Travis County Criminal Courts

TCAMS —
Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

What is TCAMS?

The Travis County Appointment Management System, or TCAMS, is an internet-based web application that provides active court appointed criminal defense attorneys access to:

• View and manage appointment information
• View Criminal Courts Administration (CCA) posted announcements
• View system generated warnings regarding missed deadlines
• Submit required defendant contact information
• View and edit personal profile information
• View current docket and cause information

Who may use TCAMS?

Any criminal defense attorney that is active on the Travis County Criminal Courts rotation list of court appointed attorneys may use TCAMS.

How can non-court appointed attorneys access Travis County docket information?

While use of TCAMS is limited to attorneys that are active on the Travis County Criminal Courts court appointment rotation list, Travis County is working to provide comparable docket information access to non-court appointed attorneys. No additional information regarding future access for non-court appointed attorneys is available at this time.

How can I access TCAMS?

TCAMS is an internet-based web application that is accessible anywhere that internet access is available. The web site address for the TCAMS application is http://tcams.co.travis.tx.us.

The Travis County Criminal Courts have also provided kiosks within the Criminal Justice Center (CJC) that provide access to TCAMS. There are currently five kiosks located on the first floor of the CJC building, near the public elevators.

To log on to TCAMS, you will need a valid account ID and password. Information on requesting an account ID and password is listed below in the section titled “Account /Password Management”.

When can I begin using TCAMS?

TCAMS is available for use by all active Travis County appointed attorneys beginning Saturday, October 1st.

Usage requires a valid account ID and password. Information on requesting an account ID and password is listed below in the section titled “Account / Password Management”.

Where do I find information on how to use TCAMS?

In addition to these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), contextual on-line help is provided within the TCAMS application. To access this help information, simply select the Help link from the main navigation bar on any TCAMS page where you require assistance. The system will provide helpful information specific to the page you are on.

System Requirements

What are the system requirements for using TCAMS?

Access to TCAMS requires an internet connection and an internet web browser configured to support and use SSL 3.0.

TCAMS was designed with primary support for Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 6.0.  Other browsers may also work, but have not been tested as rigorously as Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 6.0.

System Functionality

Can I use TCAMS to access appointment or docket information for other attorneys?

No. Within TCAMS, you may only access appointment, docket and personal profile information that relates to you.

Why does TCAMS require me to provide face-to-face contact information?

TCAMS was designed to ensure compliance with the standards and procedures set forth by the Travis County Criminal Courts as part of the Fair Defense Act Program.  Those standards and procedures require appointed attorneys to make contact – in person or by videoconferencing – no later than five days of the assignment for misdemeanor appointments and no later than ten days of the assignment for felony appointments.

How does TCAMS calculate deadlines?

TCAMS calculates deadlines based on the standards and procedures set forth by the Travis County Criminal Courts as part of the Fair Defense Act Program. Based on those standards and procedures, court appointed attorneys must:

• Make a reasonable effort (letter, fax, phone, videoconferencing or personal visit) to contact a defendant by the end of the first working day after the date of the appointment.
• Acknowledge receipt of the appointment and provide confirmation of the effort to contact the defendant within 3 business days of receiving the appointment.
• For misdemeanor cases, visit the defendant (in person or through videoconferencing) no later than five days from notification of appointment and report that contact within 3 business days.
• For felony cases, visit the defendant (in person or through videoconferencing) no later than ten days from notification of appointment and report that contact within 3 business days.

Why do I see only felony docket settings?

At this time, only felony docket settings are available on-line through TCAMS.

Misdemeanor docket settings will be available through TCAMS at a future date, when the new misdemeanor case management system is on-line for the Travis County Criminal Courts.

Will TCAMS show docket settings for non-appointed cases?

TCAMS will show an attorney all active docket settings for cases where the attorney is listed (by state bar number) as the attorney of record.

Account / Password Management

How do I request an account to access TCAMS?

An attorney that is active on the Travis County Criminal Courts court appointment rotation list may request a TCAMS account by sending an e-mail to tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us.

Please include the following in the body of your e-mail request:

• Attorney’s name
• Attorney’s state bar number
• Request for a TCAMS account

For security purposes, the request must originate from the e-mail address that is currently on file with Criminal Courts Administration.

How do I change the TCAMS password that was provided to me?

If you wish to change the password that was originally provided to you to something that is easier for you to remember, you may submit a password change request to the tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us address. For security reasons, passwords must meet certain guidelines, which will be provided to you by e-mail upon request.
NOTE: Be sure to include your name and account ID within your e-mail request.

I have forgotten or lost my password. What do I do?

If you have forgotten or lost your TCAMS account ID and/or password, please e-mail tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us and request assistance. In turn, your account ID and/or password will be e-mailed to you. For security purposes, the request for assistance must originate from the e-mail address that is currently on file with Criminal Courts Administration.

Additional Questions / Assistance

My TCAMS docket shows a court setting for a case where I am no longer the attorney of record. How do I correct this?

TCAMS presents docket information based on the records contained in the Travis County Criminal Courts case management system. If a docket setting appears for you in TCAMS, then the court records still show you as the attorney of record for that case.
(NOTE: You can further confirm this by checking the posted court dockets at the courthouse. If you are listed as the attorney of record on the posted court docket, then the court records still show you as the attorney of record for that case.)
Please contact the court coordinator for the presiding court judge and request that they remove you as the attorney of record.

My TCAMS docket does not show a court setting for one of my cases. Why is this?

There are two primary reasons why you will not see a court setting within your TCAMS docket listing.

• Misdemeanor Cases – At this time, only docket settings for felony cases are available in TCAMS. Misdemeanor docket settings will be available at a future date.
• Attorney of record – You must be properly listed as the attorney of record (by state bar number) within Travis County’s case management system in order for TCAMS to associate the court setting with your account and to present the information to you. You may contact the court coordinator for the presiding court judge to confirm that you are properly listed as the attorney of record. You may also check the court dockets posted at the courthouse to determine if you are listed as the attorney of record.

If a court setting meets the criteria listed above and still does not appear within TCAMS, please send an e-mail to tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us and include the following information:

• Attorney’s name
• Attorney’s state bar number
• Date and time of missing court setting
• Cause number(s)
• Defendant’s name
• Assigned Court

My personal profile contains incorrect information. How do I update the incorrect information?

TCAMS provides court appointed attorneys the ability to view and update the following personal profile information:

• Firm name
• Address (Street, City, State, Zip Code)
• Phone number
• Fax number
• Cell phone number
• E-mail address

If one of these items is incorrect, please use the profile section of TCAMS to update the information.

TCAMS also provides court appointed attorneys the ability to view (but not to update) the following information:

• Attorney’s name (first and last name)
• State bar number
• Vendor number
• Status
• Types of cases handled

If one of these items is incorrect, please notify Criminal Courts Administration.

What if I have questions that are not addressed here or within the TCAMS Help?

If, after reviewing each of these FAQs as well as the online TCAMS Help system, you still have questions or need assistance, please contact us by e-mail at: tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us.
Please include your name, a contact phone number, along with your question or problem.

How can I submit feedback or suggestions?

We truly want TCAMS to be as useful and user-friendly as possible. If you have any feedback or suggestions regarding the TCAMS application or this web site, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail at: tcamshelp@co.travis.tx.us.