Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Free e-filing is on the way in Harris County

Loren Jackson, the Harris County District Clerk, is on the verge of introducing a free open e-filing portal on the district clerk's website that will allow suits to be filed electronically - saving paper, gas and time along the way.

I am happy to announce that pending Texas Supreme Court approval, the Harris County District Clerk's Office will build a free open e-filing portal enabling lawsuits to be filed electronically directly to our office. The move is an effort to further increase judicial efficiency and to save Harris County taxpayers a significant amount in costs each year, as well as to increase transparency in the judicial system by promoting greater public access to court documents and records.
Among several benefits to be delivered by the implementation of the new technology, e-filing will contribute to the reduction of paper printing, cost of processing and storage, and will help attorneys reduce the number of unnecessary trips they make to the courthouse.
The free e-filing portal will also speed up the court document and work flow process, allowing judges to view filed documents within minutes. -- Loren Jackson, HCDC

There has been a sea change in the district clerk's office since Mr. Jackson came into office in 2008 -- both in content and speed. Information on civil and criminal cases can now be pulled up in an instant and certified copies of pleadings, court filings and orders can be order and printed out in just minutes without having to drive over to one of the courthouses. And the cost of this service? Just $1 per page.

What's Mr. Jackson's opponent's campaign message for the fall election? "The office is run too efficiently?" "The level of customer service is too high?" or "Bring back the carbon paper!"

Click here to sign the petition urging the Texas Supreme Court to allow this free e-filing portal in Harris County.

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