Research Guides: Practical Resources for Law Clinics: Texas Court Rules

Introduction

All courts have the authority to make their own rules governing how cases are handled in that court. While state and federal rules apply to all courts within that jurisdiction, local rules are only applicable in the court that created them. Local rules cannot abolish or supersede a state or federal rule.

Texas Court Rules

Court websites are by far the best way to find rules. The rules published on court sites are usually unannotated and the available formats, searchability, and ease of use vary across courts. Be sure to check when the rules were last updated to make sure you're using the most current information.

Thomson Reuters publishes a set of standalone federal, state and local rules for each state. These books are very useful for practitioners who often appear before a specific court and need a quick reference guide to that court's rules.

Thomson Reuters recently acquired O'Connors resources including O'Connor's Texas Rules. Vernon's Texas Rules, also published by Thomson Reuters, are the official published versions of the state rules. They are extensively annotated and are supplemented annually and in regular advance sheets.

These resources are available via print (in row 86A of the library movable shelving) and electronic databases.

Texas Rules of Court - State (Vol. I, Texas Court Rules) by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT1729 .A197
***Current year on RESERVE. Earlier volumes are located in general collection and do not circulate***
Provides the rules of court needed to practice before the state courts of Texas. Covers rules for conduct, decorum, electronically-transmitted documents, civil trial, criminal trial, family law, probate, motions, discovery, and service of documents. Rules included are: Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Texas Rules of Evidence, Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, and E-Filing Rules.
Texas Rules of Court - Federal (Vol. II, Texas Court Rules) by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT1729 .A196
***Current year is in RESERVE. Earlier editions are located in the general collection. Includes indexes.***
Provides the rules of court needed to practice before the federal courts of Texas. Federal rules included: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Local Bankruptcy Rules of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Rules of Procedure of the Judicial Panel on Multi-district Litigation, and Federal Courts Miscellaneous Fee Schedules.
Texas Rules of Court - Local (Vol. III, Texas Court Rules) by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT1729 .A193
Provides the rules of court needed to practice before the local courts of Texas. Covers rules for conduct, decorum, electronically-transmitted documents, civil trial, criminal trial, family law, probate, motions, discovery, and service of documents. Including rules from Dallas County, El Paso County, Galveston County, Hidalgo County, Lubbock County, Tarrant County, and many others.
O'Connor's Texas rules * Civil Appeals by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT1756 .A352 O26
Annotated rules of appellate procedure and practice guide for civil appeals. O'Connor's Texas rules, civil appeals : practice guide & annotated Texas rules of appellate procedure with forms. Texas rules of appellate procedure.
O'Connor's Texas Rules * Civil Trials by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT1729 .A194
O'Connor's Texas Rules * Civil Trials provides clear, detailed explanations of procedure with strategies and practice tips for each phase of litigation. ach new edition is fully revised to reflect all the latest changes in the law. This product also provides the complete text of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Texas Rules of Evidence with amendments underlined; hundreds of case annotations – quotations from recent, relevant caselaw – that help explain how the courts interpret the rules and charts and timetables.
Vernon's® Texas Rules Annotated - Civil Procedure, Evidence, and Appellate Procedure by Thomson Reuters
Call Number: KFT 1729 .A315 V47 1967
***Vols. 1-6. Rules of civil procedure -- v. 7. Rules of evidence -- v. 8. Rules of appellate procedure.***
Vernon's Texas Rules: These are the official published versions of the state rules. They are extensively annotated and are supplemented annually and in regular advance sheets. Covers district and county courts rules, courts of appeals rules, Supreme Court rules, justice courts rules, and special proceedings. Includes Rules of Evidence and Rules of Appellate Procedure.