Texas Judicial Branch
Overview
The Texas Judicial Branch has launched the Texas Court Reminder Program authorized by HB 4293 of the 87th Legislative Session. The Office of Court Administration has contracted with eCourtDate to provide a statewide court text and email reminder system available at no cost to the courts or counties who elect to use it. Municipalities are invited to join at cost.
The system is designed with the ability to integrate with case management systems across the state, providing customization for text and email reminders to defendants and participants of court hearings and appearances. This project aligns with OCA’s commitment to assist courts to improve the percentage of court appearances for litigants, criminal defendants, and potential jurors.
Benefits to your Court
The eCourtDate service is designed to help courts increase appearance rates, accept payments faster, and communicate seamlessly with the public.
- Decrease failure-to-appear (FTA) rates
- Improve access to justice
- Reduce the number of warrants issued
- Reduce the number of phone calls to the court
- Save on paper and postage
- Improve communication with the public
Included Features
The Texas Court Reminders Program provides several features (use cases) available at no cost to Counties. The Court Reminders use case must be utilized in conjunction with any of the other use cases.
Our service includes the following features:
- Multilingual text and email notifications
- Web-based portals for defendants, jurors, and attorneys
- Integration with case management systems
- Customizable reminders and notifications
- Send and receive encrypted files
- Reporting and analytics
Eligible Jurisdictions
- Supreme Court
- Court of Criminal Appeals
- Courts of Appeals
- District Courts
- County Courts
- Constitutional County Courts
- Statutory County Courts
- Statutory Probate Courts
- Justice Courts
- Municipal Courts (provided at cost)
How To Participate
Jurisdictions can register for Texas Court Reminder Program here.
The Office of Court Administration is currently in our Early Adopter Phase for the program. The deadline to register to become an Early Adopter is September 27, 2024. If your jurisdiction is not selected as an Early Adopter, you will be added to the list to be onboarded once the Early Adopter Phase has concluded.
To learn more about eCourtDate and their onboarding process, please visit their website here.
If you have any questions regarding the Texas Court Reminder Program, please email Kelly Thibodeau at kelly.thibodeau@txcourts.gov.
Participating Courts
The following courts are participating in the Court Reminder Program:
TBD