Girard Municipal Court, Ohio Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICAL

Initiating documents and documents adding a party in the e-Filing case type must be filed through the e-Filing system, while summons must still be served under the applicable Civil Rules.

Initial complaints, re-filed complaints, third party complaints, and other documents initiating a case or adding a new party in the e-Filing case type are filed using the e-Filing system, however, service of summons must still be completed pursuant to the applicable Civil Rules.

CRITICAL

The Court must provide public access terminals with a computer, internet access, and scanner for people who need the equipment, and the terminals are reserved strictly for e-filing.

In order to promote and facilitate access to justice, the Court shall provide public access terminal equipped with a computer, internet access and scanner for those persons who need access to the equipment. These public access terminals shall be strictly reserved for e-Filing purposes only.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Civil case filings and pleadings

Beginning March 1, 2021, new and subsequent civil case filings and pleadings must use e-filing; paper complaints are not accepted, and attorneys must initiate civil actions through the system as Registered Users.

The Court and the Clerk have agreed upon the following IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: On March 1, 2021, 30 days after public notice, the Girard Municipal Court shall initiate the e-Filing system for ALL NEW AND SUBSEQUENT CIVIL CASE FILINGS/PLEADINGS. No paper complaints in those civil case types will be accepted. Any attempts by an attorney to initiate a civil action after the implementation will be rejected and returned to the sender with instructions to proceed with the e-filing system as a Registered User.

CRITICAL

When the Clerk receives filing documents by mail from a self-represented litigant, the Clerk registers the litigant as an e-Filing Registered User.

In the event the Clerk receives, via mail, documents to be filed from a self-represented litigant, the Clerk will register the party as a Registered User in the e-Filing system.

CRITICAL

E-filings must be submitted by Registered Users through the CMS e-Filing System; fax, email, and other submission methods are not accepted.

The Clerk only accepts e-Filing documents from Registered Users through the e-Filing System in the CMS. e-Filing does NOT include facsimile transmissions and the Clerk will NOT accept facsimile transmissions for filing. Also, e-Filing does NOT include e-mail or other electronic means of communication and the Clerk will NOT accept any electronic documents submitted through any means other than via the CMS and the e-Filing System for Registered Users.

CRITICAL

Anyone wishing to file in an e-Filed case type must register as a Registered User, who will receive a unique identifier.

Anyone who wishes to file a document or pleading in an e-Filed case type must register to become a Registered User. Upon proper registration, a unique identifier shall be issued to the Registered User.

CRITICAL

During a Systemic Error, the Clerk must accept paper documents for filing for the duration of the error.

In the event of a Systemic Error, the Clerk shall accept paper documents for filing for the duration of the Systemic Error.

CRITICAL

The Clerk scans and uploads the self-represented litigant’s filing, then e-files it under the litigant’s Registered User account if any filing fee requirements have been paid.

The Clerk shall then scan and upload the filing into the e-Filing system as submitted by the self-represented litigant. Provided any filing fee requirements have been paid, the Clerk shall then e-File the document identifying the self-represented litigant Registered User as the e-Filer.

WARNING

When a filer brings a hard-copy document in person for filing in an active e-Filing case type, the Clerk's office directs the filer to a public access terminal and provides registration assistance.

If a party, attorney or any other filer presents a hard-copy paper document in person to the Clerk's office for filing in an active e-Filing case type, the Clerk's office will direct the person to the public access terminal and provide registration assistance.

WARNING

Self-represented litigants should make every effort to file subsequent documents through the e-filing system, remotely or at a public access terminal; if they rarely cannot access it remotely or on-site, the Clerk continues filing for them.

The self-represented litigant should make every effort to file any subsequent filings via the e-filing system either via a remote connection or via the Court's public access terminals. In the rare instance a self-represented litigant is unable to access the e-filing system remotely or on-site, the Clerk will continue to file the subsequent filings as indicated above.

INFO

Documents accepted by the Clerk for e-filing are the Court’s official record, and the Court does not keep paper copies.

Documents which are accepted by the Clerk for e-Filing are the official record of the Court. The Court will not keep paper copies of these documents.