1. re:SearchTX - Providing Clarity
Lynne Finley
District Clerk, Collin County
David Slayton,
Director, Office of Court Administration
Terry Derrick
General Manager, eSolutions – Tyler Technologies

2. Document Access Models
*Courts have two models to make their case records available through re:SearchTX
Repository Model
Metadata and document IDs of accepted filings are sent from eFileTX to re:Search upon clerk acceptance. Users search the metadata and documents are retrieved from the CMS, upon request.
CMS
Integrated Model
Metadata and copies of accepted documents are sent from eFileTX to re:Search upon clerk acceptance. This information is provided to authorized users.
*Note: Courts may begin with the repository model and migrate to the integrated model once the CMS establishes the integration.

3. re:Search – Repository Model
Filer Prepares Documents 1
24X7 Submission to EFSP of Choice 2
Filing Prepared for Clerk Review 3
Clerk Accepts or Rejects 4
Stamped Documents Passed to CMS and Filer 5
Documents and Meta Data Passed to re:SearchTX 6
24X7 Access to Documents 7
Judge
Summary
Case metadata and documents will be passed to re:SearchTX from eFileTexas
The documents will be copies of the file stamped document and can be considered the “unofficial record”
Courts may manually upload additional documents to re:SearchTX and can manage the security directly from within re:SearchTX
Revenue from document purchase transactions would go to the originating jurisdiction
Data
Attorney
Filer
EFSP
eFileTexas Step
re:SearchTX Step
Legend
Advantages
Free, online electronic court record solution to generate revenue for county through document purchase transactions
Authorized User
CMS
Clerk

4. Re:Search – Integrated Model
Filer Prepares Documents 1
24X7 Submission to EFSP of Choice 2
Filing Prepared for Clerk Review 3
Clerk Accepts or Rejects 4
Stamped Documents Passed to CMS and Filer 5
Metadata Passed to re:SearchTX 6
Users Search & Make Requests for Documents 7
Documents are Retrieved from CMS 8
Summary
Case metadata will be passed to re:Search from eFileTexas
Authorized users may search for documents using the case metadata obtained from eFileTexas
Courts may upload additional metadata to re:SearchTX via the integration and can manage the security directly from within re:SearchTX
Revenue from document purchase transactions would go to the originating jurisdiction
Judge
Data
Attorney
Filer
EFSP
Advantages
Free, online electronic court record solution to generate revenue for county through document purchase transactions
No additional work for the clerks
Offer the complete and up-to-date case record to users
Better experience for users
eFileTexas Step
re:SearchTX Step
Legend
Authorized User
CMS
Clerk

5. Where are we now?
Efiled Documents have been stored in repository since January 2016
Judges are the only ones who have access to them – mandated by Supreme Court
Supreme Court has mandated that OCA expand access to attorneys of record and clerks – NOT implemented yet
Collin County is working with Tyler and OCA on integrated model - configuring within a Test Environment to see how Odyssey CMS will work with re:SearchTx
Awaiting Provider Agreements to define the parties rights and roles in this process
Now
What’s Next
The Future

6. What happens next?
Continue working with Tyler and OCA to determine if an integrated model for re:SearchTX is right for Collin County
Establishing an integrated option provides the County with the ability to help create a searchable website for our case information that our County has wanted for years
January 2018 – re:SearchTX will be made available to attorneys of record and clerks
All clerks will have option of implementing the integrated model
For clerks not using integrated model, the repository model will be the default while their CMS works on establishing the integration.
Now
What’s Next
The Future

7. What’s coming in the future?
JCIT is finalizing recommendations to the Supreme Court to expand access to attorneys (not on the case) and the public
JCIT‘s recommendation will include:
Limitations on case types, document types, delays in making documents available, etc.
Fees for copies
Now
What’s Next
The Future

8. Redaction
OCA is exploring options to include 3-part redaction technology within the eFiling and re:Search system
eFiling: the uploaded documents would be screened for potential sensitive data and provide an opportunity for the filer to redact
eFiling: the documents accepted by the clerk would be screened for potential sensitive data and provide an opportunity for the clerk to redact (both copies retained)
re:SearchTX: any documents uploaded by the clerk would be screened for potential sensitive data and provide an opportunity for the clerk to redact
If redaction provided, Collin County will take the funds from its current redaction contract and apply it towards pre-re:SearchTx cases to continue to add to our database of information available through the website
Supreme Court reviewing sensitive data rule for modification on placing documents with sensitive data online

9. Revenue potential from re:SearchTX
PACER generates $150 million in fees annually
Texas has more documents added per year than the Federal Courts
8+ million documents eFiled in 2016
Over 20,000,000 documents eFiled to date
Virginia‘s clerks records were just uploaded to a free site by a third-party
Fees will be set by Supreme Court
Recommendation forthcoming from JCIT
All Clerks should be involved in this process

10. Maintenance and Security
Repository Model
OCA will be responsible for maintenance and security of the database
Orders of expungement handled by OCA if provided to OCA (by Attorney or Clerk)
Also providing options for clerks to seal/expunge/nondisclose records
No requirement to upload documents, but clerks would have option to upload document, such as Orders
Integrated Model
The case management system of the clerk would be the primary database and would update re:SearchTX appropriately, at its discretion, as determined by the County Clerk and the District Clerk and may require approval of the Commissioner’s Court
Clerks will have the option of uploading additional documents (back loading)

11. Liability
According to discussions with the OCA, Clerks currently DO NOT have liability for release of sensitive information in documents
NOTHING CHANGES when the documents are placed online
Clerks will continue to NOT HAVE LIABILITY for release of sensitive information in documents
Has a Clerk or County been sued for the release of sensitive data?

12. “Go-Forward” Date
Decision on “go-forward” date with documents has not been made, but will need to be made prior to access to public
OCA states that the recommendation is likely to be “go-forward” date
Once integration is shown viable and Participation Agreements finalized, Collin County would want all of its documents removed from the centralized database as there should no use for those documents from the “Go-forward” date because there will be better access through our integrated model

13. Clerk involvement is the missing link!
We need your help!
The OCA needs the clerks help on this project
Collin County sees participating in the pilot program as a way to provide feedback on the system, control the implementation into our system, give our community as much transparency of the records as possible while protecting the integrity of the records
I believe integration may be mandated in the future and we want to be prepared for any scenario
Lack of pilots from Clerks with third-party CMS
OCA indicates that third-party vendor has shown willingness to participate
Piloting provides the clerks the opportunity to see if integration is even possible and then decide if they want to implement it permanently
I see attempting Integration Model to only be a positive for our county and our overall goal of providing our citizens with complete and accurate access. Without the integration, re:SearchTX is not similar to PACER.
OCA is very grateful to the clerks who are participating in the pilot program and their feedback has and will be invaluable to the final product of re:SearchTX
OCA is looking for strong partners to help improve the solution for everyone
Clerk involvement is the missing link!

14. Questions?

15. re:SearchTX – Providing Clarity
Appendix