How to File Medical Records With a Court in Texas
There are four options for filing medical records with a Texas court: filing by mail, filing by fax, e-filing and filing in person. Before deciding which option is right for you, you must know which court is handling your case (i.e., District Court, County Court, Probate Court or Justice Court) and what forms that court allows in your county. Not all courts allow e-filing, and some county clerks do not offer fax filing.
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Instructions
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In Person
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Locate the clerk's office for the county in which your case is being handled. The county and court handling your case will be noted at the top of every case-related document you already have. You can search for that county clerk's office on the Texas government website.
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Call the clerk's office or visit their website to verify the fees and acceptable forms of payment.
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Appear in person at the clerk's office with your documents and the necessary fee. Each office will have a different procedure for filing. Follow signage and don't be afraid to ask for help.
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Hand over the records to the clerk along with the case or case number they are to be filed under. If you do not have it, they may be able to look it up by the names of the plaintiff and defendant.
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Keep the receipt issued to you for your records. Ask for a copy of the stamped documents.
Filing By Mail
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Contact your clerk's office to find out if additional fees or forms are required for mail filing. Ask if the processing time is longer than e-filing, fax filing or filing in person.
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Package two copies of the records, a self-addressed and stamped envelope (secured to one set of documents with a paper clip) and the appropriate fee in a proper documents envelope to prevent damage. These envelopes can be purchased at any office supply store or at most United States Post Office locations.
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Send the documents by certified mail and keep the receipt for your records. You should receive a receipt from the clerk's office by mail within two to three weeks.
Fax Filing
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Consult your district's website, or contact it by phone, to locate the fax number for filing. Large intake offices will likely have separate fax lines for family and civil filings.
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Print the Fax Filing Authorization Form from your clerk's website and fill it out in pen. If it does does not offer a form, create a cover page with the cause number, style (names of plaintiff and defendant), your name and contact information and attorney information if you have one.
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Print the credit card authorization form from your district's website if payment is required, and fill it out with your credit card details. Don't forget to sign it.
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Send the forms, payment information and records to the appropriate fax number. Save the fax confirmation for your files.
e-Filing
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Visit the e-Filing for Courts page of the TexasOnline website to see if your court permits e-filing.
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Register with one of the approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSP's) listed on the site, such as Houston-based Court File America.
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Scan the hard copies of your documents and convert them into PDF format using Adobe, if you have it, or one of the many free PDF writers available online, such as CutePDF Writer.
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Log in on your EFSP's website and upload your records. All providers offer easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for doing this.
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Attach them to a filing.
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Submit the filing. Your credit card will be charged the fee (Court File America charges $11.25 per filing) and you will immediately receive a confirmation of your filing. As soon as the clerk accepts the filing, you will receive your file-stamped copies electronically.
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Tips & Warnings
Every court and county has different rules regarding filing. Check with your specific court within your county to ensure compliance.
References
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