Recent Changes

The current N.D. Tex. Local Civil Rules took effect September 1, 2026, replacing the version effective September 2, 2025.

Effective Date: September 1, 2026. The court's annual local rules amendment cycle runs: November 1 (deadline for proposals) -> April 1 (proposed modifications distributed for public comment) -> June 1 (deadline for public comment) -> July 1 (formal adoption) -> September 1 (effective).

What changed on September 1, 2026: LR 83.10 (Requirement of Local Counsel)

The 2026 revision changed one rule, LR 83.10.

1. No more 50-mile requirement (LR 83.10(a)). Under the 2025 rule, local counsel had to reside or maintain a principal office within 50 miles of the courthouse in the division where the case was pending. The 2026 rule reads: 'Unless exempted under LR 83.10(c) or by LR 83.11, local counsel is required in all cases where an attorney appearing in a case does not reside or maintain the attorney's principal office in this district. "Local counsel" means a member of the bar of this court who resides or maintains the attorney's principal office in this district. If the presiding judge so orders, local counsel may be subject to requirements such as residing or maintaining the attorney's principal office within a specified distance from the courthouse in which the case is pending.'

1. Leave-to-proceed procedure removed (LR 83.10(a)). The 2025 rule required attorneys who wanted to proceed without local counsel to obtain leave from the presiding judge, and to file a written designation of local counsel within 14 days if leave was denied. Neither requirement appears in the 2026 rule.

1. New judge exemption (LR 83.10(c)). 'The presiding judge may exempt a party from the local counsel requirement in a case pending before the judge.' The exemption clause in LR 83.10(a) now cites this subsection.

1. Narrower duties sentence (LR 83.10(b)). The 2025 rule required that local counsel 'be authorized to present and argue a party's position at any hearing called by the presiding judge.' That language is gone. The 2026 rule reads: 'Local counsel must be able to perform, on behalf of the party represented, any duty required by the presiding judge or the local civil rules of this court.'

Also in the current rules: LR 7.2(f), Disclosure of Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

'(1) A brief prepared using generative artificial intelligence must disclose this fact on the first page under the heading "Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence." If the presiding judge so directs, the party filing the brief must disclose the specific parts prepared using generative artificial intelligence.

(2) "Generative Artificial Intelligence" means a computer tool (whether referred to as "Generative Artificial Intelligence" or by another name) that is capable of generating new content (such as images and text) in response to a submitted prompt (such as a query) by learning from a large reference database of examples.

(3) A party who files a brief that does not contain the disclosure required by subsection (f)(1) of this rule certifies that no part of the brief was prepared using generative artificial intelligence.'

Practical note: The disclosure goes on the first page of the brief itself -- not in a certificate of service or cover page. Non-disclosure operates as an affirmative certification that no generative AI was used in preparing the brief. The rule covers the brief; it does not expressly cover motions, responses, or other court filings that are not styled as briefs.