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RULE 3a. Local Rules, Forms, and Standing Orders (2023)

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(a) General Rule. An administrative judicial region or a court governed by these rules may promulgate local rules, forms, and standing orders that govern local practice.

(b) Relationship with Other Authorities. Local rules, forms, and standing orders must not be inconsistent with state or federal law or rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas. This requirement extends to any time period provided by these rules. If adopted by a court, local rules, forms, and standing orders must not be inconsistent with any rule of the administrative judicial region in which the court is located.

(c) Publication Required. To be effective, local rules, forms, and standing orders must be published on the Office of Court Administration's website.

Amended by order of Sept. 23, 2022, eff. Jan. 1, 2023.

Comment to 1990 change: To make Texas Rules of Civil Procedure timetables mandatory and to preclude use of unpublished local rules or other "standing" orders to local practices to determine issues of substantive merit.

Comment to 2023 change: Rule 3a is amended to remove the requirement that the Supreme Court of Texas approve local rules and to expressly address local forms and standing orders. The amended rule provides that local rules, forms, and standing orders must not conflict with other laws or rules and that they are not effective unless published on the Office of Court Administration's website. Section 74.093(b) of the Texas Government Code imposes additional requirements for local rules.