The Western District of Texas
The Western District of Texas runs from San Antonio and Austin to El Paso and the Permian Basin. Its seven divisions sit in Austin, Waco, El Paso, San Antonio, Del Rio, Pecos (with court also held in Alpine), and Midland, with court in Odessa at the court's discretion.
Divisions and courthouse cities
Federal law divides the Western District into divisions by county. The table below follows the text of 28 U.S.C. §124.
| Division | Court held at | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Austin | Bastrop, Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Gillespie, Hays, Kimble, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, San Saba, Travis, Washington, and Williamson |
| Waco | Waco | Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Leon, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Robertson, and Somervell |
| El Paso | El Paso | El Paso |
| San Antonio | San Antonio | Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Dimmit, Frio, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Real, and Wilson |
| Del Rio | Del Rio | Edwards, Kinney, Maverick, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala |
| Pecos | Pecos and Alpine | Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Ward, and Winkler |
| Midland-Odessa | Midland | Andrews, Crane, Ector, Martin, Midland, and Upton |
County names shown in current spelling; see 28 U.S.C. §124 for the statutory text.
Court locations, local rules, and judges' procedures are posted on the court's official website. Check there for current addresses and filing requirements.
Cities in the district
Cities in the district include San Antonio (Bexar County), Austin (Travis County, extending into Williamson and Hays), Round Rock (Williamson County), San Marcos (Hays County), Waco (McLennan County), Killeen (Bell County), El Paso (El Paso County), Midland (Midland County), Odessa (Ector County), Del Rio (Val Verde County), Eagle Pass (Maverick County), and Uvalde (Uvalde County).
Civil rights cases in this district
Federal courts have jurisdiction over civil actions "arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States" (28 U.S.C. §1331). That includes claims under 42 U.S.C. §1983 for excessive force, false arrest, and First Amendment retaliation. A §1983 case is usually filed in the district, and often the division, where the events happened or where the defendants are located. The two-year Texas filing deadline applies statewide; see §1983 deadlines.
Appeals to the Fifth Circuit
Appeals from final decisions of the Western District go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (28 U.S.C. §1291), which hears appeals from Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (28 U.S.C. §41). Some orders, including many denials of qualified immunity, can be appealed before trial. See our appeals and qualified immunity pages.
Brandon J. Grable is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Selected result in the Western District
Portée v. Morath, No. 1:23-cv-00551-RP (W.D. Tex., Austin Division). A federal suit for military spouse Hannah Portée under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act's license-portability provision (50 U.S.C. §4025a). On Nov. 20, 2023, the court declared that the Texas Education Agency and related defendants violated federal law in handling her application and permanently enjoined them from enforcing that licensing requirement against her. See the case update.
Past results disclaimer:Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future matter. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and law. Results described depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. Client testimonials are not a guarantee of any result.
Grable PLLC is based in San Antonio and serves clients across Texas. See all four districts on our Texas federal courts page.
This page is general information about Texas and federal law, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and court decisions change, and every case turns on its own facts.
Talk With Grable PLLC
If you believe a Texas officer or government agency violated your civil rights, contact Grable PLLC to discuss your situation. Filing deadlines apply, so it helps to reach out sooner rather than later.