IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
BEAUMONT DIVISION
STANDING ORDER MC-83 JUDGE’S DIRECTIVES
The following standing order is ADOPTED:
STANDING ORDER MC-83 JUDGE’S DIRECTIVES
(a) CONTACT WITH COURT PERSONNEL
(1) Case-related telephone inquiries should be made to the court administrator only,
not to the law clerks or to the judge. The court administrator may be contacted
at (409) 654-2880.
(2) The case load prevents the court administrator from responding to casual
telephone inquiries about motions and case status. Inquiries about such matters
should be in writing unless time does not permit.
(3) Information about the electronic filing of documents, exemptions to the
electronic filing of documents, the entry of orders, or docket entries should be
obtained from the District Clerk’s Office for the Eastern District of
Texas - Beaumont Division at (409) 654-7000. In addition, such information is
available through the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF)
database, which provides attorneys with docketing information, printable images
of documents, 24-hour filing capability, and e-mail (rather than fax) notification
of the entry of court orders and judgments. This database can be accessed from
the Eastern District’s web site at www.txed.uscourts.gov and requires
registration.
(4) Case-related correspondence should be addressed to:
Ms. Julia Colyer
Court Administrator for Judge Marcia A. Crone
300 Willow Street, Suite 239
Beaumont, Texas 77701-2200
(5) Substantive issues should not be raised in letter form or via email because letters
and emails are not docketed or included in the appellate record. A copy of
urgent documents should be filed and a courtesy copy should be sent directly to
chambers to ensure that they quickly come to the court’s attention.
(6) At the court’s direction, the law clerks may contact counsel, but they will not
discuss matters other than the subject of the call, and counsel should not attempt
to extract additional information. Counsel should respond promptly to a law
clerk’s inquiry and treat the law clerk with courtesy.
(b) EMERGENCIES
(1) Applications for restraining orders or for other immediate relief should be made
through the court administrator. The court administrator will present such
applications to the court following counsel’s affirmation that the opposing party
has been contacted and that both parties can be available for a hearing on the
record.
(2) Motions for extension of deadlines or cut-off dates are not emergencies.
(c) APPEARANCES
(1) An attorney who appears at a hearing or conference shall:
(A) be familiar with the case;
(B) have authority to bind the client;
(C) be in charge for that appearance;
(D) be on time; and
(E) be dressed professionally in the absence of extenuating circumstances.
(2) Counsel must notify the court administrator immediately of the resolution of
any matter that is set for a trial or hearing.
(3) Failure to appear when notified of a setting will subject that attorney and/or the
attorney’s client to sanctions, including dismissal for want of prosecution and/or
appropriate judgment.
(d) ELECTRONIC FILING
Any questions concerning electronic filing procedures, requirements, or attorney
registration should be directed to the District Clerk’s Office.
(e) TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS
Any foreign language document offered by a party in a proceeding shall be
accompanied by an English language translation and a certification signed by the
translator that must be printed legibly or typed. Such certification must include a
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statement that the translator is competent to translate the document, and that the
translation is true and accurate to the best of the translator’s knowledge.
(f) COURTROOM DECORUM
Counsel are responsible for instructing the parties and witnesses on courtroom
decorum.
(1) Counsel shall ensure that all parties and witnesses refrain from chewing gum,
drinking, eating, smoking, wearing hats, using electronic devices, or reading
newspapers, books, etc., in the courtroom.
(2) All counsel and parties are expected to be seated at the counsel tables and ready
to proceed when court is called into session. Counsel may drink water in the
courtroom at the counsel table, but no other eating or drinking is permitted.
(3) Counsel shall question witnesses while standing at the lectern.
(4) Counsel shall conduct opening statements and closing arguments from the
lectern.
(5) Counsel need not seek permission to “approach the witness” unless requested to
do so by the court.
(6) All counsel are expected to stand at all times when addressing the court.
(7) Counsel must place all cellular and other mobile devices on silent mode.
(g) COURTROOM ATTIRE
(1) Attorneys, Parties, and Corporate Representatives
Attorneys and their staff, parties (except criminal defendants in custody), and
corporate representatives are required to wear standard business attire. For
men, this includes a suit and tie or a coat and tie with tailored slacks or khaki
pants. A coat and tie with jeans or other denim pants are not acceptable. For
women, this includes a tailored suit or dress. Slacks are appropriate if part of a
tailored suit. Slacks or skirts with a blouse or sweater, but without a jacket, are
not acceptable. Extremely short skirts and other revealing clothing (short, low-
cut, sheer) are not acceptable.
(2) Jurors and Witnesses
Jurors and witnesses shall dress appropriately and respectfully for the
courtroom. For men, other than uniformed law-enforcement officers, this
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includes a coat and slacks or khaki pants. For women, other than uniformed
law-enforcement officers, this includes a tailored suit or dress or a blouse or
sweater with an appropriate skirt, tailored slacks, or khaki pants. The following
shall not be permitted in the courtroom: shorts, jeans or other denim pants,
overalls, scrubs, tee shirts, tank tops, midriff-bearing or other revealing or low-
cut clothing, extremely short skirts, sunglasses, flip-flops, and hats.
(3) Spectators
Spectators are required to dress appropriately and respectfully for the
courtroom. Men are required to wear coats. The following shall not be
permitted in the courtroom: shorts, scrubs, tee shirts, tank tops, midriff-
bearing or other revealing or low-cut clothing, extremely short skirts,
sunglasses, flip-flops, and hats.
(4) Responsibility of Counsel
Counsel are responsible for ensuring compliance with these rules by their
clients, party representatives, and witnesses. Counsel should contact the court
in advance if special accommodations are desired for a client, party
representative, or witness.
(h) TRIAL SETTINGS
(1) Civil matters are set for final status conference by scheduling order. At the
final status conference, the case will be set for final pretrial conference and trial.
All pending motions, as well as objections to the use of exhibits, witnesses, and
deposition excerpts at trial, will be ruled on at the final pretrial conference if not
previously resolved.
(2) With regard to criminal cases, the court holds final pretrial conferences the
second Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m. unless the parties are otherwise
notified. The parties should be prepared to answer questions on any pending
motions. All pending motions, as well as objections to the use of exhibits and
witnesses, will be ruled on before or at the pretrial conference. Trial of the case
will begin immediately after the pretrial conference. A case not reached for
trial at the original setting will be reset to the earliest possible date.
(3) Unless an attorney has actually begun trial in another court, prior settings will
not cause a case to be continued.
(i) CONTINUANCES
(1) Joint motions for continuance are not binding and will be granted only at the
court’s discretion.
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(2) Bona fide vacation requests will be respected if they are made well in advance
of the trial setting.
(3) A trial will not be continued because of the unavailability of a witness. Counsel
are expected to anticipate such possibilities and should be prepared to present
testimony by stenographically-recorded deposition, video deposition, or
stipulation.
(j) COURTROOM PROCEDURES
(1) Hours
The court’s hours during trial will vary depending upon the type of case and the
needs of the parties, counsel, witnesses, and the court. The court will normally
convene at 9:00 a.m. and adjourn around 6:00 p.m., taking morning and
afternoon breaks, and recessing for lunch for one hour and fifteen minutes.
(2) Access at Other Times
Counsel needing access to the courtroom to set up equipment or exhibits before
or after the standard hours must arrange in advance with the court administrator
to have the courtroom opened.
(3) Equipment
(A) The courtroom is equipped with an overhead projector; sound and video
equipment; input for laptops at the bench, counsel table, witness stand,
and podium; monitors at the bench, counsel table, witness stand, jury
box, and podium; a document camera; a drop down projector screen
facing the jury; and easels.
(B) Counsel are responsible for setting up the overhead projector and sound
or video equipment. Prior permission must be obtained from the court
administrator in order to permit arrangements to be made with the court
security officers.
(C) Because jurors are permitted to take notes during trial, counsel, in a civil
trial, are responsible for providing a notepad and a pen for each member
of the jury. Counsel shall furnish these items to the court administrator
on the first day of trial.
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(4) Telephones
Telephone messages for counsel or the parties will not be taken by the judge’s
staff, and counsel shall refrain from requesting use of telephones in chambers.
(5) Seating
(A) In civil trials, the court does not designate seating at counsel tables. This
is determined on a first-come, first-served basis on the first day of trial.
(B) Enter and leave the courtroom by the front doors only; do not use the
court’s entrance or the side entrances.
(6) Availability
While the jury is deliberating, counsel, unless given permission by the court to
leave, shall remain in or near the courtroom to be available immediately for jury
notes or a verdict.
This order applies to all pending cases and to those filed on or after the date of this order.
SIGNED at Beaumont, Texas, this 17th day of October, 2025.
________________________________________
MARCIA A. CRONE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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