Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 51.3195. COPIES OF COURT RECORDS PRESERVED ONLY ON MICROFILM OR BY ELECTRONIC METHOD. (a) On the written request of a party in an action, the district clerk shall provide the court with a copy of a motion, order, or other pleading in the action that is preserved only on micr…

Sec. 51.320. BILL FOR SERVICES. A fee under this subchapter is not payable until the district clerk produces, or is ready to produce, a bill for services that contains the particulars of the fee charged before payment of the fee is required. The bill must be signed by the clerk o…

Sec. 51.322. REMOVAL. A court rendering a judgment removing a district clerk under Article V, Section 9, of the Texas Constitution shall include in the judgment an order removing the clerk. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.28(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989. SUBCHAPTER E. COUN…

Sec. 51.401. CLERK PRO TEMPORE. If a county clerk is a party to an action in the court he serves, the county judge, on the application of any interested person or on the judge's own motion, shall appoint a clerk pro tempore for the purposes of the action. The clerk pro tempore mu…

Sec. 51.402. DUTIES AND POWERS. (a) The clerk of a county court may: (1) issue marriage licenses; and (2) take affidavits and depositions. (b) On the last day of each term of the court, the clerk shall make a written statement of fines and jury fees received since the last statem…

Sec. 51.403. TRANSFER OF CASES. (a) If a case is transferred from a county court to a district court or a statutory county court or a county court of another county, the clerk of the transferring court shall send to the clerk of the court to which the case is transferred, using t…

Sec. 51.404. SPECIAL DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK IN GALVESTON COUNTY. The Commissioners Court of Galveston County may pay for the services of a special deputy district county clerk if the commissioners court considers a deputy clerk necessary. The clerk of the court in which the deputy c…

Sec. 51.501. JOINT CLERKS. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a county with a population of less than 8,000 shall elect a single clerk to perform the duties of the district clerk and the county clerk. (b) The offices of county clerk and district clerk may remain se…

Sec. 51.502. SEAL. A joint clerk performing the duties of the district clerk and the county clerk shall use the district court seal to authenticate official acts for the district court and the county court seal to authenticate official acts for the county court. Acts 1985, 69th L…

Sec. 51.503. CERTIFIED COPIES. A certified copy made of an original document on file in a joint clerk's office must include: (1) on each page of the copy: (A) the clerk's signature or initials; (B) the applicable court's seal; or (C) a unique document certification and paginated …

Sec. 51.601. COURT REPORTER SERVICE FUND. (a) The commissioners court of the county shall administer the court reporter service fund to assist in the payment of court-reporter-related services, that may include maintaining an adequate number of court reporters to provide services…

Sec. 51.602. COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN CLERKS. The salaries of the clerks of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, and the courts of appeals are determined by the legislature in the acts appropriating funds for the support of the judiciary. The legislature shall also fi…

Sec. 51.605. CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) In this section, the word "clerk" includes a county clerk, district clerk, or county and district clerk. (b) A clerk shall complete 20 hours of instruction regarding the performance of the clerk's duties of office before the first anniversar…

Sec. 51.606. PROHIBITED FEES. A clerk is not entitled to a fee for: (1) the examination of a paper or record in the clerk's office; (2) filing any process or document the clerk issues that is returned to court; (3) a motion or judgment on a motion for security for costs; or (4) t…

Sec. 51.607. IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW OR AMENDED COURT COSTS AND FEES. (a) Following each regular session of the legislature, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall identify each law enacted by that legislature, other than a law disapproved by the gove…

Sec. 51.608. IMPOSITION OF COURT COSTS IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. Notwithstanding any other law that establishes the amount of a court cost collected by the clerk of a district, county, or statutory county court from a defendant in a criminal proceeding based on the law in effect o…

Sec. 51.609. IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY FOR DISCLOSURE OR RELEASE OF COURT DOCUMENTS. (a) In this section: (1) "Court clerk" means the clerk of the supreme court or the court of criminal appeals or the clerk of a court of appeals district court, county court, statutory county court,…

Sec. 51.610. UNCOLLECTIBLE FEES. (a) The clerk may request the court in which a court cost or fee was imposed on a party in a civil case to make a finding that the cost or fee is uncollectible if the cost or fee has been unpaid for at least 15 years. (b) On a finding by a court t…

Sec. 51.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "electronic filing of documents" means the filing of data transmitted to a district or county clerk or a clerk of a court of appeals by the communication of information, displayed originally in written form, in the form of digital elec…

Sec. 51.802. PLACE OF FILING. The place of filing is the receiving station designated by the district or county clerk or the clerk of the court of appeals to which electronic information is transmitted. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.67(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Sec. 51.803. SUPREME COURT REGULATION AND APPROVAL. (a) The supreme court shall adopt rules and procedures to regulate the use of electronic copying devices for filing in the courts. (b) An instrument may only be filed as provided by this subchapter if the district, county, or co…

Sec. 51.804. COMPLETION OF ELECTRONIC FILING. To complete an electronic filing: (1) the person filing an instrument with the district or county clerk or the clerk of a court of appeals must transmit the instrument electronically; (2) the receiving station must transmit acknowledg…

Sec. 51.805. TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF DATA. (a) A receiving station, on completion of an electronic filing, shall: (1) transmit data to the appropriate court as required; and (2) distribute data as required by statute or rule. (b) Data must be distributed or transmitted fr…

Sec. 51.806. SIGNATURE ON ORIGINAL. (a) If the supreme court determines that each document filed by electronic transmission must be signed in the original, that requirement is satisfied if the sending station at the point of origin maintains a hard copy with the original signatur…

Sec. 51.807. LOCAL RULES. (a) The courts of a county may adopt local rules that govern the transmission and receipt of documents or reports stored or created in digital electronic or facsimile form and that provide for recognition of those documents as the original record for fil…

Sec. 51.808. NOTICE OF SELF-HELP RESOURCES. (a) The clerk of each court in this state shall: (1) post on the court's Internet website, if any, a link to: (A) the self-help resources Internet website designated by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System, in…

Sec. 51.851. ELECTRONIC FILING FEE. (a) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Section 1.19(11), eff. January 1, 2020. (b) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law, the clerk of the supreme court or a court of appeals shall collect a $30 fee o…

Sec. 51.852. STATEWIDE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM FUND. (a) The statewide electronic filing system fund is an account in the general revenue fund. (b) Money in the statewide electronic filing system fund may only be appropriated to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Ju…

Sec. 51.901. FRAUDULENT DOCUMENT OR INSTRUMENT. (a) If a clerk of the supreme court, clerk of the court of criminal appeals, clerk of a court of appeals, district clerk, county clerk, district and county clerk, or municipal clerk has a reasonable basis to believe in good faith th…

Sec. 51.902. ACTION ON FRAUDULENT JUDGMENT LIEN. (a) A person against whom a purported judgment was rendered who has reason to believe that a document previously filed or recorded or submitted for filing or for filing and recording is fraudulent may complete and file with the dis…

Sec. 51.903. ACTION ON FRAUDULENT LIEN ON PROPERTY. (a) A person who is the purported debtor or obligor or who owns real or personal property or an interest in real or personal property and who has reason to believe that the document purporting to create a lien or a claim against…

Sec. 51.9035. ACTION ON FRAUDULENT CONVEYANCE. (a) Subject to Section 5.0206(c), Property Code, an owner of real property who has reason to believe that a document or instrument purporting to convey title to or an interest in the real property and recorded in the real property re…

Sec. 51.904. WARNING SIGN. A clerk described by Section 51.901(a) shall post a sign, in letters at least one inch in height, that is clearly visible to the general public in or near the clerk's office stating that it is a crime to intentionally or knowingly file a fraudulent cour…

Sec. 51.905. DOCUMENTS FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE. (a) If the lien or other claim that is the subject of a judicial finding of fact and conclusion of law authorized by this subchapter is one that is authorized by law to be filed with the secretary of state, any person may file…

Sec. 51.941. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE IN APPELLATE COURTS FOR BASIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR INDIGENTS. (a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law, the clerk of the supreme court and courts of appeals shall collect a $25 fee on the filing of any civil action or proc…

Sec. 51.942. RULES. (a) The supreme court shall adopt: (1) rules and procedures for the distribution of funds under this subchapter; and (2) rules and procedures for imposing sanctions, including the reduction or cancellation of funding. (b) Funds may be distributed only to nonpr…

Sec. 51.943. BASIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES ACCOUNT. (a) The basic civil legal services account is an account in the judicial fund administered by the supreme court. (b) Funds in the basic civil legal services account may be used only for the support of programs approved by the supre…

Sec. 52.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter: (1) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 42, Sec. 3.01(1), eff. September 1, 2014. (2) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 42, Sec. 3.01(1), eff. September 1, 2014. (2-a) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 42,…

Sec. 52.011. PROVISION OF SIGNED DEPOSITION CERTIFICATE; CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS. (a) A court reporting firm representative or a court reporter who reported a deposition for a case shall complete and sign a deposition certificate, known as the further certification. (b) On reque…

Sec. 52.041. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER. (a) Each judge of a court of record shall appoint an official court reporter. An official court reporter is a sworn officer of the court and holds office at the pleasure of the court. (b) The judges of two or more courts of rec…

Sec. 52.042. DEPUTY COURT REPORTER. (a) If an official court reporter is unable to perform his duties in reporting proceedings in court due to illness, other official work, or unavoidable disability, the judge of the court may appoint a deputy court reporter to perform the court …

Sec. 52.043. DEPUTY COURT REPORTER FOR THE 70TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. (a) The official court reporter for the 70th Judicial District may appoint a deputy court reporter for the district. (b) The deputy court reporter shall have the same authority and duties as the official court rep…

Sec. 52.044. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT REPORTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY. (a) The judges of the district courts in Bexar County may employ additional official court reporters to serve the district courts in Bexar County if a majority of the district court judges believe more official cou…

Sec. 52.0441. COURT REPORTERS FOR CRIMINAL LAW MAGISTRATES IN BEXAR COUNTY. Each full-time Bexar County criminal law magistrate, with the consent and approval of the Commissioners Court of Bexar County, may appoint an official court reporter to serve that magistrate. The reporter…

Sec. 52.045. OATH. (a) An official court reporter must take the official oath required of officers of this state. (b) In addition to the official oath, each official court reporter must sign an oath administered by the district clerk stating that in each reported case the court r…

Sec. 52.046. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) On request, an official court reporter shall: (1) attend all sessions of the court; (2) take full shorthand notes of oral testimony offered before the court, including objections made to the admissibility of evidence, court rulings and …