Texas Court Rules

Court proceedings in Texas follow the rules and standards set forth by the Texas Supreme Court. Access Texas court rules online. Ask a Librarian for help if you have questions about locating or accessing Texas court rules.

Court Proceedings

The Rules of Civil Procedure govern the proceedings in civil trials. The Code of Criminal Procedure governs criminal proceedings. When a case is appealed, the Rules of Appellate Procedure govern the appeals process.

Evidence

The Rules of Evidence govern the admissibility and use of evidence in most court proceedings.

Local Court Rules

At a local level, lower courts often adopt local rules for court proceedings in their jurisdictions. You can often find local rules on your county's or city's website. Use the list of Texas county websites from the Texas Association of Counties to find a link to your county's website. If not online, contact the district clerk, county clerk, or city clerk for help accessing local rules.

Ethics and Conduct

The Code of Judicial Conduct is the set of ethics rules for judges in Texas. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct accepts and investigates complaints against judges in the Texas court system.

Attorneys are bound by the Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and the Rules of Disciplinary Procedure . Ethical complaints and reports of misconduct are investigated by the State Bar of Texas.

Administration

The Rules of Judicial Administration set out certain responsibilities for judges, public access to judicial records, and other administrative matters. You can find more administrative rules and standards on the Texas Judicial Branch website.

Parental Notification

The Texas Supreme Court adopted judicial bypass rules that govern proceedings for obtaining a court order authorizing a minor to consent to an abortion without notice to, or the consent of, a parent, managing conservator, or guardian. These rules were adopted in accordance with chapter 33 of the Family Code.