Court issues rules for e-filing

From Staff Reports

The Texas Supreme Court has adopted statewide rules governing the electronic filing and service of documents in participating justice-of-the-peace courts, effective tomorrow.
The rules apply to all justice courts and small-claims courts statewide that elect to participate in electronic filing through TexasOnline, the state’s Internet portal site for government information and transactions.
These JP e-filing rules are similar to the template e-filing model rules for district and county courts that adopt local electronic-filing rules under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 3a, although with several differences. One significant difference is that the JP rules do not add additional time for a response to a pleading filed by computer. The district/county court rules template adds three days, following TRCP 21a’s provision for service by facsimile.
Because most justice courts are not authorized to adopt local rules, electronic filing is on an “opt-in” basis under a single set of statewide rules, in contrast to local rules adoption for county and district courts under TRCP 3a. Copies of the December 10 final adoption order and the September 20 order publishing the rules for public comment are available online.
The final rules will also be published in the Texas Register and in the Texas Bar Journal.