Hamilton County Circuit Court Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICAL

The trial court clerk must accept papers for email filing and maintain at least one dedicated filing email address.

The trial court clerk shall accept papers for email filing as provided in this order. The trial court clerk shall maintain at least one dedicated email address for email filing.

CRITICAL

A filer may not divide an email filing into multiple filings to evade the 50-page limit.

An email filing may not be split into multiple email filings to avoid this page limitation.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Document with an electronic signature

A document with an electronic signature must be filed through the signer’s own user account and is binding on that individual when the account matches the signature, even if credentials are shared.

Any document filed with an electronic signature must be filed using the user account of the individual electronically signing the document. Any document signed and filed using the account that matches the signature is considered binding on that individual even if that issuer shares their username and password;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

For every trial, hearing, or motion docket, all parties must access exhibits using the ECF.

For any trial, hearing, or motion docket all parties must access the exhibits using the ECF.

CRITICALCivil cases

Circuit and Chancery Courts permit certain papers to be electronically filed in compliance with Tennessee Supreme Court technology standards; consult the relevant court website or clerk’s office for eligible case and document types, instructions, and fees.

Pursuant to Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure 5B, the Circuit Courts and Chancery Courts allow certain papers to be filed by electronic means that comply with technological standards promulgated by the Tennessee Supreme Court. Please consult the Chancery Court or Circuit Court website for case types and document types that can be filed electronically, as well as for instructions for e-filing and the requisite fees. Instructions are also available for review in both the Clerk & Master’s office and the Circuit Court Clerk’s office. E-filing is currently utilized in Chancery Court pursuant to the rules set forth in Appendi x 3 to these rules.

CRITICALCivil cases

A qualified Authorized User who wants to e-file must register as an E-Filer on the ECF Website and complete the listed registration steps.

Persons who qualify as Authorized Users and who desire to electronically file a Document shall register as an E-Filer on the ECF Website. The registration process requires the prospective user to accept the User Agreement, identify their role for the account, enter their personal information, their username and password, and submit the request.

CRITICALCivil cases

Attorneys registering as E-Filers must provide a valid Tennessee-issued Bar Number.

Attorneys must include a valid Tennessee-issued Bar Number.

CRITICALCivil cases

Pro se litigants recorded in TnCIS must register as ECF Authorized Users and previously file a Notice of Association linking their ECF account to their TnCIS participant ID.

Pro se litigants recorded in TnCIS on a case must be registered Authorized Users in ECF and have previously filed a Notice of Association that links the ECF user account to the TnCIS participant ID.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Transaction receipt

After receiving an e-filed document, the Clerk must electronically transmit a Transaction Receipt that serves as proof of filing.

Upon receipt by the Clerk of an E-Filed document, the Clerk shall electronically transmit a Transaction Receipt indicating that the E-Filing has been received. The Transaction Receipt shall serve as proof of filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

The listed authorized users may e-file after completing registration requirements or user account configuration.

“Authorized Users” means the following persons who, upon completion of the registration requirements or user account configuration, may E-File documents: a. Attorneys licensed to practice law in Tennessee; b. Pro Se litigants; c. Law Enforcement Officers; d. Process Servers; e. Agents of Governmental entities; f. Special appointed agents for Domestic Violence Support; g. All Court judges and their staff; and h. The Clerk and all deputy clerks in the Clerk’s Office;

CRITICALCivil cases

For new documents filed on or after the E-Filing Rules’ effective date, the Court must accept e-filed documents as validly filed unless the rules provide otherwise.

Except as expressly provided herein, for all new documents filed on or after the effective date of the E-Filing Rules, the Court shall accept as validly filed all documents that are filed through E-Filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Authorized Users receive notices of E-Filed documents electronically through ECF.

All Authorized Users agree to receive their notices of documents which are E-Filed in their cases electronically through the ECF system.

CRITICALCivil cases

An out-of-state attorney not admitted to the Tennessee Bar must associate with an attorney holding a Tennessee-issued Bar Number and follow the rules for participating in a case.

Out-of-State Attorneys who are not admitted to the Tennessee Bar are required to associate with an attorney who has a Tennessee-issued Bar Number, and they must follow the rules for participating in a case.

CRITICALCivil cases

E-filing is the official filing of eligible documents, subject to the stated exceptions.

E-Filing shall constitute the official filing of such documents unless excepted above.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Evidence

Unless a pretrial order provides otherwise, evidence must be submitted through ECF at least 48 hours before trial, a hearing, or a motion docket.

Except as provided in a pretrial order: (1) All evidence must be submitted no later than 48 hours before trial, hearing, or motion docket using ECF;

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Case file

The Clerk must maintain the original and official case file electronically for new cases filed on or after the rules’ effective date.

The Clerk shall maintain the original and official case file in electronic format for all new cases filed on or after the effective date of these rules.

CRITICALCivil cases

Attorneys intending to practice Pro Hac Vice may not register as E-Filers.

Attorneys who intend to practice Pro Hac Vice are not allowed to register.

CRITICAL

The listed documents must not be filed by email unless the Court approves, including documents barred from email filing by court order or Hamilton County local rule.

(6) The following documents shall NOT be filed in the trial court by email, unless otherwise approved for email filing by the Court: - a. A complaint commencing a civil action; - b. An appeal from a lower court to a trial court; - c. An appeal to a trial court from an inferior tribunal, board or officer; - d. Any notice of appeal; - e. A summons; - f. A will or codicil to a will; - g. Any pleading or document requiring an official seal; - h. A confidential document that the Court previously ordered filed under seal; or - i. Any other document that the Court orders not to be filed by email, including any document prohibited by Hamilton County local rule or appendix thereto.

CRITICALCivil cases

The Clerk must accept email filings and maintain a dedicated filing email address; filers should use the listed court-specific addresses, which are subject to change and are available on the County website.

The Clerk shall accept papers for email filing and shall maintain at least one dedicated email address for email filing. The current email filing addresses are available on the County’s website at: https://www.hamiltontn.gov/courts Subject to change, all email filings should be sent to the following email addresses: i. CIRCUIT COURT: • CircuitPleadings@HamiltonTN.gov ii. CHANCERY COURT: • Equity – ChanceryEquityFilings@HamiltonTN.gov • Probate – ChanceryProbateFilings@HamiltonTN.gov • Guardianship/Conservatorship – ChanceryGuardianshipFilings@HamiltonTN.gov • Tax – ChanceryTaxFilings@HamiltonTN.gov

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Evidence

Evidence may be accepted through traditional methods temporarily, until the Court orders that evidence will be accepted only electronically.

accepted by the Court or Clerk of the Court through traditional methods on a temporary basis until such time that the Court orders that evidence will only be accepted electronically. Ample notice will be given of such a requirement.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Documents eligible for paper filing in Circuit Court

Documents that may be filed as paper documents in Circuit Court may generally be email filed, subject to listed exceptions unless the Court approves otherwise.

Unless otherwise approved by the Court, any document may be email filed that could be filed in Circuit Court as a paper document pursuant to the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure and these rules, EXCEPT for the following: i. Adoption; ii. Surrender; iii. Order of Protection; iv. Temporary Restraining Order pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 65; v. An appeal from a lower court to a trial court; vi. An appeal to a trial court from an inferior tribunal, board or officer; vii. Any notice of appeal; viii. Any pleading or document requiring an official seal; ix. A confidential document that the Court previously ordered filed under seal; or x. Any other document that the Court orders not to be filed by email.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Email filing

If email filing is unsuccessful, the sender may file by mail or in person, with the filing date determined under the applicable rules of civil procedure.

In the event that an email filing to the Clerk is unsuccessful, the sender may file the document by mail or in person; in such cases, the filing date shall be determined as provided in the applicable rules of civil procedure.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Documents eligible for paper filing in Chancery Court

Documents that may be filed as paper documents in Chancery Court may generally be email filed, subject to listed exceptions unless the Court approves otherwise.

Unless otherwise approved by the Court, any document may be email filed that could be filed in Chancery Court as a paper document pursuant to the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure and these rules, EXCEPT for the following: i. Adoption; ii. Surrender; iii. Order of Protection; iv. Name Change; v. Temporary Restraining Order pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 65; vi. An appeal from a lower court to a trial court; vii. An appeal to a trial court from an inferior tribunal, board or officer; viii. Any notice of appeal; ix. Confidential statistical information; x. An original will or codicil to a will; xi. Creditor claims in probate matters; xii. Any pleading or document requiring an official seal; xiii. A confidential document that the Court previously ordered filed under seal; or xiv. Any other document that the Court orders not to be filed by email.

WARNING

Email filings should be sent to the current filing addresses listed on the County’s website, which are subject to change.

The current email filing addresses are available on the County’s website (https://www.hamiltontn.gov/Courts.aspx). Subject to change, all email filings should be sent to the following email addresses:

WARNINGCivil cases

E-filing notifications go to Authorized Users recorded in TnCIS as case participants or legal representatives; receiving them requires an active ECF account and the specified TnCIS case association, which for legal representatives uses a Tennessee-issued Bar Number.

When a person E-Files to a case, whether they are a case participant or not, notifications of the E- Filing are distributed to Authorized Users that are recorded in TnCIS as case participants or legal representatives. To receive notifications, participants must be Authorized Users and have an active account in the ECF System. In order for the notification to recognize the association of an Authorized User to a case, they must be recorded on the case in TnCIS as a pro se litigant or as a legal representative with a Bar Number. TnCIS only maintains Tennessee-issued Bar Numbers.

WARNINGCivil cases

The public access terminal must be located in the Clerk’s Office and available during normal business hours.

The public access terminal shall be located in the Clerk’s Office and made available during normal business hours.

WARNINGCivil cases

E-Filers must update their E-Filing profile immediately after a change in firm name or listed contact information.

E-Filers shall change their E-Filing profile immediately upon any change in firm name, delivery address, phone number, fax number, or email address.

WARNINGCivil cases

Eligible documents may be e-filed, except for the listed case and document types unless the Court approves otherwise.

Any document may be E-Filed that could be filed in Court as a paper document pursuant to TRCP and the Local Rules, except for the following case and document types, unless otherwise approved by the Court: i. Adoption; ii. Surrender; iii. Order of Protection; iv. Name Change; v. Temporary Restraining Order pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 65; vi. An appeal from a lower court to a trial court; vii. An appeal to a trial court from an inferior tribunal, board or officer; viii. Any notice of appeal; ix. Confidential statistical information; x. An original will or codicil to a will; xi. Creditor claim in probate matters; xii. Any pleading or document requiring an official seal; xiii. A confidential document that the Court previously ordered filed under seal; or xiv. Any other document that the Court orders not to be filed by e-filing.

WARNINGCivil cases

After approval, the user must register payment options and a credit card with the ECF system and each Court where the user will e-file.

The user must then register their payment options and credit card with the ECF system and to each Court with which the Authorized User will E-File.

INFOCivil cases

Litigants may continue to file paper documents traditionally.

Litigants may continue to engage in Traditional Filing.

INFO

Applies to

Email filing

If an email filing is unsuccessful, the sender may file by mail or in person, with the filing date determined under the applicable civil procedure rules.

In the event that an email filing to the clerk is unsuccessful, the sender may file the document by mail or in person; in such cases, the filing date shall be determined as provided in the applicable rules of civil procedure.

INFOCivil cases

Applies to

Existing case

Existing cases may be converted to e-filed cases at the request of litigants or their attorneys.

Existing cases can be converted to e-filed cases at the request of the litigants or their attorneys.

INFO

A signature reproduced by email is treated as an original signature.

(4) A signature reproduced by email shall be treated as an original signature.

INFO

Beginning January 1, 2026, the Circuit and Chancery Court clerks are authorized to accept email filings, subject to applicable service requirements.

Pending formal adoption of an amendment to the Local Rules of the Eleventh Judicial District, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerks of the Circuit Court and Chancery Court of Tennessee's Eleventh Judicial District are authorized to accept filings via email, subject to applicable service requirements, effective January 1, 2026.

INFOCivil cases

The Court and Clerk may issue, file, and serve notices, orders, and other documents electronically.

The Court and the Clerk may issue, file, and serve notices, orders, and other documents electronically.

INFO

After a document is filed by email, the original document need not be filed.

The filing of the original document shall not be required after email filing.

INFOCivil cases

Applies to

Electronic evidence

Electronic evidence for a trial, hearing, or motion docket may be submitted through ECF, but submission is temporarily not mandatory; the Court strongly encourages electronic submission.

(a) Electronic Evidence as defined below for use in any trial, hearing or motion docket may (temporarily not mandatory) be submitted using Electronic Court Filing System “ECF.” These EEP apply in all cases, contested matters and adversary proceedings. (b) While the Court strongly encourages evidence to be submitted electronically, evidence will be