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 .. 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.

2 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 .. 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 .. 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.

3 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 .. 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. Initial Filing Procedures .. III-15 3. E-Filing: Filing, Service, and Notice .. III-16 4. E-Filing: Method of Service .. III-17 5.

4 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. 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.

5 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. 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.

6 IV-7 c. Post-Conviction Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus/ Death Penalty Cases .. 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. Fees for Witnesses Summoned by a State Agency .. IV-16 5. Depositions in Foreign Jurisdictions .. IV-16 6. Bill of Costs .. IV-17 7. Notice of Default Judgment .. IV-18 8. Notice of Final Judgment or Other Appealable Order .. IV-18 D. SPECIAL TYPES OF SERVICE CIVIL .. IV-18 1. Service by Registered or Certified Mail.

7 IV-18 2. Service by Authorized Persons Other than Sheriffs or Constables .. IV-18 3. Substitute Service Generally .. IV-18 4. Substitute Service Through Social Media .. IV-19 5. Serving the Secretary of State .. IV-19 6. Out-of-State Service .. IV-20 7. Service of Process in Foreign Countries .. IV-20 8. Out-of-State Service/Non-Resident Motor Vehicle Operators .. IV-20 9. Out-of-County Service .. IV-20 DISTRICT CLERK MANUAL 2020 Edition i-4 10. Essential Need (Occupational) License .. IV-20 11. Serving the Commissioner of Insurance .. IV-20 CHAPTER 5 INDEXING AND RECORDING OF MINUTES A. INTRODUCTION .. V-1 B. CRIMINAL MINUTES .. V-1 1. Index .. V-1 2. Preparation and Recording .. V-2 a. Preparation of V-2 b. Recording of Minutes .. V-2 C. CIVIL MINUTES .. V-3 1. Index .. V-3 2. Preparation and Recording .. V-3 CHAPTER 6 ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT COURTS A.

8 INTRODUCTION .. VI-1 B. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT IN THE COURTROOM .. VI-1 C. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE VI-1 CHAPTER 7 REGISTRY OF THE COURT A. GENERAL PROVISIONS .. VII-1 B. TYPES OF FUNDS .. VII-1 1. Payment from Judgment .. VII-2 2. Payment of Unclaimed Judgment .. VII-2 3. Payment of Judgment/Investment Trusts .. VII-3 4. Specific Performance Bond Forfeiture .. VII-4 5. Proceeds from Executions .. VII-4 6. Cash Bonds .. VII-4 7. Excess Funds .. VII-5 C. DEPOSITORIES FOR REGISTRY FUNDS .. VII-5 D. DISBURSEMENT OF REGISTRY FUNDS .. VII-6 1. Distribution of Excess Funds .. VII-7 2. Unclaimed/Abandoned Funds .. VII-8 E. ACCOUNTING FOR AND DISBURSING REGISTRY FUNDS IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 190,000 OR MORE .. VII-9 F. SPECIAL PROVISIONS APPLYING TO FUNDS PAID INTO COURT REGISTRY IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATION OF MORE THAN MILLION .. VII-9 1. Money Affected.

9 VII-9 2. Depository Contract .. VII-9 3. Deposit of Funds .. VII-9 4. Custodianship .. VII-9 5. Disbursement of Funds .. VII-10 6. Interest .. VII-10 7. Audit .. VII-10 8. Liability of Clerk .. VII-11 9. Transfer of Money .. VII-11 DISTRICT CLERK MANUAL 2020 Edition i-5 CHAPTER 8 ANCILLARY PROCEEDINGS A. INTRODUCTION .. VIII-1 B. ABSTRACT OF JUDGMENT .. VIII-1 C. WRITS OF EXECUTION .. VIII-2 1. Judgment for Money .. VIII-3 2. Sale of Particular Property .. VIII-3 3. Delivery of Certain Property .. VIII-3 4. Possession of Value of Personal Property .. VIII-3 D. TURNOVER ORDERS .. VIII-3 E. WRITS OF GARNISHMENT .. VIII-4 1. General Rules .. VIII-5 2. Pre-Judgment Garnishments .. VIII-5 3. Post-Judgment Garnishments .. VIII-6 F. WRITS OF SEQUESTRATION .. VIII-6 CHAPTER 9 APPEALS, EXPUNCTION AND REMOVAL A. APPEALS OF CIVIL CASES .. IX-1 1. Appeals IX-1 2.

10 Timetables for Civil Cases .. IX-1 a. Ordinary Appeal WITHOUT Motion for New Trial or Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law .. IX-1 b. Ordinary Appeal WITH Motion for New Trial, Motion to Modify Judgment, Motion to Reinstate under TRCP 165a, or Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law .. IX-2 c. Accelerated Appeal (Quo Warranto and Interlocutory Appeals).. IX-2 d. Restricted Appeal .. IX-2 e. Interlocutory Appeal .. IX-2 3. Notice of Appeal .. IX-3 a. Contents of Notice .. IX-3 b. Service of Notice .. IX-4 4. Motion for New Trial .. IX-4 5. Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law .. IX-4 6. Restricted Appeal .. IX-5 7. Effect of Appeal on Judgment or Court Action .. IX-5 8. Filing the Record .. IX-6 a. The Clerk's Record .. IX-6 b. The Clerk's Responsibility .. IX-7 c. The Reporter's Record .. IX-7 d.