Texas Supreme Court Emergency Order Permitting Out-of-State Lawyers to Practice and Legal Aid Number – Hurricane Harvey

The  Texas Supreme Court has issued an order allowing out-of-state lawyers who are licensed to practice law in another jurisdiction and who meet certain criteria to practice law in Texas for six months from the date of the Court’s Order on August 29, 2017. To Practice, the criteria is:

1. the attorney is in good standing with the entity that governs the practice of law in the
jurisdiction where the attorney is licensed; 2. either: a. the attorney is displaced from the attorney’s home jurisdiction due to Hurricane Harvey and the attorney practices in Texas remotely as if the attorney were located in their home jurisdiction; or b. the attorney is retained by a legal-aid or pro bono program or a bar association that provides services to victims of Hurricane Harvey; 3. as soon as possible after arriving in Texas, the attorney returns to the State Bar of Texas the Registration for Temporary Practice from Texas form attached to the order (See Supreme Court of Texas Website at http://www.txcourts.gov/supreme/news/emergency-orders-addressing-post-harvey-court-implications/); and 4. the attorney agrees to abide by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and to submit to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Texas and the State Bar of Texas.

As someone living in an affected community, everyone’s help is needed. If you can help, please do so. Also, Legal Aid has a designated hotline to assist Texans affected by natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey. People seeking help can call 855-548-8457.

Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals Emergency Order Due to Hurricane Harvey

The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals issued an emergency order Monday, August 28, 2017, authorizing modification and suspension of court procedures in proceedings affected by Hurricane Harvey. The order expires September 27 unless the courts extend it.

“Court proceedings … throughout Texas may be affected by the disaster because of closures of courts and clerks’ offices and difficulties with access, travel, and communication by lawyers, parties, and others,” the order states. “Pursuant to Section 22.0035(b) of the Texas Government Code, all courts in Texas should consider disaster-caused delays as good cause for modifying or suspending all deadlines and procedures—whether prescribed by statute, rule, or order—in any case, civil or criminal.”

The Order covers at least 50 counties listed in the Order, but also throughout Texas. A copy of the Order can be found at http://www.txcourts.gov. Also, a list of court closures can be found at http://www.txcourts.gov/court-closures-delays/.