Court Security
Closures & Reopening Reporting Instructions
Please Read
- Please read these instructions in full prior to submitting your first online closure report.
- Please read the supplemental instructions on the online form itself, the first time you submit.
Who Can Report
- Clerks, judges, and court staff may report court and clerk's office closures.
- If, in an emergency, you cannot submit the online form yourself, email the OCA Service Desk, or call them at (512) 463-1642, and they will submit it for you.
How to Report
Closures
- Report closures using our online form, Report a Closure.
- Only submit the online form one time, that being when you initially report the closure.
- Please read the instructions on the form itself, the first time you submit.
Reopenings
- If you know the reopening date & time while you're reporting the closure, you can enter them at that time.
- To report a reopening some time after you've reported the closure, email the OCA Service Desk, or call (512) 463-1642.
Delays
Treat a delay as a short closure, and submit the online form, Report a Closure.
Corrections
To amend a report:
- Email the OCA Service Desk, or call (512) 463-1642.
- Don't submit the online form
What to Report
Only report closures due to:
- Emergency
- Special Circumstances
Emergency
Emergencies include, but are not limited to:
- Hurricane
- Flooding
- Fire
- Ice or snow storm
- Bombing
Special Circumstances
Special Circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Courthouse being under repair
What Not to Report
Clerks and courts need not report:
- Holiday closures
Other examples of what not to report include court closures due to:
- Judge having a personal emergency
- Judge being on sick leave
- Judge being on vacation
- Judge attending a conference or continuing education class, etc.
What Happens After Reporting
- Your closure will be publicly visible on our Court & Clerk's Office Closures page.
- Your closure will disappear from that page when the reopening time has passed. If no reopening time has been reported, it will stay there indefinitely.
- If OCA determines that the closure doesn't qualify, it may be removed from the page prior to the reopening time.