Traci Ellison, Courtroom Deputy
(214) 753-2054
The Northern District will permit counsel to utilize a self-calendaring procedure for the scheduling of matters requiring 30 minutes or less of court time. This procedure will allow counsel to self-select available dates and times on the appropriate judge's calendar and serve notice without contacting the courtroom deputy for a hearing setting. The court strongly encourages the use of this self-calendaring procedure when appropriate. Courtroom deputies are available by email or telephone to schedule non-self calendared hearings as needed.
The self-calendaring procedure for Chief Judge Jernigan is as follows:
NOTE: Occasionally there may be instances where self-calendared matters are rescheduled possibly due to docket congestion or unforeseen schedule changes. In these instances, the courtroom deputy will contact counsel for the movant, as soon as possible, so that a notice of rescheduled hearing may be issued and served.
See General Order 2023-05 to determine if an in-person hearing is required, or if participants may or must appear via WebEx video conferencing. Remote and hybrid hearings should be noticed for "at https://us-courts.webex.com/meet/jerniga." In-Person hearings should be noticed for Judge Jernigan's courtroom located at 1100 Commerce Street, 14th Floor, Courtroom 1, Dallas, Texas.
Preliminary hearings on Motions for Relief from Stay (all chapters) will be heard on designated Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. by WebEx video conferencing.
Preliminary Hearing date:
Motions to Extend or Impose the Automatic Stay will be heard as indicated on the chart below by WebEx video conferencing.
NOTE: Motions shall be filed and served promptly upon the filing of the petition. Per Clerk's Notice 06-06, motions shall be filed promptly enough that (1) the court may hear the motion within 30 days of the date of the petition and (2) parties may be given 24 days notice of the hearing.
Hearing date:
All matters relating to Chapter 13 main cases (other than motions for relief from stay) will be heard on designated Thursdays. Parties shall contact the Office of the Chapter 13 Trustee, Thomas D. Powers, at (214) 855-9200. Settings must comply with Chapter 13 Office procedures and requirements. You may also obtain setting information on the trustee's website at www.13network.com.
NOTE: All matters shall be noticed for an 8:30 a.m. pre-hearing conference at Crestview Tower, 105 Decker Court, Suite 120, Irving, Texas 75062. The Court will hear unresolved and defaulted matters at 2:00 p.m. on the same day by WebEx video conferencing.
December 12, 2024 January 9, 2025
December 9, 2024 January 13, 2025
Judge Jernigan’s chambers are located at 1100 Commerce Street, Room 1421, Dallas, TX 75242-1496. Her courtroom is located in Room 1428 (Courtroom #1) on the 14th floor.
The mailing address is 1100 Commerce Street, Room 1254, Dallas, TX, 75242-1496.
Case-related inquiries should be directed to the courtroom deputy. All other calls may be directed as follows.:
1. General Information. The Court is currently providing remote access to certain hearings through the Court’s WebEx videoconference facilities. Parties, counsel, and other participants are permitted to attend and participate in hearings by telephone and videoconference without prior permission of the Court subject to compliance with the procedures and requirements set forth herein. See General Order 2023-05 which details when a court appearance is required or optional.
For WebEx Video Participation/Attendance: Link: https://us-courts.webex.com/meet/jerniga
For WebEx Telephonic Only Participation/Attendance: Dial-In: 1.650.479.3207 Meeting ID: 2304 154 2638
2. Witness Testimony. Witnesses may not provide testimony by telephone alone (i.e. without the WebEx video function activated) except in extremely rare, emergency situations in which the Court determines that cause exists to waive the prohibition or where such form of testimony has been pre-authorized by the Court.
3. Protocol for Joining Hearing; Conduct During Hearing. Attendees should join the WebEx hearing at least 10 minutes prior to the hearing start time. Please be advised that a hearing may already be in progress and the Court’s telephonic and videoconference lines are live. During hearings, attendees are required to keep their lines on mute at all times that they are not addressing the Court or otherwise actively participating in the hearing. The Court reserves the right to disconnect or place on permanent mute any attendee that causes any disruption to the proceedings before the Court. For general information and tips with respect to WebEx participation and attendance, please see Clerk's Notice 23-05.
4. Exhibits. Any party intending to introduce documentary evidence at the hearing must file an exhibit list in the case with a true and correct copy of each designated exhibit filed as a separate, individual attachment thereto so that the Court and all participants have ready access to all designated exhibits. If the number of pages of such exhibits exceeds 100, then such party must also deliver two (2) sets of such exhibits in exhibit binders to the Court by no later than twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the hearing unless the hearing will also be conducted in a live format and counsel will be presenting the binders to the Court at the commencement of the hearing. For any witness that is to be called to testify remotely, the party calling the witness is responsible for supplying the witness with all designated exhibits for the hearing.
5. Disclaimer. The Court cannot and does not guarantee that telephonic service and computer connectivity will not be interrupted during the course of a hearing. If the hearing is being conducted in live format, those who elect to participate in a hearing by remote means do so at their own risk understanding that except in extremely rare circumstances the Court will not entertain a request for continuance of the hearing based upon technological failure or any disadvantage experienced on account of an election to attend remotely instead of in person.
Please notify the courtroom deputy by email to sgj_settings@txnb.uscourts.gov when filing an emergency motion or motion for expedited hearing.
Out of respect for the court's time and other parties who need court time, and out of consideration for due process, parties should be thoughtful about whether their matters are genuine emergencies. Requests should specifically state why the relief sought is urgent and cannot wait the required notice period. Certificates of conference are important to the court in evaluating what parties-in-interest have been contacted and do not oppose the request.
The U. S. Trustee’s docket is typically scheduled on the first Wednesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. Settings are scheduled by counsel for the U. S. Trustee.
The Chapter 13 Trustee’s docket is generally scheduled for the second Thursday of each month. The Chapter 13 Trustee’s office prepares the docket, conducts pre-hearing conferences, and provides the court with a list of unresolved matters that require a court hearing. The courtroom deputy only sets matters on this docket when instructed by the judge.
After a Clerk’s entry of default has been issued, defendant may move for default judgment at trial docket call or by written motion. If by written motion, a hearing is required. Please obtain a setting from Judge Jernigan’s self-calendaring procedures at http://www.txnb.uscourts.gov/content/judge-stacey-g-c-jernigan.
Motions for summary judgment require a hearing unless the parties request it be decided on pleadings. Settings may be obtained by contacting the courtroom deputy at sgj_settings@txnb.uscourts.gov
To announce an agreement, default, or pass to another preliminary hearing, counsel for movant should docket a notice of announcement regarding lift stay motion in ECF. The deadline for announcements in Judge Jernigan’s court is 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to the hearing. Announcements received by the deadline will be annotated on the court’s calendar and counsel will be excused from appearing in court. Otherwise, counsel should plan to appear in court and make an announcement on the record.
Counsel should file a motion to shorten notice and upload a proposed order if allowing less than 21 days’ notice of the hearing.
Motions to reinstate in Chapter 13 cases should be set on the Chapter 13 Trustee’s pre-hearing conference docket. Motions to reinstate in Chapter 7 cases should be set for hearing in the due course of business. If the case was dismissed for deficient documents and the deficiency is promptly cured, counsel should file a motion to reinstate case and contact the courtroom deputy. The court may be willing to reinstate the case without a hearing.
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For all hearings and trials, please provide the court with 2 copies of all exhibits (one for the court and one for the law clerk) in addition to any copies to be provided to opposing counsel or for use by witnesses.
