Effective October 23, 2023 through November 10, 2023, Judge Pitman’s courtroom on the fifth floor will be closed for renovation. All audiovisual equipment in this room is being upgraded during this time. Details on the services to be available will be posted in the courtroom guidance for this location prior to the completion of the project. If you are a practicing attorney in this courthouse, communication will be sent about the changes and technical sessions to visit the space in the near future.
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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Affecting El Paso This announcement is for all attorneys practicing criminal law in The Western District of Texas, specifically the El Paso division. Beginning June 28, 2021, the U.S. Probation Office for the Western District of Texas will modify the method used to disclose Pre-Sentence Reports, Addendums, and Violation Reports. You will no longer receive a notification (NEF) from CM/ECF but will instead receive an email directly from the U.S. Probation Services Office for the Western District of Texas containing a link to access your report.
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In accordance with Part IV of the Standing Order Establishing A+, A, and B Panels for Civil Appointments in the San Antonio Division and Supplementing Amended Plan for Reimbursement of Counsel (W.D. Tex. Apr. 1, 2021), all attorneys in private practice admitted in the San Antonio Division will be placed on one of three panels for pro bono appointment in civil cases. As indicated by the Order, placement depends on each attorney’s experience, expertise, and interest in handling pro bono matters. This page allows you
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