Civ Pro: Commonly Requested Records

When you are part of a court case, you are entitled to information and documents related to your case, even if they were prepared and submitted by an attorney. You also have the right to access certain state and local government records that are public information under the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA). However, because the Texas Judiciary is exempt from the TPIA, access to court records is determined by the Supreme Court of Texas. The following are answers to questions commonly asked by self-represented (pro se) litigants who are trying to retrieve information about their case or other personal, judicial, or government records.

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Court Technology Innovations: New Challenges with the New Normal

How have courts met the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with new innovations in court technology? And have these innovations made access to justice easier, or more difficult? According to a recent report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, courts across the country have rapidly adapted online and remote services in a time when in-person access to the courts was greatly restricted while at the same time the need for legal services skyrocketed. Almost all aspects of court proceedings have been affected, including conducting hearings, processing filings, and enforcing judgments and decisions.

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