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Judge directorySurendran K. Pattel

Active Trial judge

Surendran K. Pattel

Texas 240th District Court

Texas · Fort Bend

Identity verifiedOfficial profile locatedOfficial sources collectedPresentation intelligence
01

Overview

Identity and service

Official judge-specific and circuitwide procedural guidance has been located for this profile.

Judicial role
District Judge, Fort Bend County 240th District Court (general jurisdiction, mixed civil and criminal docket)
Service status
Active
Court level
Trial
Jurisdiction
State
02

Before you appear

Preparation checklist

  1. 01

    Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.

  2. 02

    Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.

  3. 03

    Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

Scope note

Judge-specific guidance is shown first. Broader applicable courtroom, courtwide, districtwide, and statewide guidance remains separately labeled below it.

03

Presentation rules

What the public sources say

Judge-specificExplicit
Civil Pretrial And Trial

Restricted

The 240th District Court requires motions in limine, exhibit lists, actual exhibits, witness lists, and deposition excerpts to be exchanged 14 days before trial. Counsel using blowups must mark an 8-by-11 exhibit, and video deposition excerpts must be prepared for rapid editing of excluded portions.

Page
11
Section
Civil Trials, H. Motions and Exhibits
Last checked
July 28, 2026
Verification
Automated checks passed
Read supporting source excerpt
The Court requires the parties to exchange motions in limine, exhibit lists, actual exhibits, party/attorney lists, witness lists, and deposition excerpts 14 days before the trial date.

The requirement is stated in an official standing order naming this judge.

CourtwideExplicit
Court Proceeding

Restricted

Fort Bend County District Courts prohibit photographs, video or audio recording, live streaming, and broadcasting without express permission from the court. A person seeking coverage must file a request with the clerk.

Page
6
Section
Rule 13.0: Recording and Broadcasting Procedures
Last checked
July 28, 2026
Verification
Automated checks passed
Read supporting source excerpt
No photographs, video recordings, audio recordings, live streaming, tweeting, or broadcasting of any nature is allowed of any proceeding in a District Court without express permission from the Court.

The requirement is stated in current official court rules and is attached at court scope, not as a personal preference.

StatewideExplicit
Civil Hearing Or Trial

Allowed with notice

In civil district and county court proceedings, the court may permit or require electronic participation after appropriate notice; compelled electronic participation for oral-testimony proceedings requires good cause or party agreement, and a jury trial requires party agreement.

Page
Official PDF
Section
Rule 21d(b)-(f); civil district and county courts only; current July 1, 2026 compilation
Effective
February 1, 2023
Last checked
July 26, 2026
Verification
Automated checks passed
Read supporting source excerpt
Upon appropriate notice by a party or the court, a court may allow or require a participant to appear at a court proceeding by videoconference, teleconference, or other available electronic means, except as otherwise provided in (2).

The requirement is stated in an official statewide source and is attached as applicable guidance, not as a personal preference.

StatewideExplicit
Civil Proceeding

Leave required

Civil district and county trial courts may permit courtroom recording or broadcasting only under Supreme Court guidelines, with the required party and witness consent, or for ceremonial proceedings.

Page
Official PDF
Section
Rule 18c; civil district and county courts only; current July 1, 2026 compilation
Last checked
July 26, 2026
Verification
Automated checks passed
Read supporting source excerpt
A trial court may permit broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing of proceedings in the courtroom only in the following circumstances:

The requirement is stated in an official statewide source and is attached as applicable guidance, not as a personal preference.

04

Courtroom technology

Published equipment guidance

No technology specification indexed

Technology availability is separate from procedural permission and evidentiary admissibility.

05

Published opinion footprint

Decisions and citations

Opinion data is not yet indexed for this profile

This does not mean the judge has no published opinions or no caseload. KYJ will only show opinion counts after transparent, source-linked CourtListener matching is available.

06

Sources

Public documents behind this profile

07

Change history

How this profile entered KYJ

Current profile indexed

Identity imported from Fort Bend County 240th District Court. 4 presentation-related claims migrated with source provenance.