Filing a New Case

Filing a new case with the court is done through a five-step wizard. Each step must be completed before you can submit. You can save your progress as a draft at any point and return to it later.

[Screenshot: Filing Wizard Steps] The wizard progress bar showing five steps: 1. Court & Case Type, 2. Parties, 3. Documents, 4. Fees, 5. Review & Submit. Each step is completed sequentially.

[Video: Filer Workflow Walkthrough] A walkthrough of the complete filer experience — starting from the dashboard, entering the filing wizard, filling out each step (court selection, adding parties, uploading documents, reviewing fees), and submitting the filing.

Step 1: Select Court & Case Type

Choose the court where you are filing and the type of case.

1. Select a Court — choose from the list of courts that accept e-filing.
2. Court Location (if applicable) — some courts have multiple locations. Select the appropriate one.
3. Select a Case Type — for example, Civil, Family, Criminal, Juvenile, Probate, etc. Each case type shows its code for reference.
4. Case Sub-Type (if applicable) — some case types have sub-categories. For example, under Family you might see Divorce, Custody, Adoption.

[Screenshot: Step 1 — Court Selection] The first wizard step with cascading dropdowns: Select a Court, Court Location, Case Type, and Case Sub-Type. Each selection narrows the options in the next dropdown.

Not sure which case type to choose? Consult your court's local rules or contact the clerk's office. Selecting the wrong case type may result in your filing being rejected.

Click Next to continue.

Step 2: Add Parties

Add all parties involved in the case — plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and any other participants.

Adding a Party

For each party, provide:

1. Party Role — select from:

   • Plaintiff / Defendant
   • Petitioner / Respondent
   • Third Party, Intervenor, Garnishee, or other applicable roles

2. Party Type — the kind of entity:

   • Individual
   • Business
   • Government Entity
   • Minor
   • Estate
   • Trust

3. Name — for individuals, enter First Name and Last Name. For businesses or other entities, enter the entity name.

4. Contact Information (optional) — date of birth, phone number, email address, and mailing address.

5. Confidential — toggle this on if the party's information should be sealed (for example, in domestic violence or juvenile cases).

At least one party is required. You can add as many parties as needed by clicking Add Party. To remove a party you've added, click the remove button on that party's card.

Click Next to continue.

Step 3: Upload Documents

Upload the PDF documents that make up your filing. This is where you attach your petition, motion, brief, exhibits, or other court papers.

How to Upload

You have two options:

• Drag and drop PDF files directly onto the upload area
• Click "Browse" to select files from your computer

For Each Document

After uploading, configure each document:

Document Requirements

• PDF format preferred — TIFF and Word documents (.doc, .docx) are also accepted
• Maximum 300 MB per file
• One lead document is required — exactly one document must be designated as the lead
• Filename limit — 150 characters maximum

Tip: Name your documents clearly. "Motion to Compel Discovery" is much more helpful to the clerk than "Document1.pdf".

Click Next to continue.

Step 4: Review Fees

This step shows you the filing fees associated with your court, case type, and documents.

The fee summary displays:

• Individual fee line items (by case type, document type, or court rule)
• The total amount due

Note: Online payment processing is coming soon. Currently, fees are displayed for your reference only. Your court will provide instructions for payment.

Fee Waiver

If you believe you qualify for a fee waiver, check the Request fee waiver box. The clerk will review your waiver request as part of the filing review.

Click Next to continue.

Step 5: Review & Submit

The final step presents a complete summary of everything in your filing so you can verify it before submission.

What to Check

Review each section carefully:

• Court & Case Information — correct court, location, case type
• Parties — all parties listed with correct names and roles
• Documents — all documents uploaded with correct titles and types, one lead document marked
• Fee Summary — fees shown are accurate for your filing

If anything needs to be changed, click Edit next to that section to go back and make corrections.

Certification & Submission

Before submitting, you must check the certification box:

"I certify that the information provided is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that filing false documents may result in sanctions or other penalties under applicable law."

Click Submit Filing to send your filing to the court for review.

After Submission

You will see a confirmation screen with:

• Your filing number (save this for your records)
• The date and time of submission
• Confirmation that an email notification has been sent to your registered email address

From here, you can return to your dashboard or start another filing.

Saving as a Draft

At any point during the wizard, you can click Save Draft to save your progress. Your filing will appear on the My Drafts page, where you can resume it later.

Tip: If you need to gather more information — like a party's address or an additional document — save as a draft and come back when you're ready.