EGAL OURCE LEGEND - txcourts.gov

1 DISTRICT CLERK MANUAL 2020 Edition i-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO THE 2020 EDITION .. ii- 1 LEGAL SOURCE LEGEND .. ii- 2 CHAPTER 1 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE A. OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT CLERK .. I-1 B. BOND, OATH, AND INSURANCE .. I-1 C. DEPUTY CLERKS .. I-2 D. CONTINUING EDUCATION .. I-3 E. NOTARIZING INSTRUMENTS .. I-3 F. DISPLAY OF NOTICES .. I-3 CHAPTER 2 JURY SELECTION AND ASSIGNMENT A. THE GRAND JURY .. II-1 1. Selection and Summons of Prospective Grand Jurors.

2 II-2 2. Choosing and Impaneling the Grand II-2 3. Other Grand Jury Information .. II-2 B. THE PETIT JURY .. II-4 1. Compiling the List of Potential Jurors for the Jury Wheel .. II-4 2. Compiling the List of Potential Jurors by Electronic Means .. II-5 3. Exemptions from Jury Service and Removal of Names from Jury Wheel or Pool .. II-6 4. Qualifications of Jurors .. II-7 5. Postponement of Jury Service .. II-8 6. Selection and Summons for Jury Service .. II-9 7. Model Jury Summons/Questionnaire Use is Required.

3 II-10 8. Selection of Jury Panel .. II-10 9. Juror Reimbursement .. II-12 10. Donation of Juror Pay .. II-12 11. Juror Excuses .. II-13 12. Uniform Jury Handbook .. II-13 13. Jury Fees in Civil Cases .. II-13 14. Personal Information about Jurors .. II-13 CHAPTER 3 CASE PROCESSING AND COSTS OF COURT A. JUDICIAL POWER .. III-1 B. DISTRICT COURT JURISDICTION .. III-1 1. Criminal III-1 2. Civil Jurisdiction .. III-2 3. Domestic Relations .. III-3 4. Specialized District Courts.

4 III-3 C. CRIMINAL PROCESS .. III-3 1. Examining Trial .. III-3 2. Initial Proceedings .. III-3 3. Initial Filing Procedures .. III-4 4. Post-Filing Procedures .. III-5 DISTRICT CLERK MANUAL 2020 Edition i-2 a. General Provisions .. III-5 b. Filing and Disposition Duties .. III-5 c. Felony Judgments .. III-7 d. Fingerprint on Judgment, Order of Probation, or Docket Sheet .. III-7 5. Record of Criminal Actions .. III-7 6. Bonds .. III-9 7. Criminal Court Docket Notice.

5 III-10 8. Bond Forfeiture .. III-10 a. Release of Surety .. III-11 9. Court Costs .. III-11 D. CRIMINAL SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES .. III-13 1. Posting Attorney Qualification Standards Death Penalty Cases .. III-13 2. Change of Venue .. III-13 a. Clerk's Duties on Change of Venue .. III-13 b. Return to County of Original Venue .. III-13 c. Use of Existing Services .. III-14 3. Cases Transferred to Inferior Court .. III-14 E. CIVIL .. III-14 1. Initial Proceedings .. III-14 2.

6 Initial Filing Procedures .. III-15 3. E-Filing: Filing, Service, and Notice .. III-16 4. E-Filing: Method of Service .. III-17 5. Subsequent Filing Procedures .. III-17 6. Special Pleadings and Filing Procedures .. III-18 a. Answers and Amended Petitions .. III-18 b. Counterclaims, Cross-Claims, and III-19 c. Motions to Transfer Venue .. III-19 d. Depositions .. III-21 e. Injunctions .. III-21 7. Dockets .. III-22 8. Multidistrict Litigation .. III-23 9. Civil Filing III-24 a.

7 Indigent Petitioners .. III-24 F. SPECIFIC CASE TYPES .. III-25 1. Probate .. III-25 2. Condemnation Proceeding .. III-26 G. OTHER CIVIL MATTERS .. III-27 1. Occupational Driver s License .. III-27 2. Inmate III-27 3. Vexatious Litigants .. III-27 a. Motion for Order Determining Plaintiff a Vexatious Litigant .. III-28 b. Criteria for Finding Plaintiff a Vexatious Litigant .. III-28 c. Order for Security; Prefiling Order .. III-28 d. Requesting Permission to File Litigation with Local Administrative Judge.

8 III-29 e. Mistaken Filings .. III-30 f. Notice to Office of Court Administration and List of Vexatious Litigants Subject to Prefiling Order on Office of Court Administration Website .. III-30 DISTRICT CLERK MANUAL 2020 Edition i-3 4. Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act .. III-30 5. Filing Fraudulent Court Records or Liens .. III-31 CHAPTER 4 ISSUANCE OF PROCESSES A. INTRODUCTION .. IV-1 B. ISSUANCE OF PROCESSES CRIMINAL .. IV-1 1. Capias or Summons .. IV-1 2.

9 Capias or Warrant After Surrender, Forfeiture, or Violation .. IV-2 3. Capias Pro Fine .. IV-2 4. Bill of Costs .. IV-3 5. Subpoena .. IV-3 6. Subpoena Duces Tecum .. IV-3 7. Writs of IV-4 8. Reimbursement of Expenses of Nonresident Witnesses .. IV-4 9. Bench IV-5 10. Writ of Habeas Corpus .. IV-5 a. Pre-Conviction Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus .. IV-6 b. Post-Conviction Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus/ Non-Death Penalty Cases .. IV-7 c. Post-Conviction Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus/ Death Penalty Cases.

10 IV-8 d. Post-Conviction Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus/ Community Supervision Cases .. IV-11 11. Commitments .. IV-12 C. ISSUANCE OF PROCESSES CIVIL .. IV-13 1. Citation .. IV-13 2. Citation for Delinquent Taxes .. IV-14 3. Citation by Publication (Newspaper and Website) .. IV-14 a. Where to Publish .. IV-14 b. Newspaper Publication .. IV-15 c. Website Publication .. IV-15 d. Return of Citation .. IV-15 4. Subpoenas .. IV-15 a. Witness Fees .. IV-16 b.