Why are the 17th Judicial Circuit and Broward County Clerk implementing eFiling?

The Judiciary and the Clerk are implementing electronic filing to provide the public and the legal community with easy and inexpensive access to the Court.

How does eFiling work?

A Service Provider electronically transmits your filing to the Clerk's contractor, Texas NICUSA, LLC, which processes it for acceptance into the Clerk of Court’s case maintenance system and the Judiciary’s case management system. The filing is electronically delivered to the Clerk’s inbox. A filing is considered received by the Clerk upon transmission from your Service Provider to the Clerk’s inbox. The Clerk then reviews the filing and either accepts it or rejects it. If accepted by the Clerk, the filing will be docketed and appear in the Clerk’s case maintenance system and will also be stored in the Court’s case management system. Depending upon your Service Provider, you will receive notice of the Clerk’s action by electronic mail or in your ‘in box’ as provided by your Service Provider. A link to the electronic version of the filing as accepted by the Clerk will be provided in this process.  If you have not received notification of rejection or acceptance within one (1) business day of transmission or have any other questions related to the processing of your filing by the Clerk please send an email to efiling@browardclerk.org. Please include the ‘trace number’in the subject line.

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What are the benefits to eFiling?

1. Reduce Expenses: Save on postage, parking, couriers and office supplies.
2. 24 x 7 Filing: File your pleadings even when the Clerk's Office is closed.
3. Pay fees with a credit card: No need to guess the fee and cut a check only to have it returned as an incorrect amount.
4. Expedited Docketing and Confirmation of Acceptance or Rejection: See your pleadings listed on the docket sheet within one business day.
5. Electronic Backup: Benefit from offsite electronic storage of everything you have filed or been served with electronically.

Who eFiles and what cases are eFiled?

eFiling is permissive in all Probate and Guardianship cases for new and existing cases. It is also permissible in certain Mental Health cases including Incapacity or Developmentally Disabled Adult cases but not Civil Involuntary Commitment proceedings (Baker Act, Marchman Act, Tuberculosis, Sexually Transmissible Diseases). The use of certain forms are required and are provided by your Service Provider for certain filing types such as the guardianship initial and annual reports and background investigation paperwork. If you have questions or comments about the required forms please send them to efileinfo@17th.flcourts.org.

Case initiation for Probate and Guardianship cases is available through eFiling. For more information on what types of documents can be electronically filed, please see local Administrative Order 2009-79-PRC.

How do I select a Service Provider?

The model adopted by the Clerk of Court includes the option to add future Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSP).

At the present time, American Legal Net is the Electronic Filing Service Provider available for Probate eFiling.

To learn more information about this service provider and to register as a user, you may visit their website.

American Legal Net at http://broward.efilingportal.com

Make sure to visit their support page for a downloadable user manual and other valuable information. Training webinars will be offered by the service provider on a periodic basis.

As additional Electronic Filing Service Providers offer their services in the future they will be announced.

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What hardware or software do I need to eFile?

The eFiling program is a web-based program that needs no proprietary software or special hardware.

Minimum requirements include:

1. Windows 2000 or later operating system
2. 64 MB of memory (RAM)
3. 400 MHz Processor
4. Internet access with at least standard dial-up (56 Kbps connection)
5. Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher (Note: Netscape web browsers are not supported)
6. Adobe PDF Reader 7 (free download from Adobe)
7. A scanner to submit non-electronic documents
8. Microsoft Word or WordPerfect (depending on your Service Provider).
9. Registration with the Service Provider

How do I get trained for eFiling?

Please contact American Legal Net to arrange training.

Will I be able to access the documents that I file?

At this time, you will be able to access the documents you filed or with which you were served through your Service Provider. You may also download such documents to your computer when provided with the link to the accepted electronic version of the filing after acceptance by the Clerk.

Why do I have to use a specific case number format for eFiling?

Please note that the Judiciary and Clerk require a certain case number format. You will not be able to file your document if the correct format is not used on the Service Provider’s website and the Clerk is required to reject your document if the correct format is not used on the pleading you are electronically filing pursuant to Administrative Order IV-07-B-3 section 4.3(d).

The new format is as follows: The first three characters are the division designation (at this time only MHC and PRC); the second two characters are the year designation; and the last 7 characters are the numerical sequence of the case.

For example, case number MHC 07-00123 would now be entered as MHC070000123.

Why do the attachments to a motion, opposition or other filings have to be uploaded separately?

Under Court rules, all filings associated with one pleading or paper are one document. However, in the electronic filing process documents must be uploaded separately. The first document you upload will be your lead document. The lead document is the pleading or paper (reporting form, background investigation form, etc.). After the lead document is uploaded, supporting documents (attachments, exhibits, or other documentation) may be uploaded. Your Service Provider will then submit all of the documents to the Clerk as one filing.

Why do I have to redact personal identifying information?

Pursuant to Administrative Order IV-06-A-31  redaction of personal identifying information is required in all documents filed in the Probate Division that will be included in the publicly available file.

Do I have to follow up my eFiling with a paper filing?

Follow-up paper filing is no longer required by the Supreme Court of Florida for filings in the Probate Division per AOSC09-18.

Can a single filing apply to more than one case?

No. Each document electronically filed must be submitted as individual transactions with the Service Provider. If cases are not officially consolidated by court order with other cases, any document applying in several cases must be filed in each case. If a case is consolidated with others by court order, then a document can be filed in the lead case. The comments field on the eFiling screen must be used to specify to what other cases the document applies. It will then be accepted (or rejected) by the Clerk in the lead case, and a docket entry that it was filed will be made in each of the other cases with which it is consolidated. The entry will also state the case number of the lead case where the document was filed and can be viewed on a public access system.

Can I file multiple pleadings in the same case in the same transaction?

Not at this time. Each electronic filing is considered a separate transaction and an entry is made on the progress docket of the case. We realize this is desirable functionality for filers and will be working with the Service Providers to create this ability as a future enhancement.

What fees are associated with eFiling?

Pursuant to Florida Supreme Court order, fees cannot be charged for eFiling; only statutorily mandated filing fees can be charged. You will be able to pay filing fees, including fees for background investigations (but excluding FDLE fingerprinting fees), and accountings, with a credit card. The Electronic Filing Manager will charge a credit card processing fee of 2.5% of the transaction value as cost recovery. If you have any questions regarding this credit card fee, you may contact the Electronic Filing Manager by email at efilingforcourts@nicusa.com.

If the document type that you select to be filed does not require a fee, supplying your credit card information is optional. However, if you choose not to supply your credit card number and the document type is incorrect and requires a fee, or if a re-open fee is required, then your document will be rejected and you will need to resubmit. If you choose to supply a credit card number and the document type is incorrect and requires a fee, or if a re-open fee is required, the Clerk's Office is authorized to make the necessary changes, accept the document and apply the appropriate fee.

How do I sign my documents?

During the pilot, and until the Supreme Court approves the termination of follow-up filing, you will need to place a ‘/s/’ in the signature portion of the eFiled document and then follow-up file the originally signed documents. After follow-up filing is concluded, you should continue to place a ‘/s/’ in the signature field and maintain the originally signed documents in your files for a prescribed period of time.

How can I learn more about eFiling in Broward County?

Information on eFiling rules, filing and document types and other specifics will be placed on the Judiciary’s site or the Clerk's site. A list of Service Providers will be updated as additional ones become available.

If you have questions or feedback about eFiling with the 17th Judicial Circuit please send them to efiling@browardclerk.org