By order of the Court, the El Paso U.S. Courthouse will be closed on Friday, September 22, 2023 from 8 AM to 4 PM for the purpose of conducting scheduled interagency security training. For more information click the title of this news item to view the El Paso Order.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas is recruiting for a 2025-2026 term law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland. 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
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The current term of the office of United States Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower is due to expire on November 30, 2023. The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Schydlower to a new eight-year term. Comments are invited from members of the bar and the public as to whether U.S. Magistrate Judge Schydlower should be recommended by the panel for reappointment by the Court. All comments should be directed to
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The El Paso division has provided a public notice regarding the procedures in the upcoming Sentencing Hearing for USA vs. Crusius to begin on July 5, 2023 in El Paso, Texas. It is expected to take several days. For more information regarding these procedures, please click the title for this News item to view the El Paso Clerk’s Notice Regarding Sentencing Procedures USA vs. Crusius.
The San Antonio division has a Fifth Amended Order dated May 22, 2023, regarding the Membership of the Divisional CJA Panel Committee for the San Antonio Division of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Please click the title of this News item to view the San Antonio Order.
The Austin Division has a new Document Management Order from U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman dated January 19, 2024, regarding the Assignment of Cases to United State Magistrate Judges involving cases pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241, 2254, and 2255 and any case in which application to proceed in forma pauperis has been made. Please click the title for this News item to refer to the Austin Order.
On October 6, 2022, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation that pardons federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses. The proclamation applies only to federal convictions, including D.C. Code offenses, and does not apply to convictions under state or local law. Under President Biden’s proclamation, individuals with qualifying convictions are fully and completely pardoned for their marijuana possession offense. The pardon applies only to the qualifying offense of simple possession of marijuana and not to any other offense(s) for which the individual has been charged
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Effective immediately, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas has implemented a threshold on its ECF website to limit the number of data retrieval attempts for a single connection. Any connection that exceeds the court’s threshold will be temporarily blocked and re-directed to an explanation page. This action is being taken to improve the site’s stability and ensure quality service to the public. We do not anticipate that customers who are logged into our ECF site on a day-to-day basis will
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San Antonio will be moving to a new courthouse for 2022 at 262 West Nueva Street, San Antonio, TX 78207. In that move, courtroom technology will be upgraded and standardized. It is critical that all attorneys be properly prepared for this change to ensure smooth proceedings. Be sure to review the detailed offerings in courtrooms for this new location. It is important to note that all courtrooms are the same. Each has the features mentioned, to include evidence presentation and viewing. This applies to both
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On June 24, 2021, Chief Judge Orlando L. Garcia entered an order adopting and enacting proposed amendments to the Local Court Civil Rules for the United States District Court, Western District of Texas. In accordance with Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, these amendments were unanimously approved by the district judges of this Court after being posted for 30 days for review and comment by the bar. The Court was recently informed by the Office of the Circuit Executive for the Fifth
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