TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICEAttorney Forms
Offender Access to the Courts, Counsel, and Public Official Rules
BP-03.81 - Rules Governing Inmate Access to the Courts, Counsel, and Public Officials *the following attachments are the required forms to go along with BP-03.81
- I-162, Attorney/Inmate Telephone Call Application, Rev. 11/2025
- I-163, Attorney Application to Visit TDCJ Inmate, Rev. 11/2025
- I-163C, Consular Official Application to Visit TDCJ Inmate, Rev. 11/2025
- I-164, Application to Visit TDCJ Inmate as Attorney/Consular Representative, Rev. 03/2026
NOTE: In accordance with the Texas Government Code § 52.021(b), "A person may not engage in shorthand reporting in this state unless the person is certified as a shorthand reporter by the supreme court." - I-165S, Attorney Initiated Contact Visit for Specialized Professional, Rev. 11/2025
- I-166, Attorney Authorization for Approved Representative to Visit TDCJ Inmate, Rev. 11/2025
Scheduling Teleconference or Video Conference Court Hearings
In accordance with Board Policy 03.81, a judge may request that a court hearing be conducted via teleconference or video conference rather than bench warrant the inmate to the courtroom. For an inmate to participate in a teleconference or video conference court hearing, the TDCJ shall require a court order, or a letter signed by the judge, on official letterhead, requesting the inmate to participate in a telephone or video conference. The court order shall contain the inmate’s name, TDCJ number, date of requested hearing, beginning time, estimated ending time, and telephone number for a telephone conference or appropriate information to facilitate a video conference.
- Teleconference Court Hearings
Send court order to the inmate’s unit of assignment. Questions concerning the coordination of a teleconference court hearing should be directed to the Access to Courts staff at the inmate’s unit of assignment. Units of assignment can be found in the Unit Directory.
- Videoconference Court Hearings
Send court order, no later than 14 business days before the proposed date of the video conference, to e-mail TDCJVirtualCourt@tdcj.texas.gov. Questions concerning the coordination of a videoconference court hearing should be directed to the Virtual Court Administration Office at (956) 316-2400 ext. 4354 or e-mail TDCJVirtualCourt@tdcj.texas.gov. For more information, please see the Virtual Court Program section at the Administrative Review & Risk Management Division - Court Administration Office and Administrative Review & Risk Management - Virtual Court Program links.
