Tex. Health & Safety Code § 571.015 · Chapter 571. GENERAL PROVISIONS
INSPECTION OF COURT RECORDS.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) Each paper in a docket for mental health proceedings in the county clerk's office, including the docket book, indexes, and judgment books, is a public record of a private nature that may be used, inspected, or copied only under a written order issued by the county judge, a judge of a court that has probate jurisdiction, or a judge of a district court having jurisdiction in the county in which the docket is located.
(b) A judge may not issue an order under Subsection (a) unless the judge enters a finding that:
(1) the use, inspection, or copying is justified and in the public interest; or
(2) the paper is to be released to the person to whom it relates or to a person designated in a written release signed by the person to whom the paper relates.
(c) In addition to the finding required by Subsection (b), if a law relating to confidentiality of mental health information or physician-patient privilege applies, the judge must find that the reasons for the use, inspection, or copying fall within the applicable statutory exemptions.
(d) The papers shall be released to an attorney representing the proposed patient in a proceeding held under this subtitle.
(e) This section does not affect access of law enforcement personnel to necessary information in execution of a writ or warrant.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.571.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 642b41e25414c64cb2b354c76aa1f3b57e7df57b3dc95011cf8e36d55f17ebaf
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
- Standing Order Regarding Access to Mental Health Case Files, Hopkins County Constitutional Court and County Court at Law (March 11, 2020)
- Guadalupe County Court — Blanket Order Authorizing Release of Mental Health Court Records (NICS/NIAA)
- Guadalupe County Court — Blanket Order Authorizing Release of Mental Health Court Records (NICS/NIAA)
- Probate Court Blanket Order Authorizing Release of Mental Health Court Records (Health & Safety Code § 571.015)
Cited by 2 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Health & Safety Code § 571.015. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.