Sec. 51.901. FRAUDULENT DOCUMENT OR INSTRUMENT. (a) If a clerk of the supreme court, clerk of the court of criminal appeals, clerk of a court of appeals, district clerk, county clerk, district and county clerk, or municipal clerk has a reasonable basis to believe in good faith that a document or instrument previously filed or recorded or offered or submitted for filing or for filing and recording is fraudulent, the clerk shall:

(1) if the document is a purported judgment or other document purporting to memorialize or evidence an act, an order, a directive, or process of a purported court, provide written notice of the filing, recording, or submission for filing or for filing and recording to the stated or last known address of the person against whom the purported judgment, act, order, directive, or process is rendered; or

(2) if the document or instrument purports to create a lien or assert a claim on real or personal property or an interest in real or personal property, provide written notice of the filing, recording, or submission for filing or for filing and recording to the stated or last known address of the person named in the document or instrument as the obligor or debtor and to any person named as owning any interest in the real or personal property described in the document or instrument.

(b) A clerk shall provide written notice under Subsection (a):

(1) not later than the second business day after the date that the document or instrument is offered or submitted for filing or for filing and recording; or

(2) if the document or instrument has been previously filed or recorded, not later than the second business day after the date that the clerk becomes aware that the document or instrument may be fraudulent.

(c) For purposes of this section, a document or instrument is presumed to be fraudulent if:

(1) the document is a purported judgment or other document purporting to memorialize or evidence an act, an order, a directive, or process of:

(A) a purported court or a purported judicial entity not expressly created or established under the constitution or the laws of this state or of the United States; or

(B) a purported judicial officer of a purported court or purported judicial entity described by Paragraph (A);

(2) the document or instrument purports to create a lien or assert a claim against real or personal property or an interest in real or personal property and:

(A) is not a document or instrument provided for by the constitution or laws of this state or of the United States;

(B) is not created by implied or express consent or agreement of the obligor, debtor, or the owner of the real or personal property or an interest in the real or personal property, if required under the laws of this state, or by implied or express consent or agreement of an agent, fiduciary, or other representative of that person; or

(C) is not an equitable, constructive, or other lien imposed by a court with jurisdiction created or established under the constitution or laws of this state or of the United States; or

(3) the document or instrument purports to create a lien or assert a claim against real or personal property or an interest in real or personal property and the document or instrument is filed by an inmate or on behalf of an inmate.

(d) If a county clerk believes in good faith that a document filed with the county clerk to create a lien is fraudulent, the clerk shall:

(1) request the assistance of the county or district attorney to determine whether the document is fraudulent before filing or recording the document;

(2) request that the prospective filer provide to the county clerk additional documentation supporting the existence of the lien, such as a contract or other document that contains the alleged debtor or obligor's signature; and

(3) forward any additional documentation received to the county or district attorney.

(e) A presumption under Subsection (c)(3) may be rebutted by providing the filing officer in the filing office in which the document is filed or recorded the original or a copy of a sworn and notarized document signed by the obligor, debtor, or owner of the property designated as collateral stating that the person entered into a security agreement with the inmate and authorized the filing of the financing statement as provided by Section 9.509, Business & Commerce Code.

(f) In this section:

(1) "Inmate" means a person housed in a secure correctional facility.

(2) "Secure correctional facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 1.07, Penal Code.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 189, Sec. 14, eff. May 21, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 407 (S.B. 1589), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 (H.B. 2566), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.