Ector County District Courts Electronic Filing Rules

Applies to

Writ of wage withholding to employer request

The writ request must be e-filed as a separate lead document.

This document MUST be filed as a separate LEAD document when e-filing.

Official court filings cannot be submitted by fax or email.

All Official Court Filings must follow Texas State Laws and Rules and cannot be accepted via fax or email.

Documents intended for official court filings cannot be submitted by email or facsimile.

Documents intended for official court filings are not accepted via email or facsimile.

Applies to

Record of support order

The Record of Support Order must be submitted to the clerk through eFile Texas.

Please fill out this form, flatten the PDF, and submit it to the clerk via eFile Texas.

Applies to

Civil document

Attorneys must electronically file documents in civil cases, including family and probate cases, in the specified Texas courts under the order's implementation schedule.

This order mandates electronic filing ("e-filing") in civil cases, including family and probate cases, by attorneys in appellate courts, district courts, statutory county courts, constitutional county courts, and statutory probate courts pursuant to a detailed implementation schedule.

Electronic filing became mandatory in the Supreme Court of Texas and in civil cases in courts of appeals effective January 1, 2014.

E-filing will be mandatory in the Supreme Court of Texas and in civil cases in the courts of appeals effective January 1, 2014.

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations of at least 500,000 effective January 1, 2014.

a. Courts in counties with a population of 500,000 or more - January 1, 2014

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations from 200,000 through 499,999 effective July 1, 2014.

b. Courts in counties with a population of 200,000 to 499,999 - July 1, 2014

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations from 100,000 through 199,999 effective January 1, 2015.

c. Courts in counties with a population of 100,000 to 199,999 - January 1,2015

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations from 50,000 through 99,999 effective July 1, 2015.

d. Courts in counties with a population of 50,000 to 99,999 - July 1, 2015

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations from 20,000 through 49,999 effective January 1, 2016.

e. Courts in counties with a population of 20,000 to 49,999 - January 1,2016

Electronic filing became mandatory in covered courts in counties with populations below 20,000 effective July 1, 2016.

f. Courts in counties with a population less than 20,000 - July 1, 2016

Applies to

Civil case document

Once mandatory e-filing applies, attorneys must e-file all nonexempt civil-case documents through the TexFile portal provided by OCA.

Once a court is subject to mandatory e-filing under this Order, attorneys must e-file all documents in civil cases, except documents exempted by rules adopted by this Court, through TexFile, the e-filing portal provided by OCA.

Applies to

Civil case document

Attorneys may not use an alternative electronic filing system, including fax filing, except during an emergency.

Attorneys must not file documents through any alternative electronic document filing transmission system (including fax filing), except in the event of emergency.

Applies to

Civil case document

Once mandatory e-filing applies, courts and clerks may not offer attorneys an alternative electronic filing system, including fax filing, except during an emergency.

Once a court is subject to mandatory e-filing under this Order, courts and clerks must not offer to attorneys in civil cases any alternative electronic document filing transmission system (including fax filing), except in the event of emergency.

Applies to

Civil case document

Once mandatory e-filing applies, courts and clerks may not accept, file, or docket an attorney's noncompliant civil filing except during an emergency.

And courts and clerks must not accept, file, or docket any document filed by an attorney in a civil case that is not filed in compliance with this Order, except in the event of emergency.

Applies to

Filing configuration

The standard filing configurations must be accepted in each designated court; courts and clerks may eliminate unneeded codes but may not add configurations.

Below are the standard filing configurations to be used in the eFiling system for district, county court at law, probate, constitutional county, and justice of the peace courts. This list of filing configurations must be accepted in each court. Courts and clerks may not add to this configuration but may eliminate codes if not needed in a particular jurisdiction.

The Title IV-D Agency must file under the “Family – Title IV-D (OAG Use Only)” category and use only case and filing types beginning with “(Title IV-D OAG Use Only)” for all new and subsequent filings.

The Title IV-D Agency (Texas Office of the Attorney General – Child Support Division) will file its documents under the “Family – Title IV-D (OAG Use Only)” category and use only the case and filing types that begin with “(Title IV-D OAG Use Only) for all its new and subsequent filings.

All filers using the electronic filing system must follow the court's standard filing processes, and the clerk may not return a document for correction when those processes were followed.

All filers using the electronic filing system must follow the standard processes when filing particular items with the court. Clerks may not return a document for correction if the filer followed the processes outlined below.

Applies to

Sealed document

Documents filed under seal or presented to the court in camera cannot be filed electronically.

Documents filed under seal or presented to court in camera cannot be eFiled.

An e-filer found to be a vexatious litigant may not e-file without an order from the local administrative judge permitting the filing.

Filer has been found to be a vexatious litigant CPRC §11.103 and has not presented an order from the local administrative judge permitting the filing.

Applies to

Application

Petitioners filing redacted applications for approval of structured-settlement-payment transfers must simultaneously file unredacted paper copies of the applications, pleadings, orders, and exhibits with the district clerk.

It is further ORDERED that, pursuant to TEX. R. CIV. P. 21(f), Petitioners who file redacted applications requesting approval Of the transfer of any structured settlement payment shall simultaneously file unredacted paper copies of said application(s), other pleadings, orders, and any exhibits with the Ector County District Clerk, thereby satisfying the requirements of TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE §l41.006(b)(d) that such information be filed with, and unredacted notice be provided to, the Court.

Applies to

Criminal document

Attorneys must electronically file documents in criminal cases filed in Texas appellate, district, statutory county, and constitutional county courts.

Therefore, this order mandates electronic filing by attorneys in criminal cases in appellate courts, district courts, statutory county courts, and constitutional county courts.¹

Applies to

Criminal document

Mandatory criminal electronic filing follows a population-based implementation schedule for district, statutory county, and constitutional county courts.

Electronic filing will be mandatory in criminal cases in the district courts, statutory county courts, and constitutional county courts according to the following detailed implementation schedule which is based upon the counties' 2010 Federal Census population:

Applies to

Criminal document

Once mandatory e-filing applies, attorneys must submit all nonexempt criminal documents through an Office of Court Administration-provided or approved portal.

Once a court is subject to mandatory electronic filing under this order, attorneys must electronically file through an electronic filing portal provided or approved by the Office of Court Administration all documents in criminal cases, except documents exempted by statute or rules adopted by this Court.

Applies to

Criminal document

Attorneys may not use an alternative electronic filing transmission system except during an emergency.

Attorneys must not file documents through any alternative electronic document filing transmission system, except in the event of an emergency.

Attorneys must file criminal-case documents through the required electronic transmission system, and noncompliant filings must be rejected unless filed in an emergency.

alternative electronic document filing transmission system, except in the event of an emergency. And courts and clerks must not accept, file, or docket any document filed by an attorney in a criminal case that is not filed in compliance with this order, except in the event of an emergency.

Applies to

Civil case filing

Beginning January 1, 2015, electronic filing is mandatory for all civil and family cases in Ector County District Courts.

Effective January 1, 2015, Electronic Filing is required in Ector County District Courts for all Civil Cases, including Family Cases, by Order and Mandate of the Supreme Court of Texas (PDF).

Applies to

Felony criminal case filing

Beginning July 1, 2018, electronic filing is mandatory for all felony criminal cases in Ector County.

Effective July 1, 2018, Electronic Filing is required in Ector County for all felony Criminal Cases, by Order and Mandate of the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas (PDF).

Applies to

Writ of wage withholding to employer request

The e-filing must use the filing code “Request” and the specified description.

Choose the filing code “Request” and add “Writ of Wage Withholding to Employer” in the description field.

Applies to

Additional services

If additional-services functionality is provided, all listed services designated for Title IV-D OAG use must be available to the Title IV-D Agency, which will use only those additional services.

If a clerk chooses to provide additional services functionality, all of the services listed below beginning with (Title IV-D OAG Use Only) must be made available to the Title IV-D Agency. The Title IV-D Agency will use only these additional services.

Applies to

Criminal document

A municipal or justice court that permits electronic filing must follow the electronic filing rules adopted by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

However, should a Municipal or Justice Court decide to permit electronic filing, that court is bound by the rules for electronic filing adopted by this Court.

Self-represented persons may e-file documents, but electronic filing is not required for them.

Persons not represented by an attorney may e- file documents, but e-filing is not required.

Applies to

Criminal document

Self-represented persons may electronically file criminal documents, but electronic filing is not mandatory for them.

Persons not represented by an attorney may electronically file documents, but electronic filing is not required.

Applies to

Criminal document

Electronic filing is not mandatory in municipal and justice courts.

Electronic filing is not mandated in Municipal and Justice Courts.