• Requirements for Admission to Practice in the Northern District of Texas
  • Application
  • Swearing In Schedule
    
    
• Requesting a Judge to Deliver Your Oath of Admission to Another District
  
  
• Pro Hac Vice Appearance
  • Application
  • Order (PDF, WPD)
  • Exemptions LR 83.11 LCrR 57.11 JPML 2.1(c)
    
    
• Requirement of Local Counsel
  
  
• ECF Registration
  
  
• Certificate of Good Standing
  
  
• Attorney Status Report (click here to search the admission status of attorneys in our court)
  
  
• CJA Attorney Information
  
  
• Change of Name/Address
  
  
• Volunteer Opportunities
  • Civil
  • Criminal

Requirements for Admission to Practice in the Northern District of Texas
(Attorney Admission Fee increased to $201.00, effective November 1, 2011)

LR 83.7 and LCrR 57.7 identify the requirements for admission to practice in the Northern District of Texas. These procedures explain the process for becoming admitted to the bar of this court. If you seek permission to appear for one case only, please see the Pro Hac Vice Appearance instructions.

If you are a resident attorney or will travel to the Northern District of Texas to be sworn in:

1. Obtain an original Certificate of Good Standing issued within the last 90 days from the state bar or highest court of the state or District of Columbia in which you are licensed to practice.
   
   
2. Complete the Application for Admission, remembering to:
   
   
   1. Check the box to request a login if you wish for your application to serve as your ECF registration;
   2. Have your signature notarized (or witnessed by the clerk before your appointment to be sworn in; a $11 fee applies);
   3. Discard "Optional Page" 3, unless you wish to be sworn in by a circuit, bankruptcy, or magistrate judge of this court;
   4. Attach the original Certificate of Good Standing described in Step 1.
      
      
3. Make an appointment to present your application to a U.S. District Judge (see the schedule below for usual appointment days). If approved, the district judge will swear you in at that time. If you prefer to be sworn in by a circuit judge, bankruptcy judge, or magistrate judge of this court, a district judge must approve your application on the "Optional Page" 3, before you can be sworn in by the other judge. Your sponsor must be present to introduce you when you are sworn in by any judge of this court.
   
   
4. After you have been sworn in, present your approved application to the clerk's office and pay the $201 admission fee. (Payment methods: Cash is accepted in all divisions except Abilene, San Angelo, and Wichita Falls. Checks and money orders, made payable to Clerk, U.S. District Court, and the following credit cards: American Express, Diner's Club, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa, are accepted in all divisions.) The clerk will prepare your Certificate of Admission while you wait.

If you are a nonresident attorney who will be sworn in by a judge of another district:

1. Obtain an original Certificate of Good Standing issued within the last 90 days from the state bar or highest court of the state or District of Columbia in which you are licensed to practice.
   
   
2. Complete the Application for Admission, remembering to:
   
   
   1. Check the box to request a login if you wish for your application to serve as your ECF registration;
   2. Have your signature notarized;
   3. Leave the "Optional Page" 3 attached; and
   4. Attach the original Certificate of Good Standing described in Step 1.
      
      
3. Send the application to the clerk's office, but DO NOT send the application fee at this time. (If you send it prematurely, the clerk must return it to you, which will cause delays in the processing of your application.)
   
   
4. Once approved by a district judge of this court, the clerk will return the approved application to you, so you may arrange to have a judge of another district administer the oath of admission to the Northern District of Texas.
   
   
5. Arrange to be sworn in by a judge of another district. The other district's judge will need to sign on the "Optional Page" 3 to show that the oath was administered.
   
   
6. Send the completed application and the $201 admission fee in a check or money order made payable to: Clerk, U.S. District Court to the clerk's office. The clerk will mail your certificate to you.

If you exercised the option for your application to serve as your registration for electronic filing, the clerk will send your ECF login and temporary password to you via email. If you did not register for electronic filing, please be advised that LR 5.1(f) and LCrR 49.2(g) require that you do so within 14 days of your appearance in any case.

Requesting a Judge to Deliver Your Oath of Admission to Another District

If you are seeking admission to practice in another district, follow the admission procedures of that district. If you wish for a NDTX judge to administer the oath of admission for the other district, make an appointment through the judge's chambers to be sworn in.

Pro Hac Vice Appearance

If you are not admitted to practice in the Northern District of Texas, you may represent a party in proceedings in this district only by permission of the presiding judge. An exception has been granted for an attorney appearing on behalf of the United States Justice Department (see LR 83.11 and LCrR 57.11). See also Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Rule 2.1(c).

To seek permission of the presiding judge, complete the court approved Application for Admission Pro Hac Vice and Order for Admission Pro Hac Vice (pdf, wpd). (Do not leave blanks in the application; indicate "N/A" as necessary.) You must attach the required original Certificate of Good Standing issued within the last 90 days from the state bar or highest court of the state or District of Columbia in which you are licensed to practice. The presiding judge will decide whether to grant permission to proceed pro hac vice. If permission is granted, it will be for one case only. You must apply, pay the fee, and obtain permission from the presiding judge for each case in which you want to represent a party pro hac vice. If admitted pro hac vice, you become subject to the rules of the Northern District of Texas.

You may register as an ECF User before submitting your Application for Admission Pro Hac Vice. After registering you will be able to file your pro hac vice application electronically. The Application for Admission Pro Hac Vice docket event is found under the Motions category, and this docket event allows you to pay the required fee online. You may also file an Application for Admission Pro Hac Vice on paper with the required fee.

If you file your application on paper, you may exercise the option for your pro hac vice application to serve as your registration for electronic filing. If your application is granted, your ECF login and temporary password will be emailed to you shortly thereafter. If you do not indicate that you wish to register for electronic filing, be advised that LR 5.1(f) and LCrR 49.2(g) require that you do so within 14 days of your appearance in any case.

Requirement of Local Counsel

LR 83.10 and LCrR 57.10 require an attorney not residing or maintaining a principal office in the Northern District of Texas to designate local counsel (unless exempt by LR 83.11 or LCrR 57.11). See also Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Rule 2.1(c). A member of the bar of the Northern District of Texas who resides or maintains a principal office in this district and whose residence or principal office is located within 50 miles of the courthouse in the division in which the case is pending may serve as local counsel. Local counsel must be authorized to present and argue the client's position at any hearing called by the Court and to perform any duty required by the local rules of the Northern District of Texas.

Certificate of Good Standing

The Certificate of Good Standing verifies that an attorney is a member in good standing with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. A fee is required for this certificate, and refunds are only authorized by court order, so please verify your status before requesting a certificate.

If you are an ECF user, you may request and pay for your certificate via the Request for Certificate of Good Standing function, found under Civil Events -> Other Filings. (You may request certificates for up to four additional attorneys during the transaction.) In most instances, we can email the certificate(s) to you the same day.

If you are not an ECF user, please register here or send your written request (including your full name and bar number), payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the clerk's office.

Change of Address

If you change your name, business name, address, phone or fax number, or e-mail address, you must promptly update this contact information with the court. The method you must use to update the information depends on whether or not you are a registered user of ECF (see LR 83.13 and LCrR 57.13). To update your contact information electronically, use the Maintaining Your Account instructions. To update your contact information on paper, submit the Federal Bar Membership Update form.