Contact Information

First Court of Appeals

Parties and counsel may communicate with the Court about a case only through the Office of the Clerk of the Court. Tex. R. App. P. 9.6; see also Tex. Code Jud. Conduct Canon 3(B) (ex parte communications); Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 36.04 (Vernon 2003) (prohibiting improper influence on adjudicatory proceeding). The Clerk's Office cannot accept fax or e-mail filing of briefs, motions, or other documents related to a case.

The Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., except for certain holidays. See Tex. Gov't Coce Ann. §§ 658.005(a), 662.003, 662.004, 662.021, 662.022 (Vernon 2004). As a convenience, a "late–filing" box is normally available from 5:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is located at the constables' station on the ground floor of 1307 San Jacinto Street in Houston.

The Clerk's Office will file documents placed in the "late–filing" box on the next business day, but use the date on which the document was placed in the box. The constables are not authorized to sign for—or otherwise accept—a document, filestamp a document placed in the "late–filing" box, or give a receipt for filing fees. The "late–filing" box is not available on holidays when the Clerk's Office is closed even if there is a constable present. Because the constables may be called away on other business, the Court cannot guarantee that the "late–filing" box will be available.

From January 1 to June 30, original proceedings should be first presented to the Clerk of the First Court for assignment to either the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals. From July 1 to December 31, original proceedings should be first presented to the Clerk of the Fourteenth Court for assignment to either the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals. For more information on the assignment of original proceedings, see Local Rule 1.

If a party believes an emergency may arise which would require it to file a document when the Clerk's Office is closed, then the Clerk's Office should be notified in advance during regular business hours. If the emergency involves an appeal in which the notice of appeal has not yet been filed, then arrangements must also be made with the trial-court clerk to file the notice of appeal and to make an assignment to either the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 22.202(h) (Vernon 2004), Local Rule 1. If the emergency involves the filing of an original proceeding, then arrangements must also be made to present the original proceeding for assignment to either the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals as described in the previous paragraph and in Local Rule 1. If the appeal or original proceeding is assigned to this Court, then the Clerk's Office will notify the Court concerning the emergency filing. See also Tex. P. App. P. 17.

Physical Location

• First Court of Appeals
  1307 San Jacinto Street, 10th Floor (intersection of Clay and San Jacinto Streets)
  Houston, Texas

Mailing Address

• HON KARINNE MCCULLOUGH
  CLERK OF THE COURT
  FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
  1307 SAN JACINTO ST FL 10
  HOUSTON TX 77002-7018

Court Personnel

• Clerk of the Court: M. Karinne McCullough
• Chief Staff Attorney: Janet M. Williams

Telephone

• (713) 655-2700

Updated: 20-Mar-2008