FILED
May 18, 2026
CLERK, U.S. DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT Toni Appelt
BY: ________________________________
DEPUTY
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
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AMENDED ORDER ASSIGNING THE BUSINESS OF THE COURT
Pursuant to Section 137 of Title 28, United States Code, and to streamline previous orders, all
cases, proceedings, and matters shall be assigned to the district judges of this Court as follows:
Item I
Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses:
(a) Sixty-five percent (65%) of the civil docket in the Del Rio Division; and
(b) Thirty-five percent (35%) of the criminal docket in the Del Rio Division;
(c) The admission of attorneys to the bar of this Court and all administrative matters in the
Del Rio Division; and
(d) The impaneling of grand juries and the receipt of grand jury returns in the Del Rio
Division.
Item II
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery:
(a) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the civil docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(b) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the criminal docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(c) The admission of attorneys to the bar of this Court in the San Antonio Division.
Item III
U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia:
(a) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the civil docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(b) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the criminal docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(c) The impaneling of grand juries and the receipt of grand jury returns in the San Antonio
Division.
Item IV
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone:
(a) Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the civil docket in the El Paso Division;
(b) Thirty-four percent (34%) of the criminal docket in the El Paso Division;
(c) The admission of attorneys to the bar of this Court and all administrative matters in
the El Paso Division; and
(d) Chair of the CJA panel committee.
Item V
U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez:
(a) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the civil docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(b) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the criminal docket in the San Antonio Division;
(c) Ten percent (10%) of the civil docket in the Austin Division; and
(d) Naturalization proceedings in the San Antonio Division.
Item VI
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman:
(a) Thirty-five percent (35%) of the civil docket in the Austin Division; and
(b) Forty percent (40%) of the criminal docket in the Austin Division;
(c) The impaneling of grand juries and the receipt of grand jury returns in the
Austin Division; and
(d) The admission of attorneys to the bar of this Court in the Austin Division, and
all other administrative matters in the Austin Division.
Item VII
U.S. District Judge David Counts:
(a) All cases and proceedings in the Midland-Odessa Division;
(b) All cases and proceedings in the Pecos Division.
Item VIII
U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam:
(a) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the civil docket in the San Antonio Division; and
(b) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the criminal docket in the San Antonio Division.
Item IX
U.S. District Judge Leon Schydlower:
(a) Thirty-seven percent (37%) of the civil docket in the El Paso Division;
(b) Thirty-four percent (34%) of the criminal docket in the El Paso Division;
(c) Thirty percent (30%) of the civil docket of the Waco Division;
(d) The impaneling of grand juries and the receipt of grand jury returns in the El Paso
Division.
Item X
U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez:
(a) Thirty-five percent (35%) of the civil docket in the Del Rio Division;
(b) Sixty-five percent (65%) of the criminal docket in the Del Rio Division; and
(c) Naturalization proceedings in the Del Rio Division.
Item XI
U.S. District Judge Chris Wolfe:
(a) Seventy percent (70%) of the civil docket in the Waco Division, with the
exception of patent cases; and
(b) One hundred percent (100%) of the criminal docket in the Waco Division;
(c) Patent cases will be assigned as ordered on May 10, 2024, in the Court’s Order
Assigning the Business of the Court as it Relates to Patent Cases; and
(d) All other proceedings in the Waco Division.
Item XII
U.S. District Judge Andrew Davis:
(a) Thirty-five percent (35%) of the civil docket in the Austin Division;
(b) Forty percent (40%) of the criminal docket in the Austin Division; and
(c) Naturalization proceedings in the Austin Division.
Item XIII
U.S. District Judge Alan Albright:
(a) Any civil case, criminal case, court related matter, or administrative duty
assigned or transferred to him by another judge by mutual consent until August
31, 2026.
Item XIV
Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones:
(a) Thirteen percent (13%) of the civil docket in the El Paso Division;
(b) Sixteen percent (16%) of the criminal docket in the El Paso Division; and
(c) The admission of attorneys to the bar of this Court in the El Paso Division.
Item XV
Senior U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo:
(a) Any civil case, criminal case, court related matter, or administrative duty assigned or
transferred to him by another judge by mutual consent.
Item XVI
Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderrama:
(a) Thirteen percent (13%) of the civil docket in the El Paso Division; and
(b) Sixteen percent (16%) of the criminal docket in the El Paso Division; and
(c) Naturalization proceedings in the El Paso Division.
Item XVII
Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra:
(a) Twenty percent (20%) of the civil docket in the Austin Division;
(b) Twenty percent (20%) of the criminal docket in the Austin Division; and
(c) Any civil case, criminal case, court related matter, or administrative matters assigned
or transferred to him by another judge by mutual consent.
Item XVIII
Senior U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez:
(a) Any civil case, criminal case, court related matter, or administrative matters
assigned or transferred to her by another judge by mutual consent.
Item XIX
(a) Notwithstanding Items I through XVII, any judge may reassign any case, matter
or proceeding to another judge by mutual consent.
(b) Whenever a judge in a multi-judge division is disqualified or recused in a case, the
case shall be randomly assigned by the Clerk to another judge stationed in that
division. If all judges in a multi-judge division are recused or disqualified, the
case shall be randomly reassigned by the Clerk to a judge in another division.
(c) Whenever a judge in a single-judge division is disqualified or recused in a case,
the case shall be randomly reassigned by the Clerk to a judge in another
division.
(d) A judge must state in writing any reason for recusal. A thorough explanation is
required if the recusal is for a reason other than pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 455.
(e) Whenever a judge receives a case due to disqualification or recusal, the receiving
judge may transfer one of his or her cases, of equal weight or as close as possible.
to the disqualified or recused judge.
(f) With respect to each division in which business is assigned to more than one
judge. The Clerk shall maintain a separate civil and/or criminal docket, and all
cases shall be allocated, pursuant to the percentages hereinabove set forth, as
reflected in the random plan for assignment of cases.
(g) This order is in lieu of prior similar orders of the Court on assignment of the
business of the Court.
(h) The Clerk shall file a copy of this order in every division of the district.
(i) This order shall become effective on May 18, 2026.
SIGNED this 18th day of May 2026.
___________________________________
ALIA MOSES
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
