Court Rules and Procedures

Criminal Courts > Misdemeanor Courts > County Criminal Court No. 4 > Court Rules and Procedures

Children
No children are allowed in County Criminal Court No. 4 or in the hallway outside of the courtroom.  Please arrange for childcare before your court date.

Dress Code
Business attire is required for any person entering the courtroom.  This includes defendants, friends and family, observers, attorneys and their staff.  Judge Nekhom may sanction anyone wearing cutoffs, shorts, tank tops, swim wear, clothes bearing obscene language, house slippers, halter tops, dirty clothing, micro-mini skirts, workout garments, and midriff shirts.  Attorneys are responsible for informing their clients of the Court's dress code.

Inclement Weather Policy
The Court will be closed on the same schedule as Fort Worth ISD if there is inclement weather.

Appointment of Attorneys
The Office of Attorney Appointments handles most attorney appointments and manages the appointment wheel.  If the judge finds good cause -- in accordance with state indigency guidelines -- to appoint an attorney to a case, she will only appoint off of this approved list.  Judge Nekhom requires all defendants to reimburse the county for the fees of court-appointed counsel.  The only exception is a defendant in custody.

Faxes and E-mail
The Court does not accept filing by fax or e-mail.  E-mails will only be accepted by the court coordinator (splott@tarrantcounty.com) and the court reporter (mseay@tarrantcounty.com).  E-mails to the judge will not be read or acknowledged unless requested and expected by the judge.

Phone
No court business will be conducted over the phone.  The judge will not entertain motions for continuance, bond requests, labor detail requests or court cost arrangements over the phone.  This rule applies to attorneys and defendants.  You may call the court coordinator to ask for the best time to see the judge.

Bonds
Bonds set by out-of-county judges will be refused and returned.  Bonds will not be reinstated without the approval of the bonding agency.  Bonds on motions to revoke will not be set unless the probationer is current on probation fees and fines and court costs.

Labor Detail
Judge Nekhom has little tolerance for labor detail violations and only allows one unexcused absence.  Failure to follow the rules of labor detail (bringing a cell phone, not wearing appropriate clothing, not bringing ID) will result in unexcused absences as well.  Defendants revoked from labor detail are responsible for immediately contacting the court for a date and time to see the judge.

Gratuities
No gratuities may be accepted by the Court or any staff member.

Community Service
The judge will not waive community service if a defendant pays fines and court costs.  She may find good cause to reduce community service in some instances.  Community service for a memorandum of agreement is to be performed in Tarrant County for a non-profit, community based organization.  If a defendant is on probation, they will follow the rules and directions of CSCD and their probation officer.

Ex Parte Communications
All inquiries concerning motions and other court business should be directed to the court coordinator.  Judges are prohibited from communicating about cases with the defendants or their attorneys unless both sides are present.  Judge Nekhom will not accept phone calls from defendants or other parties associated with a case in her court.

Cell Phones
All mobile phones and pagers must be turned off while in court.  Violators may be fined or removed from the courtroom or the device may be confiscated.

Occupational Licenses
Below are Judge Nekhom's requirements for all occupational licenses:

  • Logbook required
  • Driving record
  • Waiver signed by District Attorney
  • No alcohol consumption eight hours before driving
  • No moving violations and no laser or radar detectors
  • Proof of current SR-22 insurance
  • No driving from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (Exceptions allowed for emergencies and legitimate employment.)
  • No specimen refusals and no refusal of field sobriety tests
  • Interlock required under the following circumstances:
    • If offense occurred while defendant was under 21 years of age
    • If defendant has a prior DWI conviction
    • If the defendant had a B.A.C. of 0.15 or more
Interlock Devices
Interlock devices must remain on any vehicle a defendant drives for the duration of probation or an occupational license unless specifically ordered by the Court.  Interlock devices must not be removed unless ordered by the court.  To remove an interlock while on probation, the defendant should contact an attorney, who must file a request to modify the terms of probation.  For occupational licenses, the term of the occupational must have expired and your license must be reinstated by the state.  There are no early removals for occupational licenses.  When requesting removal of an interlock device, defendants or their attorneys must appear in front of the judge in person. Only approved providers may be used.