The Travis County local rules are the court-by-court procedures that run on top of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, and there is no single rulebook: the civil district courts, county courts at law, probate courts, and justice of the peace courts each publish their own set. If you have a case here, you need the current version of the rules for the specific court handling it. They change more often than people expect, the district court rules were last amended in November 2024, and a procedural slip can mean a rejected filing, a missed setting, or a default judgment.
Where the Rules Come From and Where to Read Them
Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 3a lets every court adopt local rules, with two conditions: they cannot conflict with state or federal law, and they must be published on the Office of Court Administration’s website to take effect.1Texas Courts. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure – Rule 3a The probate courts also cite Texas Government Code Section 25.0022. If any local rule conflicts with a statewide rule or statute, the statewide rule wins.2Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 1.1 Violating a local rule can draw contempt sanctions, so treat the local rulebook as seriously as the statewide one.
Which rulebook applies depends on your court:
- Civil district courts follow the Local Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Decorum, which cover civil, family, and child protective services cases.
- County courts at law have their own rules for civil and criminal proceedings, with separate decorum and scheduling provisions.
- Probate Courts No. 1 and No. 2 share one set of rules with distinct chapters for guardianships, mental health matters, and estate administration.
- Justice of the peace courts maintain their own rules, focused on small claims and eviction proceedings.
The Travis County Law Library website links to each set, and the official PDFs are also on the Travis County website’s court pages.
Electronic Filing Is Mandatory for Attorneys
Attorneys must file all documents electronically through eFileTexas.gov for civil, family, probate, and criminal cases in the district and county courts.3eFileTexas.gov. Official E-Filing System for Texas The mandate comes from the Supreme Court of Texas, which first required e-filing in the state’s most populous counties beginning in 2014.4Travis County Clerk. Civil eFiling Self-represented litigants are encouraged to use the portal but are not required to.
When you upload a document, you tag it as a lead document or an attachment, and the system routes the filing to the right clerk. The clerk reviews it, and you get an automated notice telling you whether the filing was accepted or rejected. Acceptance sets the official filing date. A rejection notice explains the problem so you can fix it and resubmit. The portal also handles electronic service to other parties.
Filing Fees
A new civil case in Travis County district court carries a base fee of $350 as of January 1, 2026, made up of a $213 local consolidated fee and a $137 state consolidated fee.5Travis County District Clerk. Fees – District Clerk That is the base only. Certain case types, additional filings, and services like jury demands or citations carry separate charges, and the county courts at law and JP courts use different fee schedules. The clerk will not process your documents until fees are paid.
What Every Pleading Must Contain, and Leave Out
Every pleading or motion filed in Travis County must show the names of the parties, the court designation, the cause number, and the filer’s contact information. The probate courts are especially strict about precise titles: a filing must identify itself specifically, such as “Application to Probate a Copy of a Will as a Muniment of Title,” rather than just “Application.”6Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 2.3
Privacy redaction applies in every Travis County court. Social security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar identifiers should show only the last few digits in any public filing. The probate courts require that all social security numbers be redacted except for the last three digits on every pleading, including death certificates.6Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 2.3 These requirements track federal standards under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2, which limits filings to the last four digits of social security numbers and financial accounts, birth year only for dates of birth, and initials for minor children.7Legal Information Institute. Rule 5.2 Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court A court can strike an unredacted filing or require a corrected one.
Case Scheduling and the Central Docket
Civil district courts use a central docket for trial settings. Chapter 2 of the local rules covers how a case is placed on the central docket, and Chapter 3 covers the announcement docket and case assignment for trial.8Travis County. Local Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Decorum Before a case receives a trial date, parties must satisfy the preliminary requirements in Chapter 4, which governs matters that must be resolved before trial on the merits. Skipping those steps delays the trial date.
Probate works differently. No probate docket is a drop-in docket, and every hearing must be specifically set in advance.9Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 3.1
Mediation Is Not Optional for Most Civil Cases
Under Rule 13.3 of the civil district court rules, every case set for trial on the merits on the jury docket or the non-jury long docket is referred to mediation. So are cases facing dismissal for want of prosecution that the parties want to keep on the docket. A judge can also refer any other case to mediation when the subject matter, dollar amount, complexity, or number of parties justifies it. If your case is on the central docket, plan on finishing mediation before the trial date.
Family Law Settings and the Standing Order
Family cases follow Chapters 21 through 23 of the civil district court local rules. Chapter 21 splits settings into long and short dockets. Any family law hearing expected to last more than three hours must be set on the family docket on a Monday at 8:30 a.m. Hearings of three hours or shorter go on the family docket on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday mornings.
Rule 23.1 automatically subjects every divorce, suit affecting the parent-child relationship, modification suit, paternity suit, and original suit filed in Travis County to the Travis County Standing Order for Family Law Cases. The standing order takes effect upon filing without anyone asking for it. It typically restricts both parties from hiding or wasting assets, making major financial changes, and disrupting the children’s living arrangements. Violating it can result in contempt. Family matters may also be heard by associate judges, who have authority over all proceedings within the district courts’ Family Code jurisdiction, including child support, custody, and property division.
Probate Court Specifics
Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and No. 2 operate under their shared rules, last updated in June 2024. Odd-numbered probate, guardianship, and trust cases go to Court No. 1; even-numbered cases go to Court No. 2. All mental health matters are docketed in Court No. 2 regardless of case number.10Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 1.3
Two probate rules catch people off guard. Affidavits signed by witnesses in lieu of live testimony or depositions are prohibited in contested cases, with narrow exceptions for situations covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 32.012. Remote appearances are also prohibited in contested cases when documentary evidence will be presented.11Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Chapter 4 For a contested probate hearing, plan on live, in-person witnesses.
Motions for continuance must be filed at least five days before the hearing or trial date, unless the reason arose fewer than five days before the setting.
Courtroom Decorum and Dress Code
The dress code is stricter than most people assume. In the county courts at law, Rule 4.3 lists detailed prohibitions for anyone entering the courtroom:
- No shorts, hats, tank tops, muscle shirts, or sunglasses.
- No t-shirts with obscene language or inappropriate graphics.
- No bare feet or house shoes; shoes must be worn at all times.
- No clothing that fails to cover the torso.
- No exposed underclothing.
The same rule bans audible cell phones or pagers, chewing gum, food, newspapers, and any noise or talking that interferes with proceedings.12Travis County. Local Rules of Procedure and Rules of Decorum for the County Courts at Law – Section: Rule 4.3 The civil district courts have their own decorum provisions in Chapter 12, enforced across all court types, and judges, attorneys, and other court officers are expected to address people respectfully and by surname. Chapter 16 of the civil district court rules separately governs recording, broadcasting, and photographing proceedings; unauthorized recording is prohibited.
Default Judgment Requirements
Getting a default judgment in Travis County takes more documentation than many plaintiffs expect. The county courts at law spell it out: the citation must be on file with the clerk for at least ten days, every named defendant must have been personally served, and no answer can be on file.13Travis County. Travis County Courts at Law Civil Quick Reference
The motion itself must include a certificate of last known address and an affidavit stating that the defendant is not on active military duty. That affidavit comes from federal law: under 50 U.S.C. ยง 3931, a court cannot enter a default judgment without a sworn statement about the defendant’s military status.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC 3931 – Protection of Servicemembers Against Default Judgments The affidavit is not required if the defendant is a corporation. If attorney’s fees are requested, an affidavit or oral testimony establishing those fees is also required, and damages not fixed by a written instrument must be proven with competent evidence. Active-duty servicemembers who are sued can request a stay of at least 90 days, with possible extensions, by showing their duties prevent them from appearing.
Dismissal for Want of Prosecution
Chapter 8 of the civil district court rules covers dismissal for want of prosecution. When a case sits idle too long, the court sends a notice placing it on the dismissal docket, and any case retained from that docket is automatically referred to mediation. The probate courts apply their own timelines: cases on file for more than 12 months without a trial setting or any substantive filing within 180 days are candidates for dismissal, as are contested cases with no answer filed after 180 days.15Travis County Probate Courts. Local Rules – Travis County Probate Courts No. 1 and 2 – Section: Rule 6.1 Across every Travis County court, the lesson is the same: file your case, then keep it moving. Reinstating a dismissed case is harder than keeping an active one alive.