the clerk to terminate the party’s registration as a Filing User upon the attorney’s appearance.
(5) Signatures. The user log-in and password required to submit documents to the Electronic Filing System serves as the Filing User’s signature on all electronic documents filed with the court. The name of the Filing User under whose log-in and password the document is submitted must be preceded by either an image of the Filing User’s signature or an "/s/" typed in the space where the signature would otherwise appear. See also Local Rule CV-11 (c), "Signing the Pleadings."
(6) Attachments and Exhibits. Filing Users must submit and describe each exhibit or attachment with specificity as a separate PDF document, unless the court permits conventional filing. See LOCAL RULES CV-5(a)(4) ("File Size Limitations"), CV-7(b) ("Documents Supporting Motions"), and CV-56(d) ("Proper Summary Judgment Evidence"). Non-documentary exhibits to motions (e.g., CD-ROM disks) should be filed with the clerk’s office with a copy to the presiding judge.
(B) A motion to file document(s) under seal must be filed separately from the document(s) sought to be sealed. A motion to seal that is filed as a sealed document does not need to include the certification specified in Section (A) above. See LOCAL RULE CR-49(b) (additional rules regarding the filing of sealed documents in criminal cases).
(C) Documents requested or authorized to be filed under seal or ex parte shall be filed in electronic form. Service in "electronic form" shall be of documents identical in all respects to the documents(s) filed with the court; service copies shall not include encryption, password security, or other extra steps to open or access unless the same are found in the document as filed. All sealed or ex parte documents filed with the court must comply with the file size and other form requirements of Local Rules CV-5(a) and CV-7. Counsel is responsible for serving documents under seal to opposing counsel and may do so in electronic form. Counsel is also responsible for complying with Local Rule CV-5(a)(9) regarding courtesy copies of filings. When a sealed order is entered by the court, the clerk will send a sealed copy of the order only to the lead attorney for each party who is responsible for distributing the order to all other counsel of record for that party. See LOCAL RULE CV-11.
(9) Paper Copies of Lengthy Documents. If a document to be filed electronically exceeds ten pages in length, including attachments, a paper copy of the filed document must be sent contemporaneously to the presiding judge’s chambers. A copy of the "Notice of Electronic Filing" must be attached to the front of the paper copy of the document that was electronically filed. The paper copy should be sent directly to the judge’s chambers and not to the clerk’s office. See LOCAL RULE CV-10(b) (regarding tabs and dividers for voluminous documents). Judges may opt out of this rule by entering an order. Such orders can be found on the court’s website, located at www.txed.uscourts.gov.
(d) Service by Facsimile or Electronic Means Authorized. Parties may serve copies of pleadings and other case related documents to other parties by facsimile or electronic means in compliance with Local Rule CV-5(a) in lieu of service and notice by mail. Such service is deemed complete upon sending. Service after 5:00 p.m. Central Time shall be deemed served on the following day.
(e) Service of Documents Filed by Pro Se Litigants. A document filed by a pro se litigant shall be deemed "served" for purposes of calculating deadlines under the Local Rules or Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on the date it is electronically docketed in the court’s CM/ECF system.
(a) Electronic Filing of Transcripts by Court Reporters. The following procedures apply to all court transcripts filed on or after May 19, 2008. The court reporter or transcriber shall electronically file all court transcripts, including a completed version of the attached "Notice of Filing of Official Transcript." Upon request, the clerk shall make an electronic version of any transcript available for public inspection without charge at the clerk’s office public terminal. See 28 U.S.C. § 753(b).
(3) Within seven days of the filing of the transcript in CM/ECF, each party wishing to redact a transcript must inform the court, by filing the attached "Notice of Intent to Request Redaction", of the party’s intent to redact personal data identifiers from the transcript as required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2. If no such notice is filed within the allotted time, the court will assume redaction of personal data identifiers from the transcript is not necessary.
(6) If, after the ninety-day period has ended, there are no redaction documents or motions linked to the transcript, the clerk will remove the public access restrictions and make the unredacted transcript available for inspection and copying in the clerk’s office and for download from the PACER system.
(7) If, after the ninety-day period has ended, a redacted transcript has been filed with the court, the clerk will remove the access restrictions as appropriate and make the redacted transcript available for inspection and copying in the clerk’s office and for download from the PACER system or from the court reporter or transcriber.
(a) General Rule. When a party may or must act within a specified time after service, three days are added after the period would otherwise expire under Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(a), regardless of the method of service. This three-day extension applies only to responses due within a certain time after "service" of a preceding document.
(a) Generally. All pleadings, motions and responses to motions, unless made during a hearing or trial, shall be in writing, conform to the requirements of Local Rules CV-5 and CV-10, and shall be accompanied by a separate proposed order in searchable and editable PDF format for the judge’s signature. Each pleading, motion or response to a motion must be filed as a separate document, except for motions for alternative relief, e.g., a motion to dismiss or, alternatively, to transfer. The proposed order shall be endorsed with the style and number of the cause and shall not include a date or signature block. Motions, responses, replies, and proposed orders, if filed electronically, shall be submitted in "searchable PDF" format and shall not contain restrictions or security settings that prohibit copying, highlighting or commenting. All other documents, including attachments and exhibits, should be in "searchable PDF" form whenever possible.
(h) "Meet and Confer" Requirement. The "meet and confer" motions practice requirement imposed by this rule has two components, a substantive and a procedural component. For opposed motions, the substantive component requires, at a minimum, a personal conference, by telephone or in person, between an attorney for the movant and an attorney for the non-movant. In any discovery-related motion, the substantive component requires, at a minimum, a personal conference, by telephone or in person, between the lead attorney and any local counsel for the movant and the lead attorney and any local counsel for the non-movant.
Except as otherwise provided by this rule, a request for court intervention is not appropriate until the participants have met and conferred, in good faith, and concluded, in good faith, that the discussions have conclusively ended in an impasse, leaving an open issue for the court to resolve. Good faith requires honesty in one’s purpose to discuss meaningfully the dispute, freedom from intention to defraud or abuse the discovery process and faithfulness to one’s obligation to secure information without court intervention. For opposed motions, correspondence, e-mails, and facsimile transmissions do not constitute compliance with the substantive component and are not evidence of good faith. Such materials, however, may be used to show bad faith of the author.
An unreasonable failure to meet and confer violates Local Rule AT-3 and is grounds for disciplinary action. A party may file an opposed motion without the required conference only when the non-movant has acted in bad faith by failing to meet and confer. The procedural requirement of the "meet and confer" rule is one of certification. It appears in Section (i) of this rule, entitled "Certificates of Conference."
(i) Certificates of Conference. Except as specified below, all motions must be accompanied by a "certificate of conference" at the end of the motion following the certificate of service. The certificate must state: (1) that counsel has complied with the meet and confer requirement in Local Rule CV-7(h); and (2) whether the motion is opposed or unopposed. Opposed motions shall include a statement in the certificate of conference, signed by the movant’s attorney, that the personal conference or conferences required by this rule have been conducted or were attempted, the date and manner of such conference(s) or attempts, the names of the participants in the conference(s), an explanation of why no agreement could be reached, and a statement that discussions have conclusively ended in an impasse, leaving an open issue for the court to resolve. In discovery-related motions, the certificate of conference shall be signed by the lead attorney and any local counsel. In situations involving an unreasonable failure to meet and confer, the movant shall set forth in the certificate of conference the facts believed to constitute bad faith. Neither the "meet and confer" nor the "certificate of conference" requirements are applicable to pro se litigants (prisoner or non-prisoner) or to the following motions:
(5) for judgment of acquittal in a criminal case;
(6) motions to suppress in criminal cases;
(7) for new trial;
(8) issuance of letters rogatory;
(9) objections to report and recommendations of magistrate judges or special masters;
(10) for reconsideration;
(11) for sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 11, provided the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(c)(2) have been met; and
(12) for writs of garnishment, and
(13) any motion that is joined by, agreed to, or unopposed by, all the parties.
(k) Motions for Leave to File. With the exception of motions to exceed page limitations, motions for leave to file a document must be accompanied by the document sought to be filed. The motion and the document should be filed separately. If the motion for leave to file is granted, the document will be deemed to have been filed as of the original date of its filing. If the motion is denied, the previously filed document will be stricken. The time for filing any responsive documents shall run from the date of the order granting the motion for leave to file.
(m) Emergency Motions. Counsel filing an emergency motion should ensure that: (1) the caption of the motion begins with the word "emergency;" (2) the motion is electronically filed using the CM/ECF drop down menu option entitled "emergency;" and (3) the chambers of the presiding judge is notified, either by telephone, e-mail, or fax, that an emergency motion has been filed.
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-9 Pleadings and Special Matters
Admiralty and Maritime Claims. Admiralty and maritime claims in this court are governed by the Local Admiralty Rules, which appear as Appendix A to these rules.
(2) have a caption containing the name and party designation of the party filing the document and a statement of the character of the document clearly identifying it (e.g., Defendant John Doe’s Answer; Defendant John Doe’s Motion to Dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6)) ( see LOCAL RULE CV-38(a) (cases involving jury demands); see also LOCAL RULE CV-7(a) (each motion must be filed as a separate document, except when the motion concerns a request for alternative relief));
(4) when filed by paper, be plainly written, typed, or printed, double-spaced, on 8 1/2 inch by 11inch white paper; and
(c) Covers. "Blue backs" and other covers are not to be submitted with paper filings.
(2) Hyperlinks to PACER that contains a source document for a citation;
(a) Designation. On first appearance through counsel, each party shall designate a lead attorney on the pleadings or otherwise.
(b) Responsibility. The lead attorney is responsible in that action for the party. That individual attorney shall attend all court proceedings or send a fully informed attorney with authority to bind the client.
(c) Signing the Pleadings. Every document filed must be signed by the lead attorney or by an attorney of record who has the permission of the lead attorney. Requests for postponement of the trial shall also be signed by the party making the request.
(d) Withdrawal of Counsel. Attorneys may withdraw from a case only by motion and order under conditions imposed by the court. Change of counsel will not be cause for delay.
(e) Change of Address. Notices will be sent only to an e-mail and/or mailing address on file. A pro se litigant must provide the court with a physical address, i.e., a P.O. box is not acceptable, and is responsible for keeping the clerk advised in writing of the current physical address. Pro se litigants must include in this advisement of the case numbers of all pending cases in which they are participants in this district.
(f) Request for Termination of Electronic Notice. If an attorney no longer desires to receive electronic notification of filings in a particular case due to settlement and/or dismissal of his/her client, the attorney may file a request for termination of electronic notice.
(g) Sanctions Concerning Vexatious Pro Se Litigants. The court may make orders as are appropriate to control the conduct of a vexatious pro se litigant. See LOCAL RULE CV-65.1(b).
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-16 Pretrial Conferences; Scheduling; Management
(a) Scheduling Conferences. Within sixty days after the first defendant appears, the judge assigned to a case shall convene a scheduling conference pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 16 and 26. The scheduling conference may be conducted in the courtroom, by telephone, mail, or other suitable means at the judge’s discretion. A scheduling order will be entered in every case.
(b) Pretrial Orders. Pretrial orders will be standardized and used by each judge. The standardized form can be found on the court's website.
(1) When listing the cases in which the witness has testified as an expert, the disclosure shall include the styles of the cases, the courts in which the cases were pending, the cause numbers, and whether the testimony was in trial or deposition. (2) By order in the case, the judge may alter the type or form of disclosures to be made with respect to particular experts or categories of experts, such as treating physicians.
(d) Relevant to the Claim or Defense. The following observations are provided for counsel’s guidance in evaluating whether a particular piece of information is "relevant to the claim or defense of any party:"
In cases where there is a neutral non-party witness or a witness whom all parties must examine, the time limit shall be divided equally among plaintiffs and defendants. Depositions may be taken after 5:00 p.m., on weekends, or holidays with approval of a judge or by agreement of counsel. Unless permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 30(c)(2), a party may not instruct a deponent not to answer a question. Objections to questions during the oral deposition are limited to "Objection, leading" and "Objection, form". Objections to testimony during the oral deposition are limited to "Objection, nonresponsive." These objections are waived if not stated as phrased during the oral deposition. All other objections need not be made or recorded during the oral deposition to be later raised with the court. The objecting party must give a clear and concise explanation of an objection if requested by the party taking the oral deposition, or the objection is waived.
Authorizations. At any time after the parties have conferred as required by Rule 26(f), a party may request medical records, wage and earning records, or Social Security Administration records of another party as follows:
(1) Where a party’s physical or mental condition is at issue in the case, that party shall provide to the opposing party’s counsel either the party’s medical records or a signed authorization so that records of health care providers which are relevant to injuries and damages claimed may be obtained. If additional records are desired, the requesting party will have to show the need for them. (2) Where lost earnings, lost earning capacity, or back pay is at issue in the case, the party making such claims shall furnish signed authorizations to the opposing party’s counsel so that wage and earning records of past and present employers, and the Social Security Administration records, may be obtained.
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-38 Jury Trial of Right
(a) Jury Demand.
A party demanding trial by jury pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 38(b) is encouraged to do so by electronically filing a separate document styled as a "jury demand." If the jury demand is included in a pleading, that pleading must bear the word "jury" at the top, immediately below the case number. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 38(b)(1).
(b) Selection of Jurors.
Trial jurors shall be selected at random in accordance with a plan adopted by this court pursuant to applicable federal statutes and rules.
(c) Taxation of Jury Costs for Late Settlement.
Except for good cause shown, whenever the settlement of an action tried by a jury causes a trial to be postponed, canceled, or terminated before a verdict, all juror costs, including attendance fees, mileage, and subsistence, may be imposed upon the parties unless counsel has notified the court and the clerk’s office of the settlement at least one day prior to the day on which the trial is scheduled to begin. The costs shall be assessed equally against the parties and their counsel unless otherwise ordered by the court.
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-41 Dismissal of Actions
A dismissal for failure to prosecute may be ordered by this court upon motion by an adverse party or upon this court’s own motion.
(b) Consolidation - Single Judge Involved. When two or more actions are pending before a judge which involve either: (1) a common question of law or fact; or (2) the same parties and issues; or (3) different or additional parties and issues all of which arise out of the same transaction or occurrence, that judge may order that all or part of the actions be consolidated.
(c) Consolidation - Multiple Judges Involved. When actions that may be consolidated under (b) above have been filed with two or more judges, the actions, upon consolidation, shall be assigned to the judge who was assigned the initial action or actions. The judge assigned the initial action or actions has the prerogative of declining the transfer and assignment of the additional action or actions.
Interpreters in Civil Cases Not Instituted by the United States. The presiding judge shall approve the utilization of interpreters in all civil cases not instituted by the United States. Absent a judicial order to the contrary, the presiding judge shall encourage the use of certified interpreters, or when no certified interpreter is reasonably available, "otherwise qualified" interpreters. See 28 U.S.C. § 1827(b). The presiding judge may approve the use of an interpreter who is not certified or "otherwise qualified" if no certified or "otherwise qualified" interpreter is reasonably available. Upon request, the clerk of court shall make lists of certified and otherwise qualified interpreters available to parties.
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-47 Selection of Jurors
Summary Judgment Procedure.
(a) Motion. Any motion for summary judgment must include: (1) a statement of the issues to be decided by the court; and (2) a "Statement of Undisputed Material Facts." If the movant relies upon evidence to support its motion, the motion should include appropriate citations to proper summary judgment evidence as set forth below. Proper summary judgment evidence should be attached to the motion in accordance with Section (d) of this rule.
(b) Response. Any response to a motion for summary judgment must include: (1) any response to the statement of issues; and (2) any response to the "Statement of Undisputed Material Facts." The response should be supported by appropriate citations to proper summary judgment evidence as set forth below. Proper summary judgment evidence should be attached to the response in accordance with Section (d) of this rule.
(d) Proper summary judgment evidence. As used within this rule, "proper summary judgment evidence" means excerpted copies of pleadings, depositions, documents, electronically stored information, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits or declarations, stipulations (including those made for purposes of the motion only), and other admissible evidence cited in the motion for summary judgment or the response thereto. The phrase "appropriate citations" means that any excerpted evidentiary materials that are attached to the motion or the response should be referred to by page and, if possible, by line. Counsel are strongly encouraged to highlight or underline the cited portion of any attached evidentiary materials, unless the citation encompasses the entire page. The page preceding and following a highlighted page may be submitted if necessary to place the highlighted material in its proper context. Only relevant, cited-to excerpts of evidentiary materials should be attached to the motion or the response.
(d) Recusal When Former Judge of this District Appears as Counsel. For a period of one year after the retirement or resignation of a former federal judge of this district, the judges of this court shall recuse themselves in any case in which the former colleague appears as counsel. See 28 U.S.C. § 455; Committee on Codes of Conduct Advisory Opinion No. 70.
(b) Objections to Nondispositive Matters — 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A). An objection to a magistrate judge's order made on a non-dispositive matter shall be specific. Any objection and response thereto shall not exceed five pages. Any replies or sur-replies shall not exceed three pages.
(c ) Review of Case Dispositive Motions and Prisoner Litigation — 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B). Objections to reports and recommendations and any response thereto shall not exceed eight pages; any replies or sur-replies shall not exceed four pages.
(1) The clerk of court shall notify the parties in all civil cases that they may consent to have a magistrate judge conduct any or all proceedings in the case and order the entry of a final judgment. Additional notices may be furnished to the parties at later stages of the proceedings, and may be included with pretrial notices and instructions. (2) The clerk shall not file consent forms unless they have been signed by all the parties or their respective counsel in a case. No consent form will be made available, nor will the contents be made known to any judge, unless all parties have consented to the reference to a magistrate judge. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 73(b); 28 U.S.C. 636(c)(2).
Notice of Orders, Judgments, and Other Filings. The clerk may serve and give notice of orders, judgments, and other filings by e-mail in lieu of service and notice by conventional mail to any person who has signed a filed pleading or document and provided an e-mail address with his/her pleadings as specified in Local Rule CV-11(c)(1)(F). Any other attorney who wishes to receive notice of judicial orders, judgments, and other filings must file a notice of appearance of counsel with the court. By providing the court with an e-mail address, the party submitting the pleadings is deemed to have consented to receive service and notice of judicial orders and judgments from the clerk by e-mail. Lead attorneys who wish to be excluded from receiving judicial notices by e-mail may do so by filing a motion with the court; non-lead attorneys who wish to be excluded from e-mail noticing may do so by filing a notice with the court.
[+] LOCAL RULE CV-79 Books and Records Kept by the Clerk
(1) The parties shall not su bmit exhibits to the clerk’s office prior to a hearing/trial without an order of the court. The clerk shall return to the party any physical exhibits not complyingwith this rule.
(2) Exhibits shall be properly marked but not placed in binders. Multiple-paged documentary exhibits should be properly fastened. Additional copies of exhibits may be submitted in binders for the court’s use.
(4) In cases appealed to the Fifth Circuit in which there was a hearing/trial, counsel must file all admitted exhibits within 14 days of the filing of the notice of appeal. See also Local Rule CR-55(a)(4).
(1) The clerk is authorized to routinely and immediately dispose of, without seeking a judge’s permission, any papers or items sent to the court by prisoners or other litigants that are smeared with or contain blood, hair, food, feces, urine, or other body fluids. Although "[t]he clerk shall not refuse to accept for filing any paper presented for that purpose solely because it is not presented in proper form," FED. R. CIV. P. 5(e), papers or other items containing or smeared with excrement or body fluids can be excepted from this rule on the ground that they constitute a health hazard to court employees and can be refused by the clerk for that reason, which is a reason other than improper form.
(e) Patent Rules. The "Rules of Practice for Patent Cases before the Eastern District of Texas" attached as Appendix B to these rules shall apply to all civil actions filed in or transferred to this court which allege infringement of a utility patent in a complaint, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third party claim, or which seek a declaratory judgment that a utility patent is not infringed, is invalid, or is unenforceable. Judges may opt out of this rule by entering an order. Such orders can be found on the court’s website, located at www.txed.uscourts.gov.
(a) The rules of procedure in any criminal proceeding in this court are those prescribed by the laws of the United States, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, these local rules, and any orders entered by the court. These rules shall be construed as consistent with acts of Congress and rules of practice and procedure prescribed by the Supreme Court of the United States and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
(b) These rules may be known and cited as Local Criminal Rules.
(c) The disposition of criminal cases shall be governed by the Plan for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, for Achieving Prompt Disposition of Criminal Cases.
(d) Nothing in this rule shall be construed to limit the jurisdiction of a United States magistrate judge serving in the Eastern District of Texas acting pursuant to powers directly conferred by act of Congress or applicable rule.
In the interest of reducing delays and costs, judges and magistrate judges may conduct the arraignment at the same time as the post-indictment initial appearance. The defendant may also file a written waiver of arraignment with the court.
[+] LOCAL RULE CR-17 Subpoena
Attorneys shall prepare all subpoenas. The service of subpoenas shall be completed pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 17(d). A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party or attorney in the case and who is not less than eighteen years of age.
(a) Selection of Jurors. Petit jurors shall be selected at random in accordance with a plan adopted by this court pursuant to applicable federal statutes and rules.
(b) Communication with Jurors.
(2) After a verdict is rendered but before the jury is discharged from further duty, an attorney must obtain leave of the judge before whom the action was tried to converse with members of the jury.
(3) Nothing in this rule shall be construed to limit the power of the judge before whom an action is being or has been tried to permit conversations between jurors and attorneys.
(c) Signature of the Petit Jury Foreperson. The petit jury foreperson shall sign all documents or communications with the court using his or her initials.
[+] LOCAL RULE CR-44 Right to and Assignment of Counsel
The appointment of counsel in criminal cases for persons who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation is governed by the local Criminal Justice Plan adopted by the court.
The district courts enter standing orders governing the filing of certain motions. This rule supplements such orders; however, the case-specific order controls if there is a discrepancy between the two.
(b) Form and Content of a Motion. All motions and responses to motions, unless made during a hearing or trial, shall be in writing, conform to the requirements of Local Rules CV-5 and CV-10, and be accompanied by a separate proposed order for the judge’s signature. The proposed order shall be endorsed with the style and number of the cause and shall not include a date or signature block. Dispositive motions' those which could, if granted, result in the dismissal of an indictment or counts therein or the exclusion of evidenceCshall contain a statement of the issues to be decided by the court. Responses to dispositive motions must include a response to the movant’s statement of issues. All motions, responses, replies, and proposed orders, if filed electronically, shall be submitted in "searchable PDF" format. All other documents, including attachments and exhibits, should be in "searchable PDF" form whenever possible.
(3) Certificates of Conference. Except as specified below, all motions must be accompanied by a "certificate of conference." It should be placed at the end of the motion following the certificate of service. The certificate must state: (1) that counsel has conferred with opposing counsel in a good faith attempt to resolve the matter without court intervention; and (2) whether the motion is opposed or unopposed. Certificates of conference are not required of pro se litigants (prisoner or non-prisoner) or for the following motions:
(B) motions in limine;
(C) motions for judgment of acquittal;
(D) motions to suppress;
(E) motions for new trial;
(F) any motion captioned as "joint", "agreed", or "unopposed;"
(G) any motion permitted to be filed ex parte;
(H) objections to report and recommendations of magistrate judges; and
(I) for reconsideration.
(c) Timing of a Motion.
(d) Affidavit Supporting a Motion. When allegations of fact not appearing in the record are relied upon in support of a motion, all affidavits and other pertinent documents shall be served and filed with the motion. It is strongly recommended that any attached materials have the cited portions highlighted or underlined in the copy provided to the court, unless the citation encompasses the entire page. The page preceding and following a highlighted or underlined page may be submitted if necessary to place the highlighted or underlined material in its proper context. Only relevant, cited-to excerpts of attached materials should be attached to the motion or the response.
(a) Generally. All pleadings and papers submitted in criminal cases must conform to the filing, service, and format requirements contained in Local Rules CV-5, CV-10, and CV-11.
(b) Filing of Sealed Documents in Criminal Cases. Documents in criminal cases that are filed under seal pursuant to general order or rule of this court shall be filed under seal without need for a motion to seal or a certification by counsel. Other types of documents in criminal cases may not be filed under seal unless counsel certifies that: (1) a motion for leave to seal the document in question has been filed; or (2) the court has already granted authorization to seal. Sealed criminal case documents shall be filed electronically, unless otherwise specified by these rules. When the entire case is sealed, criminal case documents shall be e-mailed to the following addresses for filing by the relevant divisional clerk's office:
All sealed criminal case documents from defendants proceeding pro se shall be submitted to the clerk's office for filing in paper format.
(1) Counsel filing a document under seal must send a paper copy of that document to the presiding judge’s chambers. The paper copy should be sent directly to the judge’s chambers and not to the clerk’s office. Judges may opt out of this rule by entering an order.
(c) Filing of Unsealed Plea Agreements. Each unsealed plea agreement must be presented to the court in paper, not electronic, format. The clerk’s office thereupon will scan the paper plea agreement and electronically file it as a "private entry document", which limits electronic access to the document to the attorneys in the case, the presiding judge and the court staff. However, the clerk of court shall provide public access to all unsealed plea agreements at the clerk’s offices upon request.
(a) Electronic Filing of Transcripts by Court Reporters. Any transcript of criminal proceedings in this court filed by a court reporter or transcriber shall be filed electronically, including a "Notice of Filing of Official Transcript." The clerk will post a "model notice" for the court reporter or transcriber’s use on the court’s web site. Upon request, the clerk shall make an electronic version of any unsealed transcript available for public inspection without charge at the clerk’s office. See 28 U.S.C. § 753(b).
(3) Within seven days of the filing of the transcript in CM/ECF, each party wishing to redact a transcript must inform the court, by filing the attached "Notice of Intent to Request Redaction," of the party’s intent to redact personal data identifiers from the transcript as required by Fed. R. Crim. P. 49.1. If no such notice is filed within the allotted time, the court will assume redaction of personal data identifiers from the transcript is not necessary.
(5) The court reporter or transcriber must, within thirty-one days of the filing of the transcript, or longer if the court so orders, perform the requested redactions and file a redacted version of the transcript with the clerk of court. The original unredacted electronic transcript shall be retained by the clerk of court as a restricted document.
(a) Disposition of Exhibits by Clerk. After providing notice to the parties, the clerk is authorized to destroy any sealed or unsealed exhibits eighteen months from either the date of the final judgment in the district court, if no appeal is filed, or the date that the direct criminal appeal process concludes. This will ensure that no § 2255 motion will be filed before destroying exhibits pursuant to this rule.
Sealed exhibits submitted in miscellaneous cases to obtain pen registers, wiretaps, etc. will be maintained in the court’s vault for three years. At the end of this time, the sealed exhibits will be destroyed.
(b) Submission of Hearing/Trial Exhibits.
(1) The parties shall not submit exhibits to the clerk’s office prior to a hearing/trial without an order of the court.
(4) In cases appealed to the Fifth Circuit in which there was a hearing/trial, counsel must file all admitted exhibits within 14 days of the filing of the notice of appeal. See also Local Rule CV-79(a)(4).
(A) Conduct arraignments and take not guilty pleas. A magistrate judge can conduct voir dire in a criminal case when assigned by a district judge and with consent of the parties; (B) Receive grand jury returns in accordance with Rule 6(f) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure;
(H) Issue subpoenas, writs of habeas corpus ad testificandum or habeas corpus ad prosequendum, or other orders necessary to obtain the presence of parties, witnesses or evidence needed for court proceedings; (I) Perform any additional duty consistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.
(b) Nondispositive Matters. A motion for reconsideration of a non-dispositive matter and any response thereto shall not exceed ten pages; any replies or sur-replies shall not exceed five pages.
(c) Dispositive Matters. An objection to a recommendation regarding a dispositive matter and any response thereto shall not exceed fifteen pages; any replies or sur-replies shall not exceed five pages.
(2) The applicant must state in the application that he or she has read Local Rule AT-3, the "Standards of Practice to be Observed by Attorneys," and the local rules of this court and that he or she will comply with the standards of practice adopted in Local Rule AT-3 and with the local rules.
(d) An attorney who is not admitted to practice before this court may appear for or represent a party in any case in this court only upon an approved application to appear pro hac vice. When an attorney who is not a member of the bar of this court appears in any case before this court, he or she shall first submit electronically an application to appear pro hac vice with the clerk of court. The applicant must read and comply with Local Rule AT-3, the "Standards of Practice to Be Observed by Attorneys," and the local rules of this court. The application shall be made using the form that is available on the court's website and must be signed by the applicant personally. See Local Rule CV-5(a)(5). Detailed instructions on how to e-file the application appear on the court’s website, located at www.txed.uscourts.gov. Such application also shall be accompanied by a $100.00 local fee, which must be paid electronically. Any attachments to pro hac vice applications will be handled as electronic sealed documents by the clerk’s office. The application shall be acted upon with dispatch by the clerk on the court’s behalf. The clerk shall notify the applicant as soon as possible after the application is acted upon.
(e) Federal Government Attorneys. No bar admission fees shall be charged to attorneys who work for the United States government, including Assistant U.S.Attorneys, Assistant Federal Public Defenders, and CJA Panel attorneys. Bar admission fees cannot be waived for federal law clerks, however, as they do not appear in court on behalf of the United States but instead perform job duties that do not require admission to practice in the court. The clerk's office has no authority to waive bar admission fees for attorneys who work for state, county, or city governments.
(f) Reinstatement. Any lawyer who is suspended by this court is automatically reinstated to practice at the end of the period of suspension, provided that the bar membership fee required by Local Rule AT-1(e) has been paid. Any lawyer who is disbarred by this court may not apply for reinstatement for at least three years from the effective date of his or her disbarment. Petitions for reinstatement shall be sent to the clerk and assigned to the chief judge for a ruling. Petitions for reinstatement must include a full disclosure concerning the attorney’s loss of bar membership in this court and any subsequent felony convictions or disciplinary actions that may have occurred in other federal or state courts.
(E ) Lawyers should treat each other, the opposing party, the court, and members of the court staff with courtesy and civility and conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times.
The court also encourages attorneys to be familiar with the Codes of Pretrial and Trial Conduct promulgated by the American College of Trial Lawyers, which can be found on the court’s website, located at www.txed.uscourts.gov, and to conduct themselves accordingly.
[+] APPENDIX B PATENT RULES
If any document or information produced under these Patent Local Rules is deemed confidential by the producing party and if the Court has not entered a protective order, until a protective order is issued by the Court, the document shall be marked "confidential" or with some other confidential designation (such as "Confidential B Outside Attorneys Eyes Only") by the disclosing party and disclosure of the confidential document or information shall be limited to each party's outside attorney(s) of record and the employees of such outside attorney(s).
All statements, disclosures, or charts filed or served in accordance with these Patent Rules must be dated and signed by counsel of record. Counsel's signature shall constitute a certification that to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry that is reasonable under the circumstances, the information contained in the statement, disclosure, or chart is complete and correct at the time it is made.
Except as provided in this paragraph or as otherwise ordered, it shall not be a legitimate ground for objecting to an opposing party's discovery request (e.g., interrogatory, document request, request for admission, deposition question) or declining to provide information otherwise required to be disclosed pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1) that the discovery request or disclosure requirement is premature in light of, or otherwise conflicts with, these Patent Rules. A party may object, however, to responding to the following categories of discovery requests (or decline to provide information in its initial disclosures under Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1)) on the ground that they are premature in light of the timetable provided in the Patent Rules:
(a) Requests seeking to elicit a party's claim construction position;
(d) Requests seeking to elicit from an accused infringer the identification of any opinions of counsel, and related documents, that it intends to rely upon as a defense to an allegation of willful infringement. Where a party properly objects to a discovery request (or declines to provide information in its initial disclosures under Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1)) as set forth above, that party shall provide the requested information on the date on which it is required to provide the requested information to an opposing party under these Patent Rules, unless there exists another legitimate ground for objection.
(a) Documents (e.g., contracts, purchase orders, invoices, advertisements, marketing materials, offer letters, beta site testing agreements, and third party or joint development agreements) sufficient to evidence each discussion with, disclosure to, or other manner of providing to a third party, or sale of or offer to sell, the claimed invention prior to the date of application for the patent in suit. A party's production of a document as required herein shall not constitute an admission that such document evidences or is prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102;
(b) Whether each item of prior art anticipates each asserted claim or renders it obvious. If a combination of items of prior art makes a claim obvious, each such combination, and the motivation to combine such items, must be identified; (c) A chart identifying where specifically in each alleged item of prior art each element of each asserted claim is found, including for each element that such party contends is governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112(6), the identity of the structure(s), act(s), or material(s) in each item of prior art that performs the claimed function; and
(a) Leave not required. Each party's "Infringement Contentions" and "Invalidity Contentions" shall be deemed to be that party's final contentions, except as set forth below.
(1) If a party claiming patent infringement believes in good faith that the Court's Claim Construction Ruling so requires, not later than 30 days after service by the Court of its Claim Construction Ruling, that party may serve "Amended Infringement Contentions" without leave of court that amend its "Infringement Contentions" with respect to the information required by Patent R. 3-1(c) and (d).
(B) the party opposing a claim of patent infringement believes in good faith that the Court's Claim Construction Ruling so requires.
[+] 3-8. Disclosure Requirements for Patent Cases Arising Under 21 U.S.C. 355 (Hatch-Waxman Act).
(a) At or before the Initial Case Management Conference, the Defendant(s) shall produce to Plaintiff(s) the entire Abbreviated New Drug Application or New Drug Application that is the basis of the case in question. (b) Not more than 14 days after the Initial Case Management Conference, the Defendant(s) shall provide to Plaintiff(s) the written basis for their "Invalidity Contentions" for any patents referred to in Defendant(s) Paragraph IV Certification. This written basis shall contain all disclosures required by P.R. 3-3 and shall be accompanied by the production of documents required by P.R. 3-4.
(c) Not more than 14 days after the Initial Case Management Conference, the Defendant(s) shall provide to Plaintiff(s) the written basis for any defense of non-infringement for any patent referred to in Defendant(s) Paragraph IV Certification. This written basis shall include a claim chart identifying each claim at issue in the case and each limitation of each claim at issue. The claim chart shall specifically identify for each claim those claim limitation(s) that are literally absent from the Defendant(s) allegedly infringing Abbreviated New Drug Application or New Drug Application. The written basis for any defense of non-infringement shall also be accompanied by the production of any document or thing that the Defendant(s) intend to rely upon in defense of any infringement allegations by Plaintiff(s).
(d) Not more than 45 days after the disclosure of the written basis for any defense of non-infringement as required by P.R. 3-8(c), Plaintiff(s) shall provide Defendant(s) with a "Disclosure of Asserted Claims and Infringement Contentions," for all patents referred to in Defendant(s) Paragraph IV Certification, which shall contain all disclosures required by P.R. 3-1 and shall be accompanied by the production of documents required by P.R. 3-2.
(e) Each party that has an ANDA application pending with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) that is the basis of the pending case shall: (1) notify the FDA of any and all motions for injunctive relief no later than three business days after the date on which such a motion is filed; and (2) provide a copy of all correspondence between itself and the FDA pertaining to the ANDA application to each party asserting infringement, or set forth the basis of any claim of privilege for such correspondence, no later than seven days after the date it sends or receives any such correspondence.
(a) Not later than 20 days after the exchange of "Proposed Terms and Claim Elements for Construction" pursuant to P. R. 4-1, the parties shall simultaneously exchange a preliminary proposed construction of each claim term, phrase, or clause which the parties collectively have identified for claim construction purposes. Each such "Preliminary Claim Construction" shall also, for each element which any party contends is governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112(6), identify the structure(s), act(s), or material(s) corresponding to that element.
(b) At the same time the parties exchange their respective "Preliminary Claim Constructions," they shall each also provide a preliminary identification of extrinsic evidence, including without limitation, dictionary definitions, citations to learned treatises and prior art, and testimony of percipient and expert witnesses they contend support their respective claim constructions. The parties shall identify each such item of extrinsic evidence by production number or produce a copy of any such item not previously produced. With respect to any such witness, percipient or expert, the parties shall also provide a brief description of the substance of that witness' proposed testimony.
(b) Each party's proposed construction of each disputed claim term, phrase, or clause, together with an identification of all references from the specification or prosecution history that support that construction, and an identification of any extrinsic evidence known to the party on which it intends to rely either to support its proposed construction of the claim or to oppose any other party's proposed construction of the claim, including, but not limited to, as permitted by law, dictionary definitions, citations to learned treatises and prior art, and testimony of percipient and expert witnesses;
(c) Not later than 7 days after service upon it of a responsive brief, the party claiming patent infringement shall serve and file any reply brief and any evidence directly rebutting the supporting evidence contained in an opposing party's response.
(1) Said chart shall have a column listing complete language of disputed claims with disputed terms in bold type and separate columns for each party's proposed construction of each disputed term. The chart shall also include a fourth column entitled "Court's Construction" and otherwise left blank. Additionally, the chart shall also direct the Court's attention to the patent and claim number(s) where the disputed term(s) appear(s).
(2) The parties may also include constructions for claim terms to which they have agreed. If the parties choose to include agreed constructions, each party's proposed construction columns shall state "[AGREED]" and the agreed construction shall be inserted in the "Court's Construction" column.
(3) The purpose of this claim construction chart is to assist the Court and the parties in tracking and resolving disputed terms. Accordingly, aside from the requirements set forth in this rule, the parties are afforded substantial latitude in the chart's format so that they may fashion a chart that most clearly and efficiently outlines the disputed terms and proposed constructions. Appendices to the Court's prior published and unpublished claim construction opinions may provide helpful guidelines for parties fashioning claim construction charts.
Subject to the convenience of the Court's calendar, two weeks following submission of the reply brief specified in P.R. 4-5(c), the Court shall conduct a Claim Construction Hearing, to the extent the parties or the Court believe a hearing is necessary for construction of the claims at issue.