Hopkins County District Courts
Court-Level Rules, Filing Procedures & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Document Format Requirements1 rule
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026Mandatory
A document e-filed by the judge must be a text-searchable PDF whose text is reasonably clear.
If the judge e-files a document, they will ensure that it is in Portable Document Format (PDF) with a text-searchable feature and that the text is reasonably clear.
Document Filing Requirements1 rule
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026Mandatory
A filing ordinarily may not be presented to the judge until a cause number has been assigned and the filing clearly bears that number.
As a general rule, no filing should be presented to the judge unless a cause number has been assigned to the case and the filing is clearly marked with the assigned cause number.
Document Type
Filing Presented To Judge
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing became mandatory for civil cases in Hopkins County effective January 1, 2016.
E-filing became mandatory in civil cases in Hopkins County on January 1, 2016.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 1 | 2. AUTHORITY
Documents under seal, intended for private in-camera review, or restricted by law or court order may not be e-filed.
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.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 2 | 5. EXCEPTIONS — B
An original will must not be e-filed.
Original wills are not to be e-filed.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 2 | 5. EXCEPTIONS — A
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.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 2 | 4. ATTORNEYS — Pleadings
Documents e-filed by the judge must be text-searchable PDFs with reasonably clear text.
If the judge e-files a document, they will ensure that it is in Portable Document Format (PDF) with a text-searchable feature and that the text is reasonably clear.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 3 | 9. DOCUMENTS E-FILED BY THE JUDGE
A pro se litigant may e-file non-order legal documents but may instead file them in person with the clerk; bench filing is prohibited 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.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 1 | 3. SELF-REPRESENTED OR "PRO SE" LITIGANTS — Petitions, Pleadings, Motions, and Other Actions
A pro se litigant may e-file a proposed order or present a paper original to the judge, after which the judge may use the paper order as the original or e-file it as the original.
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. If a pro se litigant presents a proposed order to the judge, for example a proposed final decree of divorce, 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 ===== PAGE 2 ===== 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.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 1 | 3. SELF-REPRESENTED OR "PRO SE" LITIGANTS — Proposed Orders
Attorneys may e-file a proposed order or present it in paper form to the judge, who may then use the paper order or its e-filed version as the original.
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.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 2 | 4. ATTORNEYS — Proposed Orders
The judge may grant a good-cause exception to the e-filing requirements, 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.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 2 | 6. EMERGENCIES
The judge may permit an emergency filing outside normal business hours when the appropriate clerk's office is closed.
An exception may be made by the judge if an emergency filing is presented to the judge outside of normal business hours and the appropriate clerk's office is not open.
Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.
Page 2 | 6. EMERGENCIES
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
After e-filing a probate application involving an original will, the original will must be filed with the clerk within three business days.
When a party e-files an application to probate a document as an original will, the original will must be filed with the clerk within three business days after the application is filed.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 2 | 5. EXCEPTIONS — A
The judge must e-file the document by the end of the next business day after the hearing.
The judge will e-file the document by the end of the business day following the hearing.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 3 | 9. DOCUMENTS E-FILED BY THE JUDGE
Filing Fees and Waivers
The clerk must collect the prescribed fees for certain filings unless the pro se litigant has been found indigent by the court.
The basis for this rule is that the clerks' office has a legal duty to collect set fees for certain filings, unless the pro se litigant has been found indigent by the court.
Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026
Page 1 | 3. SELF-REPRESENTED OR "PRO SE" LITIGANTS — Petitions, Pleadings, Motions, and Other Actions
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
If the other party is represented, the filing attorney must diligently contact opposing counsel before seeking ex parte relief and make reasonable accommodations concerning agreed orders, hearing scheduling, and related matters.
if they are, the filing attorney shall make a diligent effort to contact the other party's attorney prior to filing the application for ex parte relief and to make reasonable accommodations regarding agreed orders, scheduling hearings, etc.
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 5 | 10. REQUESTS FOR EX PARTE RELIEF
Before filing for ex parte relief, the filing attorney must diligently determine whether the other party is represented.
Before filing an application for ex parte relief, the filing attorney shall make a diligent effort to determine whether the other party is represented by an attorney
Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026 · Civil cases
Page 5 | 10. REQUESTS FOR EX PARTE RELIEF