The Success of E-Filing at the Court and a Few Facts
E-Filing at the Superior Court of Contra Costa County went live on June 18, 2022, and has been incredibly successful. At each of our court locations we are dedicated to enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of our legal processes. E-Filing is available 24 hours, 7 days a week, for filings that comply with Standing Order 3.4. We have experienced clerks at each location dedicated to managing the E-Filing queues during normal business hours. We encourage you to explore E-Filing as a way to file documents.
Even after two years, we continue to add items for E-Filing as well as venture into new areas. E-Filing has allowed the Court to use technology such as “ques” that expedite court processes. The number of E-Filings continue to grow! I thought it would be interesting to start with some statistics. Keep in mind that an “envelope” can contain just one filing or up to 20+ filings that need to be processed.
It’s very important to remember that every filing must be reviewed and filed by a Court Clerk. Yes, they are entered into the E-filing system, but they are not automatically filed in the Court’s case management system. Every filing in an envelope must be touched and processed.
The statistics below are for January 1 through October 31, 2024:
• E-Filings received on a Saturday in 2024 – 3,104 envelopes
• E-Filings received on a Sunday in 2024 – 1,802 envelopes
• E-Filings received on a Court holiday in 2024 – 2,172 envelopes
• E-Filings received after 5 pm and before 8:00 am in 2024 (after the Court has closed) – 36,000 envelopes out of 146,487 total envelopes or 25% of that total filings
• Average Time to Review – 5 business days
Each unit takes great pride in the strides they have taken to manage this new component of their Clerk’s Office and are always looking for ways to help this process for all involved and have offered some tips below!
Probate/Civil (Room 103) – Andrew Adams, Court Operations Manager II
The Civil Clerk’s office is dedicated to ensuring all filings are filed quickly and efficiently. The Civil department has created a separate E-Filing unit to address the large volume of filings. We do a daily review of all submissions to ensure that documents for upcoming hearings are processed timely and are available to the judges for review. We have dedicated staff assigned to each Civil department to ensure they are familiar with the cases and can more easily process the submissions. If you are calling the clerk’s office to discuss a filing, please be sure to have the envelope number ready so we can more readily assist with any issues.
Small Claims and Unlawful Detainers ~ Andrew Adams, Sarah Passot & Chelsea Fox, Court Operations Managers II
Our E-Filing system for Small Claims and Unlawful Detainer cases plays a crucial role in streamlining document management, allowing for faster and more efficient resolutions. Our clerks are often engaged in E-Filing documents, managing phone inquiries, processing mailed-in documents and assisting in-person customers. When documents are E-Filed, our system immediately registers the submission and routes it to the designated work queue. This can occur 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Documents are prioritized due to the time-sensitive nature of the filing while honoring the date of receipt. Our three dedicated teams at each location aim to process each submission in a timely manner. Through E-Filing and dedicated clerks, we have been able to eliminate all backlog and ensure timely processing for all Unlawful Detainer and Small Claims filings.
The Court’s E-Filing system has created more access for litigants in Small Claims and Unlawful Detainers. Litigants representing themselves are not required to use E-Filing, but have it available to them. The assigned court staff at all three locations (Richmond, Pittsburg and Martinez) manage helping litigants in person, on the phone and balance that with processing all the E-Filing submissions received. All E-Filing clerks check to ensure completeness and accuracy, checking that each document adheres to the Local Rules, California Rules of Court, and the Code of Civil Procedure prior to accepting the filing. Thanks to the hard work of those clerks, we have been able to eliminate all backlog.
Some documents are rejected. Here are the most common reasons:
1. Submissions are incomplete and are missing required information or signatures.
2. Cases have been consolidated and documents have been submitted into a subordinate case.
3. The party filing has a fee waiver, but that payment option was not selected. The court cannot change this for you.
4. An incorrect document type has been submitted (not flattened PDFs) and the court system will not accept them.
5. The document is a duplicate submission of a previously filed document.
Family Law/DCSS – Antwana Fortenberry, Court Operations Manager II
With mandatory Court E-Filing system in much of Family law and Department of Child Support Services cases for attorneys, Family Law has made some important changes in how we manage the increased volume effectively. Family Law created an actual E-Filing Unit that consists of a lead and four staff members. They focus solely on E-Filing daily. We also implemented daily triage for priority hearings, which improves efficiency and ensures timely handling of critical cases with upcoming hearings and better management for the court rooms as well. To ensure priority filings, the next hearing date, if within a month, should be listed in the filing description. The court found many rejections were related to the omission of assessing fees when submitting the filing. The court has been able to fix the error when accepting the filing, so the number of rejections has significantly decreased.
Criminal – Sarah Passot, Chelsea Fox and Christina Flores – Court Operations Managers II
Permissive E-Filing is available for the Criminal and Juvenile case types as of November 23, 2023, offering a streamlined and efficient process for managing and filing documents. With E-Filing, our justice partners can now:
• Submit documents anytime, from anywhere, reducing the need for in-person filings.
• Receive quicker confirmation of filings, allowing for more efficient case progression.
• Receive real-time access to filed documents.
Reasons for Rejecting:
Despite our best efforts to streamline the E-Filing process, there are several common reasons why documents may be rejected. Understanding these reasons can help users prepare their filings correctly and avoid delays. Here are some key factors that may lead to rejection:
Incomplete/Incorrect Information
• Submissions lacking or missing essential details, such as case numbers, party names, or contact information, may be rejected for being incomplete.
Improper Formatting
• Documents must adhere to specific formatting guidelines in our Local Rules, including font size, margins, and document type (e.g., PDF). Failure to comply can result in rejection.
Duplicate Filings
• If a document has already been filed for a case, submitting a duplicate may lead to rejection to avoid redundancy in the case record.
Missing Signatures
• Legal documents often require signatures from the parties involved. If a signature is missing or not properly notarized, the filing may be rejected.
Missing/Incorrect Filing Fees
• Submissions that do not include filing fees or the correct filing fees or payment information can be rejected. Users should verify fee amounts and ensure payments are processed.
Appeals Unit ~ Elissa Chambers, Court Operations Manager II
E-Filing for the Appeals unit is going well! Once the filings arrive in our queue, we are generally able to address the filings within one to two business days. A helpful reminder: please be sure to pick the correct filing code for the document that you are filing! We recently received four Limited Civil answers in our queue because they were titled “Notice of Appeal” by the filing party. This delays your documents being filed in a timely manner when the incorrect code is selected.
By being aware of these common reasons for rejection, users can ensure their documents are prepared correctly, reducing the chances of delays in their cases. Our court staff is always available to provide guidance and support to help navigate the E-Filing process.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to advance our services to the community we serve.