Rule 5.1 - Electronic Service of Documents Permissible(a) Texas Rule ofCivil Procedure2Iaprovides that, except for the citation to be served upon the filing of a cause of action and except as otherwise expressly provided in the Rules of Civil Procedure, documents filed with a court or otherwise required to be served upon a party may be served by delivering a copy to the party, or to the party's authorized agent or attorney, in person or by agent or by courier receipted delivery or by certified or registered mail, to the party's last known address, or by telephonic document transfer (fax) to the recipient's current telecopier (fax machine) number, or by such other method as the court in its discretion may direct. In addition to those methods, a filer may serve documents upon another party in the case by electronically transmitting the document to that party, either through TexasOnline to the party's registered e-mail address or directly to the party at the e-mail address provided by the party upon agreeing to receive electronic service, as updated by the party as provided in paragraph (c) below. Service in either manner is known as "electronic service" and is permissible in the circumstances set out in paragraph (b) below.(b) Documents may be electronically served upon a party only where that party has agreed to receive electronic service.(c) By virtue of electronically filing or serving a document or by agreeing to receive electronic service, a party additionally agrees to provide information regarding any change in his or her e-mail address to TexasOnline, the justiceofthe peace court, and all parties in the case within 24 hours of the change.(d) A party who electronically files a document is not required to electronically serve documents upon other parties.(e) A filer may electronically serve a document in instances where the document is filed in paper format as well as in instances where the document is electronically filed.Tex. R. eFiling Just. Ct. 5.1
Effective January 1, 2008.