District Court - 240th | Important Notices


Important Notice

Beginning September 1, 2023, the 240th District Court will move to e-file resets for First Appearance Settings only. To avoid bond forfeiture, the reset must be e-filed no later than 9 AM on the day of your client’s First Appearance date. Please be advised that the Court will not accept an electronic reset if your client has an active warrant. Again, this new policy only pertains to First Appearance Settings. The Court will require an in person appearance for all other court settings.


240th District Court & 240th Associate District Court

As of September 1, 2021, the 240th District Court and 240th Associate District Court will no longer be accepting electronic resets by email.

Please be prepared to arrive in person as scheduled with your client on any future settings with the court.

Our Associate Judge Patel will be holding in person criminal dockets on Thursdays at 10:00am and 2:00pm in courtroom 3G. Inmates will be brought over in person for these dockets.

The First Appearance Arraignment Docket on Mondays at 1:00pm will be the only docket that emailed resets will still be accepted on.

All other criminal dockets, you will need to email the court and the prosecutor for approval of an electronic reset in advance of the docket if you or your client have any COVID related symptoms or are ill.

No emailed resets will be accepted unless approved
by court for all 240th criminal dockets except the First
Appearance Arraignment Dockets.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Court Coordinator by email at 240dc@fortbendcountytx.gov.

Thank you,
240th District Court and
240th Associate District Court

NOTICE OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR AT-RISK INDIVIDUALS

Due to COVID-19 many of you are part of the vulnerable population. Individuals who are over 65 and individuals with serious underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, obesity, asthma, and those whose immune systems are compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer or other conditions requiring such therapy are considered to be vulnerable populations. If you are part of this vulnerable population please contact the court at  240dc@fortbendcountytx.gov or by phone at 281-341-8600 to advise the court regarding your need for special accommodations and a specialized docket to ensure your continued safety.

Thank you,
240th District Court Staff




Honorable Surendran Pattel, Judge

Judge Surendran Pattel

Judge Surendran K. Pattel has distinguished himself as both a trial and appellate attorney in both his native India and the United States.
 
Born and raised in Kerala on the Malabar Coast of India, Judge Pattel was educated in Indian schools and received his law degree from the University of Calicut in 1995. Today he is proud to be the first Indian-American to serve as a district court judge in Fort Bend County.
Judge Pattel established an impressive law career in India, to the point of arguing a number of cases before the Supreme Court of India. But when his wife, a nurse, was offered the opportunity to fulfill a long-held dream to work in the United States, they moved to the Houston area in 2007.
 
Judge Pattel passed the Texas Bar exam, then decided to add to his academic resume by enrolling at the University of Houston Law Center to earn a master’s degree in international law. As part of his studies he wrote a well-received major paper on crimes of international aggression. He presented the paper formally at a conference at Cornell University.
 
Judge Pattel is a certified mediator. Prior to his election as a judge, he was in private practice, with clients and cases in Fort Bend, Harris and Brazoria counties.
 
The father of two daughters, Judge Pattel has made it a point to be a community activist. He has been involved in promoting Indian-American culture in the Houston area, and he is a member of the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, which honors academic achievement and assists survivors of domestic abuse.
 
“I am proud to serve the people of Fort Bend County, and I pledge to serve with dignity and respect for all who appear before me.”

 

240th Judicial District Court
Mailing Address: 301 Jackson Street, Richmond, TX 77469
Telephone: 281-341-8600

Physical Address: Fort Bend County Justice Center, 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, TX 77469
Courtroom: 3E

View the 240th District Court Rules of Practice.


Language Access | Important Notices


Notice of Language Assistance Services

FORT BEND COUNTY COURTS AT LAW AND DISTRICT COURTS ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO COURT SERVICES FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT (LEP) PERSONS. LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH A COURT PROCEEDING WHO HAS DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE OR WHO NEEDS A DOCUMENT TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, YOU MAY REQUEST LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES FREE OF CHARGE. TO REQUEST INTERPERETATION OR TRANSLATION SERVICED FOR THE FORT BEND COUNTY COURTS, PLEASE VISIT THE LANGUAGE ACCESS WEBPAGE.