E-Filing
Electronic submission of legal documents to courts through online portals. Courts' e-filing rules may set file-format and naming requirements — check the court's e-filing rules.
What You Need to Know
E-filing sends documents to a court through its designated system. Check that court’s current file-size, format, naming, bookmark, signature, and submission requirements. After submitting, inspect the receipt and docket or acceptance status as instructed; generating a PDF in ExhibitPrep does not file it.
Put this into practice
Use the step-by-step help to prepare and check your files. Definitions explain the terms; the rules and orders for your matter determine what is required.
Resolve file and processing problemsRelevant Practice Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I e-file exhibits with my motion?
Read the court’s instructions before combining or separating exhibits. Prepare the required file format, labels, bookmarks, and names; check file-size limits; then review the actual uploaded files and receipt in the filing system. If a submission is rejected, follow that court’s correction procedure.
Are e-filed documents considered timely if filed before midnight?
Check the deadline, time zone, and submission-versus-acceptance rules for the court and filing type. A portal being available does not extend a deadline. If the system fails, preserve the error and time of the attempt and follow the court’s published outage procedure promptly.
Do I need to redact confidential information before e-filing?
Yes. For filings with a federal court, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(a) limits Social Security, taxpayer-identification and financial-account numbers to their last four digits, birth dates to the year, and minors' names to initials, unless the court orders otherwise or an exemption applies. Failure to redact may result in public disclosure of private information and potential sanctions.
When It's Used
Required for represented parties in federal civil cases unless the court or a local rule allows otherwise (FRCP 5(d)(3)(A))
Example
"Uploading a motion and exhibits through the court's case management system with files named "Exhibit_A.pdf", "Exhibit_B.pdf"."
References to check
Related Terms
PDF Exhibits
Exhibits converted to PDF format for electronic filing, digital presentation, or sharing with opposing counsel.
Metadata
Hidden data embedded in electronic documents showing author, creation date, edit history, and other file properties.
Courtesy Copy
An additional copy of a filed document provided to the judge's chambers when local rules or the judge's procedures call for one.
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