---
title: "Electronic Service and Copies"
description: "Select service contacts and distinguish electronic service from preliminary and courtesy copies."
slug: "efile-service"
category: "E-Filing"
product: "efile"
audience: "filers"
status: "published"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-28"
owner: "Referlex support"
nav_title: "Electronic Service and Copies"
nav_group: "Starting a Filing"
order: 67
---
# Electronic Service and Copies

## Choose Electronic Service Recipients

The Delivery section shows the recipients selected for this envelope. Use **Serve** to add a firm contact, or search the public directory by last name, firm, or email and select the correct result. Verify the actual email address, not just the name.

For a new case, you can associate a selected contact with a party or leave it **Not Linked to a Party** where appropriate. Removing a recipient from this draft removes that selection for this envelope; it is different from detaching a contact from an ongoing case in settings.

Review the entire selected list. A party name in your pleading does not automatically become an electronic service recipient. A contact being available in a list does not mean it has been selected.

| Delivery Choice | Court Filing | Recipient Delivery |
| --- | --- | --- |
| File without e-service | Sends the filing for court review. | No electronic service recipients are selected in this envelope. |
| File and serve | Sends the filing for court review. | Sends documents through the selected service contacts. |
| Service only | Does not submit a filing for clerk review. | Sends documents to the selected service contacts for the existing case. |

These are delivery choices, not determinations that service is legally sufficient. In particular, do not equate electronic delivery of a pleading with completion of formal service of citation. Consult the applicable service rules. [eFileTexas explains electronic service](https://www.efiletexas.gov/faqs.htm) as a separate function that can also be used without filing with the court.

## Preliminary and Courtesy Copies

For court filings, the wizard offers two separate email lists:

- **Preliminary Copies** request copies when the filing is submitted.
- **Courtesy Copies** request copies after clerk acceptance.

Enter and review each list separately, even when the same address belongs in both. These copy recipients are distinct from electronic service contacts and should not be used as a substitute for required service. A courtesy-copy request also does not establish that a judge has received any separately required chambers copy.

## Related Guides

- [Check delivery evidence](/docs/efile-records#check-service-delivery)
- [Manage firm service contacts](/docs/efile-firm-administration)