Glossary
Key terms used throughout Cott E-Filing and the court e-filing process.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Affidavit | A sworn, written statement of facts used as evidence in court proceedings. |
| Bar Roll Number | Louisiana's unique identifier for licensed attorneys. Not "bar number" — this is Louisiana-specific terminology. |
| Case Number | A unique identifier assigned by the court to each case (e.g., 2025-CV-01234). |
| Case Type | The category of a case (e.g., Civil, Family, Criminal, Juvenile, Probate). |
| Case Sub-Type | A more specific category within a case type (e.g., Divorce under Family). |
| CMS (Case Management System) | The court's internal system for managing case records. Cott E-Filing integrates with your court's CMS. |
| Confidential Party | A party whose identity is sealed from public records (common in DV and juvenile cases). |
| Default Queue | The queue where new filings are automatically placed when submitted. Every court must have one. |
| Document Type | A category of court document (e.g., Petition, Motion, Brief, Exhibit, Subpoena). |
| Draft | An incomplete filing saved for later. Drafts are not visible to the court. |
| E-Filing | The electronic submission of court documents through an online system instead of on paper. |
| Envelope | A filing package containing one or more documents, party information, and case details. Also called a filing. |
| Fee Schedule | The set of rules that determine filing fees based on court, case type, and document type. |
| Fee Waiver | A request to have filing fees reduced or eliminated, typically for indigent filers. |
| Filer | Any person or entity that submits a filing — attorneys, pro se litigants, government agencies. |
| Filing Number | A unique reference number assigned to each filing envelope by Cott E-Filing. |
| Filing Wizard | The step-by-step interface used to assemble and submit a filing. |
| Kanban Board | The visual queue board used by clerks, with columns representing stages of the review process. |
| Lead Document | The primary document in a filing envelope (e.g., the petition or motion). Exactly one is required. |
| Parish | Louisiana's equivalent of a county. Courts in Louisiana are organized by parish. |
| Partial Accept | A filing decision where some documents are accepted and others are rejected. |
| Party | A person or entity involved in a case (plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, etc.). |
| Portable Document Format — the only file format accepted for court document uploads. | |
| PIN | Personal Identification Number assigned to Pro Se filers during registration. |
| Pro Se | A person representing themselves in court without an attorney (Latin: "for oneself"). |
| Queue | A stage in the clerk review pipeline. Filings move through queues as they're processed. |
| Redacted | A document with sensitive information (SSN, financial data, etc.) blacked out per court rules. |
| Routing Rule | An automatic rule that directs filings to specific queues based on case type, document type, or other conditions. |
| Sealed | A document or case with restricted public access, typically in sensitive matters. |
| Stamped Document | A court-accepted document with an official filing stamp applied by the system. |
| Advance Deposit | Louisiana practice: $350 deposited when opening a new civil case, drawn down per subsequent filing. |
| LCRAA | Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority — administers the e-filing mandate for Louisiana. |
| R.S. 13:841 | Louisiana statute setting the fee schedules for court filings. |
| Verdict | Cott's Case Management System (CMS) — the court's system of record for all case data. |
| In Forma Pauperis | A fee waiver for filers who cannot afford filing fees. Must be approved by a judge. |