Last updated: October 20, 2026
Published: October 20, 2026 | Category: Case Update
Tags: Bill of Review, 311th District Court, mediation, trial setting, continuance, Local Rule 8.2
The short version.
- The Bill of Review was called for trial on October 19, 2026 in the 311th District Court.
- The court ordered that mediation occur, or at least be attempted, before trial, and reset the trial to December 2, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.
- No evidence was heard and the bill of review was not decided. The August 2024 order remains in effect while the case is pending.
- The county’s Domestic Relations Office mediation program is not available for this case, so the parties must use a private family mediator. The court coordinator confirmed the parties may use any mediator they both agree on.
- The Third Supplemental Exhibit List was refiled and accepted on October 16, 2026.
What Changed Since the Last Update
The October 16, 2026 update reported the filings made before the October 19 trial setting. This update covers what happened at that setting and the steps that follow. It reports the procedural outcome only. Nothing here reflects a ruling on the merits, and no court has made any finding on the bill of review.
October 19, 2026: Mediation Before Trial
Harris County’s family courts generally require the parties to attend mediation before a final trial unless the court authorizes otherwise (Harris County Family Trial Division Local Rule 8.2). The plaintiff had asked the court in September either to refer the case to mediation or to waive the requirement, and filed the Domestic Relations Office’s written confirmation that it could not schedule a session before the October 19 trial date.
At the October 19 setting, the court did not waive mediation. It ordered that mediation occur, or at least be attempted, before trial, and reset the trial to December 2, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. A reset to complete mediation is not a dismissal: the bill of review remains pending and will be tried on the new date if mediation does not resolve it.
Finding a Mediator
The Domestic Relations Office mediates family cases only for parties who fall within its eligibility limits, and this case does not. The parties therefore need a private family mediator. On October 19, 2026, the court coordinator advised that the parties may attend any mediator they both agree to; the court does not keep or recommend a list. The plaintiff has proposed mediating by videoconference, with the parties in separate virtual rooms and the fee shared equally, in time for the mediator’s report to reach the court before December 2.
Mediation in Texas is confidential. What is said in a mediation session, and any settlement offer or response, is not evidence at trial (Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 154.073; Texas Rule of Evidence 408). This site will report only whether mediation took place and whether it resolved the case.
What Is Still Pending
- The Second Amended Bill of Review, now set for trial on December 2, 2026.
- The Amended Motion for Temporary Orders (filed October 13, 2026), which asks for temporary orders only if the court grants the bill of review.
- The pretrial requests listed in earlier updates. This update makes no claim about any written ruling on them; the clerk’s docket has not been read since the setting.
Until a court signs a new order, the order signed in August 2024 governs the children’s conservatorship and possession. An agreement between the parties does not change a court order unless the court approves it.
Every Fact Above, With Its Source
Statements about filings trace to the clerk’s eFileTexas notices. Statements about the October 19 setting are reported from the setting itself and from the court coordinator’s correspondence; this update will be revised if the signed order or docket entry differs.
| Statement | Source |
|---|---|
| Trial reset to December 2, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.; mediation to occur or be attempted first | October 19, 2026 setting, 311th District Court; signed order or docket entry not yet read |
| Parties may use any mediator they both agree to; the court has no list | Email from the 311th District Court coordinator, October 19, 2026 |
| Domestic Relations Office could not schedule mediation before October 19 | Domestic Relations Office correspondence of September 29, 2026, filed with the plaintiff’s notice of mediation unavailability |
| Third Supplemental Exhibit List accepted October 16, 2026 | Envelope 121293672 (submitted October 16, 2:19 p.m.; accepted October 16, 2:41 p.m.). The earlier submission, Envelope 121282473, was returned for correction. |
Previous Case Updates
Each update is preserved at its own permanent address so the procedural history stays intact and citable. The most recent update is always available at safesapcrtx.org/case-update.
- October 16, 2026 — Temporary-orders motion amended; trial brief and exhibit lists filed
- October 10, 2026 — Witness, exhibit and temporary-orders filings accepted; trial holds for October 19
- October 1, 2026 — Mediation waiver renewed and settings requested; trial holds for October 19
- September 11, 2026 — Three pre-trial motions filed and pending; trial holds for October 19
- September 4, 2026 — Second Amended Bill of Review filed; mediation proposed; trial holds for October 19
- August 26, 2026 — Respondent served and answered; the Bill of Review is now contested
- July 20, 2026 — Amended Bill of Review filed, ex parte motion withdrawn, trial reset to October 19
- June 22, 2026 — Court notified of case misclassification; ex parte withdrawal and trial reset requested
This update describes procedural events in pending litigation, and party names have been omitted. Referenced filings are public court records available through the Harris County District Clerk. No findings have been entered on the bill of review, and nothing here should be read as established fact about any party. This is not legal advice.
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