Lubbock County District Courts Service and Proof of Service Rules

Service

Electronic service

Electronic service of court documents is optional unless a District Court or County Court orders it for a particular case upon a party's motion and a showing of good cause.

(a) Except as provided by subsection (b) below, the electronic filing and serving of court documents is wholly optional. (b) Upon the motion of a party and for good cause shown, a District Court or County Court may order the parties in a particular case to electronically file and serve court documents that are permitted to be electronically filed under Rule 3.3.

Service

Electronic service to opposing party

A filer may serve documents electronically by transmitting them to another party's e-mail address, except for the citation served when a cause of action is filed.

In addition to the methods of serving documents (other than the citation to be served upon the filing of a cause of action) set forth in TEX. R. CIV. P. 21a, a filer may serve documents upon another party in the case by electronically transmitting the document to that party at the party's email address.

Service

Electronic service

Electronic service is permitted only if the recipient agrees to it or the court orders electronic service.

Documents may be electronically served upon a party only where that party has agreed to receive electronic service or where the court has ordered the parties to electronically serve documents.

Service

Electronic service to all parties

A filer who electronically files, electronically serves, or agrees to accept electronic service must report e-mail address changes to TexasOnline, the clerks, and all parties.

By virtue of electronically filing a document or serving a document or by agreeing to accept service, a filer additionally agrees to provide information regarding any change in his or her e-mail address to TexasOnline, the district clerk, the county clerk, and all parties in the case.

Service

Electronic service

Electronic filing alone does not require electronic service unless the court orders electronic service.

A party who electronically files a document is not required to electronically serve documents upon other parties unless the court has ordered the parties to electronically serve documents.

Service

Electronic service

Electronic service is complete when the filer transmits the document to the recipient's e-mail address.

Electronic service shall be complete upon transmission of the document by the filer to the party at the party's e-mail address.

Service

Electronic service

The date of electronic service ordinarily is the date on which electronic service is completed.

Except as provided by subsection (c) below, the date of service shall be the date the electronic service is complete.

Service

Electronic service

Electronic service completed after 5:00 p.m. in the recipient's time zone is deemed served the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

When electronic service is complete after 5:00 p.m. (recipient's time), then the date of service shall be deemed to be the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.

Service

Electronic service

Three days are added to a prescribed post-service action period when the document is electronically served.

Whenever a party has the right or is required to do some act within a prescribed period of time after service of a document upon the party and that document is electronically served, then three days shall be added to the prescribed period of time.

Service

Electronic service

A document served electronically must be served before or at the time it is filed.

Documents to be electronically served upon another party shall be served before the time or at the same time that the document is filed.

Service

Electronic service

An electronic-service record must state the date and time of service and confirm that electronic transmission was reported as complete.

(iii) the date and time of electronic service; and (iv) a statement that the document was electronically served and that the electronic transmission was reported as complete.

Applies to

Appointment order

A defendant in jail must receive copies of the appointment order and bond-related pre-trial order through the jail by the end of the next working business day.

to a defendant in jail of a copy of the appointment order and “Order to Report to Pre-Trial Services in event of making bond” by the end of the next working business day through the jail.

Applies to

Appointment order

Service

Mail

A defendant out on bond who did not receive the required copies at arraignment or an ARP docket must be notified by mail.

Defendants out on bond who are not furnished copies at arraignment or an ARP docket shall be notified by mail.

Applies to

Scheduling order

The party causing joinder must provide a copy of the scheduling order when service occurs.

THE PARTY CAUSING JOINDER SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS SCHEDULING ORDER AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.

Applies to

Joinder

All necessary parties must be joined and served by the scheduling-order date.

All parties must be added and served, whether by amendment or third party practice, by this date.

Applies to

Scheduling order

The party causing joinder must provide a copy of the scheduling order when service occurs.

THE PARTY CAUSING THE JOINDER SHALL PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS SCHEDULING ORDER AT THE TIME OF SERVICE.

Applies to

Appointment order

Defendants arraigned in jail or on an ARP docket must be furnished copies as soon as practically possible.

Defendants arraigned in jail (or ARP dockets) will be furnished copies as soon as practically possible.

Service

Electronic service

Electronic service may accompany both traditionally filed and electronically filed documents.

A filer may electronically serve a document in instances where the document is traditionally filed as well as in instances where the document is electronically filed.