Pro Se AcademyLocal rules & standing orders
Most of what you learn here is statewide Texas law. Some parts are local: each county's courts have their own local rules, and many have a standing order that applies automatically in family cases. Always check your court's local rules and standing orders, and ask the court coordinator when you're unsure.
| Statewide (same everywhere in Texas) | Local (check your county) |
|---|---|
| Texas Family Code: grounds, waiting periods, property, custody, child support guidelines | Local rules of practice (how to set hearings, conference requirements, time limits) |
| Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence: service, answer deadline, discovery, appeals | Standing orders (many counties have one; some don't; terms differ) |
| TexasLawHelp.org statewide forms | Filing fees, extra local forms, judge-specific procedures, Zoom rules |
Find your county's rules and courts
- Texas Office of Court Administration: Local Rules by county
- Texas Judicial Directory: find courts, judges, and district and county clerks
- TexasLawHelp.org Legal Help Directory: legal aid and self-help centers near you
Also search your county's website for "standing order" and "district clerk family forms." Your assigned judge may have extra procedures, so check the court's page and ask the coordinator.
What a typical standing order covers
Where a county has one, it usually applies automatically to divorces and suits affecting the parent-child relationship once the original petition is filed.
Property and conduct (divorce)
Commonly prohibited: harassing or threatening communications; hiding, destroying, or transferring property; selling property or taking on new debt without court authorization; canceling insurance or changing beneficiaries; cutting off utilities; using the other party's passwords; and tracking the other party's vehicle or phone.
Children
Commonly: no moving the child out of the area or changing the child's school or residence without written agreement or a court order, no hiding the child, and no disparaging the other parent or discussing the case in front of the child.
Exchanging documents
Some orders require parents to exchange financial information before a temporary-orders hearing. Check your county's local rules and standing orders for what documents must be exchanged before a hearing. Checklist.
How long it lasts
You may have to attach it to your petition. It often acts as a temporary restraining order at first and lasts until a final order or dismissal. A protective order usually controls if the two conflict.
What local rules commonly cover
- Courtroom decorum. The rules apply equally to self-represented litigants and lawyers.
- No photos or recordings without a written order.
- Keeping your mailing address and email current with the clerk.
- Conferring with the other side before setting a hearing, and a certificate of conference on most motions.
- Continuances, which often need a sworn (verified) motion.
- Notice before asking for emergency (ex parte) relief, often with exceptions for protective orders.
- Time limits at temporary-orders hearings, often about 20 minutes per side.
- Deadlines to submit the final order after a ruling.
- Checking any AI-generated content before you file it.
Clerks can't give legal advice, but they can usually tell you about settings and what's been filed.