Court Rules

  • All Reset Forms must have Defendant’s original signature. No exception.
  • Motions for Continuance must be e-filed and ruled upon at least 1 week prior to a Jury Trial setting or a Bench Trial setting.
  • To “Off-Docket” a case setting, contact the Court Coordinator no less than 48 hours before the day and time the case is set. Courtroom walk-in “Off-Dockets” the day of, cannot be accommodated.
  • If a retained or appointed attorney cannot be present for a court setting, written notice must be sent to the Court Coordinator, Jackie Kermode, to request the AOD to assist their client with a reset. E-mail: Jackie.Kermode@fortbendcountytx.gov. Please give notice no less than 24 hours prior to the Docket.

Docket Days and Times

If Defendant fails to appear, a warrant will be issued. 

Arraignment
Fridays at 8:30 a.m.
Misdemeanor criminal cases must be reset in person on the assigned court date. Defendants without hired/retained counsel may complete an Affidavit of Financial Status and interview with an Indigent Defense Clerk to determine if he/she qualifies for a court appointed defense attorney. These forms are available in English and Spanish.

Admonishment
Fridays at 9:00 a.m. These dates are scheduled by Allan Stoler, Senior Corrections Officer with the Fort Bend County CSCD.

Compliance
Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
Docket for those Defendants who wish to enter or have been approved to enter a pretrial diversion program; or for those Defendants completing classes.

Court Costs
Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
If a Defendant owes Court Costs and/or Fines, he/she must be present on the assigned court date or a Warrant will be issued.

Jury Trial
Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. with Docket Call at 10:00 a.m.
Attorneys and Defendants must be present for the 10:00 a.m. Docket Call.
When being placed on the Jury Trial Docket, a Pre-Trial Conference may be set (but is not required) on the Tuesday prior at 10:00 a.m. or on a Friday at 10:00 a.m.

Motions/Early Terminations/MRP/MAG/PreTrial/etc.
Tuesdays or Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
Requests for a court setting should be e-mailed to the Court Coordinator. The Texas Rules for proper service apply. All Motions for Early Termination must provide 2 weeks’ service/notice to the Probation Department and to the District Attorney’s Office.

Plea/Disposition
Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.

Status Docket
Tuesdays or Fridays at 9:30 a.m. Cases are set on this Docket after a designated number of resets on the Plea/Disposition Docket, before being placed on the Jury Trial Docket. These Defendants either do not qualify for a deferral program or do not want to enter a program.

Jail Docket
The Jail Arraignment Docket is heard by Associate Judge Lewis White at the Fort Bend County Jail Courtroom on Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. The deadline for attorneys to schedule an inmate on the docket is, without exception, 4:00 p.m. on the Monday preceding Wednesday’s docket. Please contact Ms. Lisa Wallingford, Court Coordinator, to schedule a hearing. She may be reached at Lisa.Wallingford@fortbendcountytx.gov.