Hopkins County Court at Law Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Request for ex parte relief

Requests for ex parte relief must be e-filed; a walk-through is not required.

Please e-file requests for ex parte relief. The court does not require a walk through.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Reset form

The attorney must e-file the reset form for the judge’s signature.

Attorney e-files the reset form for judge’s signature.

CRITICAL

Litigants must not e-file documents under seal, documents for the judge’s private in-camera review, or documents restricted by law or court order.

Litigants are not to e-file documents which are under seal, documents which are to be reviewed privately by the judge in camera, or documents which are restricted by law or court order.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Proposed order

When filing the initial pleading, the applicant’s attorney must e-file a proposed order appointing the attorney ad litem, leaving the name blank.

It shall be the responsibility of the applicant's attorney, at the time of filing the initial pleading in the heirship proceeding, to (1) deposit $500.00 into the registry of the court and (2) e-file a proposed order appointing the attorney ad litem (name left blank).

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Notice of hearing

E-file a notice of hearing with the hearing date filled in.

Please e-file a notice of hearing with the date filled in.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Original will

Original wills must not be e-filed.

Original wills are not to be e-filed.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Reset form and motion to waive arraignment

The completed reset form and Motion to Waive Arraignment must be filed electronically.

E-file completed reset form and Motion to Waive Arraignment

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pleading

Attorneys must e-file all pleadings unless the judge grants a good-cause exception.

Attorneys must e-file all pleadings, unless the judge grants an exception for good cause.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Reset form

Defendant must fill out and sign reset form before sending to court coordinator, who will then e-file it for judge’s signature.

Defendant must fill out and sign reset form before sending to court coordinator, who will then e-file it for judge’s signature.

WARNING

Applies to

Signed proposed order

If the judge signs a pro se litigant’s paper proposed order, the judge may retain and transfer the signed paper original or e-file the order, in which case it becomes the original, the paper is destroyed, and the parties are instructed to contact the clerk for copies.

If a pro se litigant presents a proposed order to the judge, for example a proposed final decree of divorce, and it the judge signs the order, the judge may either (1) bench-mark, sign, and date the signed order and retain it until it can be transferred to the appropriate clerk's office or (2) e-file it. If the judge follows the procedure under (1), the paper filing is the original and copies may be made at the judge's discretion. If the judge follows the procedure under (2), the e-filed order becomes the original, the judge will ensure that the paper document is destroyed, and the parties will be instructed to contact the appropriate clerk's office for copies of the order.

WARNING

Applies to

Legal document other than proposed order

Pro se litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file legal documents other than proposed orders; if they do not e-file, they must file in person with the appropriate clerk and may not file at the judge’s bench absent a good-cause exception.

For any legal document which is not a proposed order, for example a petition for divorce, a pro se litigant is encouraged to e-file it but is not required to. If the pro se litigant does not e-file the document, it must be filed in person at the appropriate clerk's office and it may not be filed with the judge at the bench, unless the judge grants an exception for good cause.

INFO

Applies to

Proposed order

Pro se litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file proposed orders and may instead present the paper original to the judge at the bench.

A pro se litigant is encouraged to e-file their proposed order(s) but is not required to. A pro se litigant also has the option of presenting the paper original proposed order to the judge at the bench.

INFO

Applies to

Proposed order

Attorneys are encouraged but not required to e-file proposed orders; if a paper proposed order is signed, the judge may retain and transfer the paper original or e-file it, in which case the paper is destroyed and the parties are instructed to contact the clerk for copies.

Attorneys are encouraged to e-file proposed orders, but are not required to. If an attorney presents a proposed order to the judge in paper form, and if the judge signs the order, the judge may either (1) bench-mark, sign, and date the signed order and retain it until it can be transferred to the appropriate clerk's office or (2) e-file it. If the judge follows the procedure under (1), the paper filing is the original and copies may be made at the judge's discretion. If the judge follows the procedure under (2), the e- filed order becomes the original, the judge will ensure that the paper document is destroyed, and the parties will be instructed to contact the appropriate clerk's office for copies of the order.

INFO

The judge may grant an exception to the e-filing requirements for good cause, including in an emergency.

The judge has the discretion to grant an exception to the e-filing requirements for good cause, such as in an emergency.