In Texas, there are three basic phases of a civil lawsuit: Pretrial, Trial, and Post-Trial. A “hearing” usually refers to a formal proceeding before a court to resolve a certain issue before a full “court trial,” during which a judge will both decide the facts of a case and apply the law. This post in the Civ Pro series will address questions frequently asked by pro se (self-represented) litigants about setting a hearing for their civil case. Generally, as a pro se litigant, you will be responsible for setting the hearing for your case. The court will not automatically set a hearing for you or notify you of when a hearing has been set.
Read moreCiv Pro: Prove-ups
Many pro se litigants are required to attend a “prove-up hearing” or file a “prove-up affidavit” as part of their case. While most pro se litigants will only encounter prove-ups in the context of a divorce, prove-up hearings or affidavits may also be required for other types of uncontested cases.
Read moreHow Texas Courts Work
How Texas Courts Work is a website created by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) primarily for the general public and those looking to teach others about the Texas court system so they may be able to understand the system better. The website opens to an overview of the Texas courts. This section of the site is a great resource for those of us who may need an occasional refresher about which cases are filed in the District Courts versus the County Courts, just as an example. It’s also a great introductory resource for those interested in the Texas court system in general.
This site also outlines what people should expect when going into divorce, traffic ticket, DWI, and car accident cases. These videos are all 8-9 minutes long so they just briefly go over what these cases might look like for someone who has never experienced the need to go to court before. They can definitely be valuable to set individuals expectations the right way. The people speaking in these videos are attorneys and judges which I think adds something invaluable to this resource as the information is coming from people who deal with the courts and these types of cases every day.
They also have a video on ways to find a lawyer, if after watching these videos, the public would rather hire someone to assist with their case so they don’t have to represent themselves. The website concludes with videos that portray actors as witnesses taking the stand during trial. These are geared towards secondary school audiences. Teachers can show these to their classes in order to start a discussion about which witness was telling the truth in both a civil and criminal case. While this aspect of the site wasn’t useful for me in particular, I did have fun trying to figure out who was telling the truth on the stand and who was lying as I watched. With that being said, I wouldn’t really recommend this section of the website for anyone who isn’t a teacher of older middle school or high school aged students.
After taking the time to watch through all of these videos, I would recommend this website for anyone who would like to learn more about what to expect throughout their cases or anyone who needs assistance with finding an attorney to help them with their case. It could also be beneficial for those who want to learn more about the structure of the Texas courts. The videos could also be useful for attorneys who have clients that have never been to court before as it gives an easy-to-understand general walkthrough of what they should expect. It is always great to see organizations prioritize non-profit endeavors and websites such as this one. TYLA has also put together a presenter outline for your convenience if you would like to use this site to introduce these topics to any young lawyers or those interested in pursuing a law degree.
Avoiding Legal Website Scams and Pitfalls
When searching online for legal forms or information, it is important to use safe internet practices to avoid scams or other misrepresented services.
Read moreSmall Business Legal Resources
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Starting a small business can seem overwhelming. There are many moving parts to consider throughout the process and it can be impossible to know where to start. The Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library has a plethora of resources that can help you with the legal side of starting and running a small business.
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