1. Summary Judgment
   The time for filing summary judgment motions is set by the Initial Scheduling Order, which is issued after the parties file their Joint Status Report.

   Content of Motions. Regarding summary-judgment motions, the parties shall proceed as though local civil rules 56.3(b) and 56.4(b) contain the word "must" instead of the word "may" in their first lines. That is, all matters required by local civil rules 56.3(a) and 56.4(a) must be set forth in the party's brief;

   Identifying Live Pleadings. The party moving for summary judgment must identify, in a separate section at the beginning of his brief, by name of pleading, date filed, and document number on the Court's docket, the live pleadings for each party who has appeared in the action. Any party filing a response to the motion shall indicate whether he agrees with the movant's identification of the live pleadings and, if not, why not; and

2. Continuance
   See LR 40.1; absent exceptional circumstances, continuances in civil cases are not granted since the trial month is agreed to by counsel for the parties and the Court at the trial-setting conference.
3. In Limine
   Motions in limine are due approximately one month before trial; the deadline for filing them will be set out in the Final Scheduling Order, which will be issued soon after the trial-setting conference.

1. Highlighting of Appendices. Regarding the documentary evidence submitted in an appendix, Judge Means requires that, if the appendix is electronically filed, the proponent of the appendix underline (or, as to large passages, bracket in the margin) the portions of the appendix upon which he relies. Similarly, if the appendix is manually filed, the portion of each page of the appendix upon which the proponent relies must be highlighted, underlined (or, for large passages, bracketed in the margins).
2. Large Appendices. Local civil rule 10.1(e) not withstanding, the judge’s paper copy of any appendix exceeding one hundred fifty (150) pages must be submitted in one or more three-ring binders, with the notice of electronic filing placed on top of the appendix inside the first binder and tabbed dividers placed between each separate exhibit. No single binder should exceed approximately three hundred (300) pages. See section E, below for appendices of fewer than 150 pages.
3. Exhibit Tabs. If tabs are used to separate exhibits, they must be placed on the right-hand side of the exhibits (i.e., not at the bottom of the page).

The paper copy must have the notice of electronic filing stapled in the upper left-hand corner of the first page of the document to which it pertains. The document must be bound as follows: (1) if 50 pages or fewer, by a staple in the upper left-hand corner; (2) if more than 50 but not more than 150 pages, two-hole punched at the top and placed under an Acco-type fastener; or (3) if more than 150 pages, three-hole punched on the left side and placed in a 3-ring binder (to contain no more than approximately 300 pages). See also section B(2), above.

Where a case or issue has been referred to the magistrate judge, the magistrate judge's paper copy of any pertinent electronically-filed document must arrive at the magistrate judge's chambers by mail or personal delivery within three working days of the electronic filing.

The Court construes LR 26.2(a) and (b) to require the exchanging and listing of any exhibit (except impeachment documents) that a party intends to offer in evidence or to use in the presence of the court or jury as a demonstrative aid, regardless of whether the party intends to move its admission into evidence. The judge construes narrowly the impeachment exceptions of FRCP 26(a)(3) and LR 26.2(a) and (b).

1. Stand as Court is opened, recessed, or adjourned.
2. Stand when the jury enters or retires from the courtroom.
3. Stand when addressing, or being addressed by, the Court.
4. Stand at the lectern while examining any witness, except that counsel may approach the clerk's desk or the witness for purposes of handling or tendering exhibits.
5. Stand at the lectern while making opening statements or closing arguments.
6. Address all remarks to the Court, not to opposing counsel.
7. Avoid disparaging personal remarks or acrimony toward opposing counsel and remain wholly detached from any ill-feeling between the litigants or witnesses.
8. Refer to all persons, including witnesses, other counsel, and the parties by their surnames and not by their first or given names.
9. Only one attorney for each party may examine or cross examine each witness. The attorney stating objections, if any, during direct examination will be the attorney recognized for cross examination.
10. Any counsel who calls a witness shall have no further discussions with that witness concerning any aspect of the case or his testimony after the witness has been tendered for cross-examination until such time as the witness has been tendered back for re-direct examination.
11. Request permission before approaching the bench.
12. Any paper or exhibit not previously marked for identification must be marked before it is tendered to a witness for examination, and any exhibit offered in evidence must be handed to opposing counsel when offered.
13. In making objections counsel must state only the legal grounds for the objection and must withhold further comment or argument unless elaboration is requested by the Court.
14. When examining a witness, counsel may not repeat the answer given by the witness.
15. Offers of, or requests for, a stipulation must be made privately, not within the hearing of the jury.
16. In opening statements and in arguments to the jury, counsel may not express personal knowledge or opinion concerning any matter in issue (i.e., don’t say “I think” or “I believe,” etc.) and, may not read or purport to read from deposition or trial transcripts.
17. Counsel must admonish all persons at counsel table that gestures, facial expressions, audible comments, or the like, as manifestations of approval or disapproval during the testimony of witnesses, or at any other time, are absolutely prohibited.
18. No one, including especially attorneys, parties, and witnesses, may bring food or drink (except bottled water) into the courtroom, nor may they chew gum.

1. Effective September 1, 2008, all cases on Judge Means's docket (civil and criminal) are automatically assigned to the electronic case filing (ECF) system pursuant to the local rules. A party may be exempted from ECF upon the filing of a motion showing good cause.
2. Electronic filing is not permitted for the following parties/documents:
   
   1. prisoners filing pro se;
   2. the state-court record in cases involving the pursuit of habeas relief under 28 U.S.C.§ 2254; and
   3. the administrative record in cases seeking judicial review of a decision of the Commissioner of Social Security under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g).
3. All motions require a proposed order that must be emailed to [email protected] and must be in Word or WordPerfect format.
4. When electronically submitting proposed orders in criminal cases in accordance with instructions found at the proposed-order event in the ECF filing system, please:
   
   1. identify in the subject line whether an order for continuance relates to trial, sentencing, or other hearing; and
   2. always including the defendant's identification number, which is found at the end of the case number in parentheses (single-defendant cases should use the number 1).

All case-inquiry phone calls are referred to Judge Means's judicial assistant/courtroom deputy, Michelle Moon, at 817-850-6670.

Telephone calls directly to the Court’s law clerks are not permitted.

Many of the questions that the judge’s staff receives from lawyers and litigants are answered by the federal rules of civil procedure, the local civil rules, the judge specific requirements, or the judge’s scheduling orders. It is the judge’s desire that callers receive prompt, courteous, and accurate responses to their questions. To achieve this level of service, it is necessary that callers avoid contacting the staff to ask questions that are answered by the rules and the court's orders.

Attorneys who are taking the oath of admission to the Northern District of Texas must be introduced and sponsored by a member of this Court's bar who is currently in good standing.