Record a pleading

You can record two types of pleadings in TFACTS: petitions and motions. You record a pleading when the pleading has already been filed with the court. When you record a pleading that has already been filed, you enter the narrative. A pleading can be recorded as a separate item. You can also link other court actions to the pleading.

If you want to record a new pleading that is automatically linked to an existing court action, see Record a linked court action.

Follow these steps to record a pleading petition or motion.  

1. From the Home screen, click the Case tab. The Case Workload screen appears.

2. Open the list of cases by clicking next to your name. The list of your assigned cases appears.

3. Click the case ID number link for the case you want to update. The Case Overview screen appears.

4. Click Court in the link menu. The Case Members Legal History screen appears.

5. Click the Case Court Actions link above the case header. The Case Court Actions screen appears.

6. Enter search criteria to find the existing pleading and click Search. The matching court actions appear in the results grid.

7. If the correct pleading record already exists, click select to update the record.

8. If the pleading does not exist, select Create Pleading in the Action Category list and click Add Action. The Pleading Details screen appears.

9. Complete the required fields:
   
   Pleading Sub Category  
   Type   
   Pleading Date   
   Petitioner Role This term will be found in the Participant’s grid of the all activity sources with the exception of External Assessment. This term refers only the selected person and their role in the activity source and not their person relationships. Those types of associations would be recorded in the Person Associations hyperlink only.   

10. Complete other information as appropriate.
    
    If you complete the Filed Date and save the record, the pleading record cannot be edited further, although it can be amended. See  Amend a pleading petition or motion.

11. (Optional) Add an offense to this pleading record by clicking Add Offense.

12. (Optional) Link a court action by selecting the type in Link Court Action and clicking Add Action.

13. Click the Court/Attorney Info link to record the court and attorney details for the pleading. The Court screen appears.

14. Select the County and Court.

15. Complete other information as appropriate.

16. To add an attorney, select the Type and click Person Search. Select the person who is the attorney and return to the Court screen.

17. In the Represents list, select the appropriate case member.

18. Click Add to add the attorney detail to the record.

19. Click Save. You are returned to the Case Court Actions screen.