Electronic Filing Rules in the California Rules of Court

Whenever a clerk's office filing counter is closed at any time between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on a court day, the court must provide a drop box for depositing documents to be filed with the clerk.

A court may provide a drop box during other times.

The rules in this chapter must be construed to authorize and permit filing and service by electronic means to the extent feasible.

A party or other person whose electronic service address changes while the action or proceeding is pending must promptly file a notice of change of address electronically with the court and must serve this notice electronically on all other parties and all other persons required to be served.

The court must permit electronic filing of an application for waiver of court fees and costs in any proceeding in which the court accepts electronic filings.

The court may electronically file any notice, order, minute order, judgment, or other document prepared by the court.

In a proceeding that requires the filing of an original document, an electronic filer may file an electronic copy of a document if the original document is then filed with the court within 10 calendar days.

Except as otherwise provided by law, a court may provide for the electronic filing of documents directly with the court, indirectly through one or more approved electronic filing service providers, or through a combination of direct and indirect means.

When it is not feasible for a party or other person to convert a document to electronic form by scanning, imaging, or another means, a court may allow that party or other person to file the document in paper form.

Proposed orders may be filed and submitted electronically as provided in rule 3.1312.

A court may provide for electronic filing of documents in actions and proceedings as provided under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, Penal Code section 690.5, and the rules in this chapter.

A court may require parties to e-file documents in civil actions by local rule through the stated filing channels, subject to the cited law and the conditions in subdivision (b).

(2) Self-represented parties or other self-represented persons are exempt from any mandatory electronic filing and service requirements adopted by courts under this rule and Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.

When a new party is added to a case with an existing e-filing order, the court may follow the notice procedures under (2) or order the new party to e-file and state that the party may object within 10 days after service or by a later court-specified time.

(4) A party or other person that is required to file and serve documents electronically must be excused from the requirements if the party or other person shows undue hardship or significant prejudice.

A court requiring e-filing and e-service must provide a relief application process and a conventional filing procedure for persons excused from e-filing.

If the court has local rules for permissive e-filing, it may order all parties in the specified class, consolidated, grouped, coordinated, or complex actions to e-file all documents, provided the order causes no undue hardship or significant prejudice.

A court may permit electronic filing by local rule in any type of case, subject to the cited statutes and chapter rules.

(A) Documents previously filed in paper form may be resubmitted in electronic form;

Any document that is received electronically must be processed and satisfy all other legal filing requirements to be filed as an official court record.

(3) In civil cases involving both represented and self-represented parties or other persons, represented parties or other persons may be required to file and serve documents electronically;

in these cases, each self-represented party or other person is to file, serve, and be served with documents by non-electronic means unless the self-represented party or other person affirmatively agrees otherwise.

The electronic filing service provider must send its confirmation to the filer's electronic service address and must indicate the date and time of receipt, in accordance with rule 2.259(a).

If the court contracts with an electronic filing service provider, it may require electronic filers to transmit the documents to the provider.

An electronic filing manager must promptly transmit an electronic filing, any applicable filing fee, and any applicable acceptance of consent to receive electronic service to the court.

Allow the provider to make other reasonable requirements for use of the electronic filing system.

A court may contract with one or more electronic filing service providers to furnish and maintain an electronic filing system for the court.

An electronic filing service provider must promptly transmit any electronic filing, any applicable filing fee, and any applicable acceptance of consent to receive electronic service to the court directly or through the court's electronic filing manager.

An electronic filing service provider must allow an electronic filer to proceed with an electronic filing even if the electronic filer does not consent to receive electronic service.

A court may contract with one or more electronic filing managers to act as an intermediary between the court and electronic filing service providers.

If the court contracts with an electronic service provider or the court has an in-house system, the provider or system must accept filing from other electronic filing service providers to the extent the provider or system is compatible with them.

An electronic filing service provider must promptly send to an electronic filer its confirmation of the receipt of any document that the filer has transmitted to the provider for filing with the court.

After reviewing the documents, the court must promptly transmit to the electronic filing service provider and the electronic filer the court's confirmation of filing or notice of rejection of filing, in accordance with rule 2.259.

Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the filing does not contain computer code, including viruses, that might be harmful to the court's electronic filing system and to other users of that system.

Furnish information the court requires for case processing.

Comply with any court requirements designed to ensure the integrity of electronic filing and to protect sensitive personal information.

If the electronic filer uses an electronic filing service provider, provide the electronic filing service provider with the electronic address at which the filer is to be sent all documents and immediately notify the electronic filing service provider of any change in that address.

(D) Notwithstanding (A)-(C), local child support agencies may maintain original, signed pleadings by way of an electronic copy in the statewide automated child support system and must maintain them only for the period of time stated in Government Code section 68152(a). If the local child support agency maintains an electronic copy of the original, signed pleading in the statewide automated child support system, it may destroy the paper original.

On the electronic filing of an accusatory pleading against a corporation, the court may transmit a summons electronically to the prosecutor in accordance with this subdivision and Penal Code sections 690.5, 1390, and 1391.

On the electronic filing of a complaint, a petition, or another document that must be served with a summons in a civil action, the court may transmit a summons electronically to the electronic filer in accordance with this subdivision and Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.

When a summons is issued in lieu of an arrest warrant, the court may transmit the summons electronically to the prosecutor or person authorized to serve the summons in accordance with this subdivision and Penal Code sections 690.5, 813, and 816a.

Courts that participated in the former pilot projects may continue modifying Judicial Council forms to accept electronic filings or generate court documents, provided the modifications comply with this chapter.

no will, codicil, bond, or undertaking may be filed by fax

nor may a court issue by fax any document intended to carry the original seal of the court.

(2) Physically transport the document to the court; and

A party may transmit a document by fax to a fax filing agency for filing with any trial court.

The court must also accept agency filings under rule 2.303.

A party may file by fax directly to any court that, by local rule, has provided for direct fax filing.

(2) Furnish one or more electronic notification addresses and immediately provide any change to his or her electronic notification addresses.

(1) Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the submission does not contain computer code, including viruses, that might be harmful to the Judicial Council's electronic system and to other users of that system; and

Any paper listed in rule 3.511(a) may be submitted electronically to coordination@jud.ca.gov.

Unless otherwise ordered or specifically provided by law, all moving and supporting papers must be served and filed in accordance with Code of Civil Procedure section 1005 and, when applicable, the statutes and rules providing for electronic filing and service.

Unless otherwise provided by local rule or specified in a court's protocol for electronic filing, all papers relating to a law and motion proceeding must be filed in the clerk's office.

(1) A version of the proposed order must be attached to a completed Proposed Order (Cover Sheet) (form EFS-020), and the combined document in Portable Document Format (PDF) must be filed electronically;

All pleadings and other documents filed in actions or proceedings governed by this chapter must be filed electronically, unless the action or proceeding is in a court that does not provide for electronic filing of documents.

Within 10 days after the petition is served on the lead public agency, that agency must lodge the certified final administrative record in electronic form with the court and serve notice on petitioner and real party in interest that the record has been lodged with the court.

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, each party must submit an electronic version of its brief within five days after filing, with hyperlinks to cited materials and in compliance with the reviewing court’s e-brief requirements.

Unless otherwise provided by local rule, the lists must be submitted to the court in electronic form.

Unless otherwise provided by local rule, the lists must be submitted to the court in electronic form.

each trial court must also report, electronically or manually, the following information, in the form and manner specified by the Department of Justice:

If no original paper court file exists, a certified copy may be transmitted electronically, and the receiving court must deem the received electronic copy an original file.

(2) A court that permits electronic filing must specify any requirements regarding electronically filed petitions as authorized under rules 2.250 et seq.

At the request of any tribal court located within the county, a court must adopt a written procedure or local rule to permit the fax or electronic filing of any tribal court protective order that is entitled to be registered under Family Code section 6404.

(C) The county child welfare department;

(F) The office of the county counsel;

The following documents may be filed in juvenile court by the use of a fax machine: petitions filed under sections 300, 342, 387, 388, 601, 602, 777, and 778. Other documents may be filed by the use of a fax machine if permitted by local rule as specified in (a).

(D) The probation department;

(A) The clerk's office designated to receive such documents must have either a separate fax machine dedicated solely to the receipt of the documents described in (c)(1) or a fax machine that is set up with a protocol to preserve the confidentiality of the documents described in (c)(1); and

(B) Any attorney of record in the proceeding;

A court may allow for the electronic filing of documents in juvenile proceedings in accordance with section 212.5.

(A) Any named party to the proceeding;

The local rule or other written instruction must provide the fax telephone number or numbers for filings and the business hours during which fax filings will be accepted.

A person described in (c)(2) may file by fax directly to any juvenile court that has provided for fax filing by local rule.

(G) A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer appointed in the case.; and

(E) The office of the district attorney;

(H) An Indian tribe.

The file may be transferred electronically, if possible.

The files may be transferred electronically, if possible.

The provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6 and rules 2.250–2.261 of the California Rules of Court concerning filing and service by electronic means apply to contested proceedings under the Probate Code and the Probate Rules to the same extent as they apply to other contested civil proceedings in each superior court in this state.

The local rule must provide for an exception if it would cause undue hardship for a party to submit an electronic copy.

Even when filing a paper document is permissible, a court may provide by local rule for the submission of an electronic copy of the paper document either in addition to the copies of the document required to be filed under (a) or (b) or as a substitute for one or more of these copies.

The rules in this article must be construed to authorize and permit filing and service by electronic means to the extent feasible.

Except as otherwise provided by these rules, the Supreme Court Rules Regarding Electronic Filing, or court order, all parties are required to file all documents electronically in the reviewing court.

In cases involving both represented and self-represented parties, represented parties are required to file documents electronically; however, in these cases, each self-represented party may file documents in paper form.

The court may permit electronic filing of an application for waiver of court fees and costs in any proceeding in which the court accepts electronic filings.

When it is not feasible for a party to convert a document to electronic form by scanning, imaging, or another means, the court may allow that party to file the document in paper form.

Self-represented parties are exempt from the requirement to file documents electronically.

A self-represented party may agree to file documents electronically. By electronically filing any document with the court, a self-represented party agrees to file documents electronically.

A court must have a process for parties, including represented parties, to apply for relief and a procedure for parties excused from filing documents electronically to file them in paper form.

Trial courts are exempt from the requirement to file documents electronically, but are permitted to file documents electronically.

A party must be excused from the requirement to file documents electronically if the party shows undue hardship or significant prejudice.

If the court contracts with an electronic service provider or the court has an in-house system, the provider or system must accept filing from other electronic filing service providers to the extent the provider or system is compatible with them.

The contract may also allow the electronic filing service provider to make other reasonable requirements for use of the electronic filing system.

If the court contracts with an electronic filing service provider, the court may require electronic filers to transmit the documents to the provider.

The electronic filing service provider must send its confirmation to the filer's electronic service address and must indicate the date and time of receipt, in accordance with rule 8.77.

The court may contract with one or more electronic filing service providers to furnish and maintain an electronic filing system for the court.

An electronic document with a color component may be electronically filed or manually filed on electronic media, depending on its file size.

Electronic media files such as audio or video must be manually filed.

If a document has more than 10 files, cannot or should not be electronically filed in multiple files, or e-filing would cause undue hardship, it must be manually filed on an electronic medium instead of electronically filed.

If a document requires a signature by a court or a judicial officer, the document may be electronically signed in any manner permitted by law.

If a document does not require a signature under penalty of perjury, the document is deemed signed by the electronic filer.

When an electronic transmission or receipt failure causes a missed filing deadline, the filer may submit the document on paper or electronically as soon as practicable.

A party's election to contract with an electronic filing service provider to electronically file and serve documents or to receive electronic service of documents on the party's behalf does not relieve the party of its duties under (1).

A party whose electronic service address changes while the appeal or original proceeding is pending must promptly file a notice of change of address electronically with the court and must serve this notice electronically on all other parties.

Proof of electronic service may be in electronic form and may be filed electronically with the court.

By electronically submitting the copy, the filer certifies that the copy complies with these requirements and that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the copy does not contain computer code, including viruses, that might be harmful to the court's system for receipt of electronic copies or to other users of that system.

If a brief is not filed electronically under rules 8.70-8.79, one electronic copy of each brief must be submitted to the Court of Appeal.

Notwithstanding rule 8.71(b), a court may order a self-represented party to file documents electronically.

(1) In accordance with rule 8.71, all parties except self-represented parties are required to file all documents electronically except as otherwise provided by these rules, the local rules of the reviewing court, or court order.

Unless otherwise ordered by the reviewing court, all briefs must be electronically filed.

Notwithstanding rule 8.71(b), in appeals governed by this chapter, a court may order a self-represented party to file documents electronically.

In accordance with rule 8.71, all parties except self-represented parties are required to file all documents electronically except as otherwise provided by these rules, the local rules of the reviewing court, or court order.

Forty-five days before the effective date of January 1 or July 1, each court must file with the Judicial Council an electronic copy of rules and amendments to rules adopted by the court in a format authorized by the Judicial Council.