General Order Regarding Speedy Trial Act in Midland-Odessa, Pecos, and El Paso

This announcement is for the El Paso, Midland-Odessa, and Pecos divisions. Due to a measles outbreak currently impacting West Texas Detention Facility and its implications on speedy trial rights under 18 U.S.C. 3161, the Court finds that the end of justice outweigh the interest of the Defendants and of the public in a speedy trial, and that the period of time from February 12, 2026 through March 4, 2026, is excludable time within the Speedy Trial Act 18 U.S.C. 3161 and is hereby EXCLUDED from Continue reading →

Term Law Clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chestney – San Antonio, TX

The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas is recruiting for a term law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chestney for 2027-2028. The term law clerk assists the magistrate judge with the civil docket by preparing the judge for hearings, researching legal issues, and drafting initial drafts of orders and reports and recommendations. The term law clerk also supports the magistrate judge with the criminal docket by managing warrant and other requests from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and by researching criminal Continue reading →

Public Notice: Reappointment of United States Magistrate Judge, Midland/Odessa, Texas

The current term of the office of United States Magistrate Judge Ronald C. Griffin is due to expire on August 12, 2026.  The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Griffin to a new eight-year term.  Comments are invited from members of the bar and the public as to whether U.S. Magistrate Judge Griffin should be recommended by the panel for reappointment by the Court.  All comments should be directed Continue reading →

Public Notice of Appointment – United States Bankruptcy Judge

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit seeks applications from all highly qualified candidates for a 14-year appointment as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Texas at San Antonio.   The posting is currently open and accepting applications for United States Bankruptcy Judge in San Antonio, Texas. The application must be received no later than Friday, August 29, 2025.  Questions or interest related to this position, go to www.ca5.uscourts.gov. Additional information regarding the appointment is listed below by clicking the Continue reading →

Jury Phone Scams

​We have had recent reports that potential jurors are receiving scam phone calls regarding jury duty.  The U.S. Marshals and the FBI are alerting the public of several nationwide imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. marshals, court officers, or other law enforcement officials. During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest due to a claim of identity theft, failing to report for jury duty, or other offenses. Anyone who suspects a jury scam should not provide the requested Continue reading →

Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam

Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam: The written phase of the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination for interpreters of Spanish will be administered May 5-19, 2025.  Registration is from February 3 to May 2, 2025.  The test candidate must pass the written exam to qualify for the oral exam.  The oral phase will be administered August 4-18, 2025.  Registration will be from June 23 to August 1, 2025.  For more information, please email FCICE@ao.uscourts.gov.

SCAM ALERT INVOLVING NEFS

There has been nationwide reporting of fake Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs) being sent to attorneys and law firms across the country. These fake NEFs are phishing attempts to convince recipients to respond back to the emails. Once a recipient replies to the email they are sent a follow-on email containing a link to access a document that leads the user to a malicious website. We encourage caution if you receive these fake NEFs. Validate cases and case documentation through CM/ECF only and DO NOT Continue reading →

Enhanced Courtroom Technology for US District Judge Kathleen Cardone

This courtroom has undergone am audiovisual renovation to provide a modern and more efficient experience for everyone. The updates include a shift to digital audio, upgrading our video system to HDMI, and improving services for attorneys presenting evidence. These changes are designed to ensure that court proceedings run smoothly and effectively. To make the most of this upgraded technology, we ask that all parties involved in courtroom business arrive early or schedule time with the courtroom deputy in advance. This will help ensure you are Continue reading →

Public Calendar Maintenance Update

Maintenance was recently performed on the public website for the court to improve the performance of the court’s proceeding calendars. This page accesses live information to share proceeding time and location as it is added or modified by the Clerk’s Office. Due to this maintenance, it is required to ensure that a visitor to the site is not accessing an older copy of that page. This can be accomplished in one of two ways: Perform what is called a “hard refresh” of the page. When Continue reading →

New Way to Sign-In to eVoucher *UPDATE* Visit the CJA Tab, Training Materials for Info*

You may have seen the recent “Coming Soon” banner while signing in to eVoucher, announcing the implementation of Login.gov. This is a Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) login method for CJA Panel Attorneys and Experts coming May 11th.  MFA is a layered approach to securing data and applications where a system requires a user to present a combination of two or more credentials to verify a user’s identity for eVoucher sign in. Please go to the CJA tab from our website.  From there, select Training Materials.