In Texas, there are three basic phases of a civil lawsuit: Pretrial, Trial, and Post-Trial. A “hearing” usually refers to a formal proceeding before a court to resolve a certain issue before a full “court trial,” during which a judge will both decide the facts of a case and apply the law. This post in the Civ Pro series will address questions frequently asked by pro se (self-represented) litigants about setting a hearing for their civil case. Generally, as a pro se litigant, you will be responsible for setting the hearing for your case. The court will not automatically set a hearing for you or notify you of when a hearing has been set.

Many pro se litigants are required to attend a “prove-up hearing” or file a “prove-up affidavit” as part of their case. While most pro se litigants will only encounter prove-ups in the context of a divorce, prove-up hearings or affidavits may also be required for other types of uncontested cases.