Your Guide to the New Indiana E-Filing Rules
- Posted by stewartrichardson
- Posted in News
E-filing is now available in over half of Indiana courts, and it will be statewide by the end of 2018. Mandatory e-filing (subsequent and initial filings in available case types) begins this August in many circuits and courts, and voluntary e-filing will begin soon for the rest.
The new, statewide e-filing system will be used to file documents online in nearly all types of cases in the state’s trial and appellate courts. To help attorneys and paralegals have a smooth transition to the new e-filing system, we’ve put together a helpful guide using information from the Indiana Judicial Branch’s website.
Step One: Know Your Voluntary & Mandatory E-Filing Dates
Below you’ll find the list of the announced counties for the voluntary and mandatory e-filing dates as of August, 2018. As the Indiana Judicial Branch’s website states, “exact dates are subject to change, and more counties will be added and start e-filing before the end of 2018.”
You can stay updated on the other released dates by clicking here.
You’ll want to make sure that you have these important dates in mind as you go through the other steps in the e-filing process.
Court | Voluntary | Mandatory |
Decatur Township Small Claims Court (Marion County) | FRI, JUN 15, 2018 | TUE, AUG 14, 2018 |
Pike Township Small Claims Court (Marion County) | FRI, JUN 15, 2018 | TUE, AUG 14, 2018 |
Montgomery Circuit & Superior Courts | FRI, JUN 22, 2018 | TUE, AUG 21, 2018 |
Daviess Circuit & Superior Courts | WED, JUN 27, 2018 | MON, AUG 27, 2018 |
Ripley Circuit & Superior Courts | FRI, JUN 29, 2018 | TUE, AUG 28, 2018 |
Warrick Circuit & Superior Courts | FRI, AUG 10, 2018 | TUE, OCT 9, 2018 |
Step Two: Know the Rules for E-Filing
Trial Rule 86 in the Rules of Trial Procedure fully outlines the new e-filing rules for trial court, and you can click here to read it. Trial Rule 86 becomes effective in a county only once the county adopts the e-filing system. This is why it’s important to know the e-filing date that signals your county adopting the system.
For e-filing in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, read the Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 68. Read Rule 23 of the Tax Court Rules for the e-filing rules in Tax Court.
Step Three: Choose an E-Filing Service Provider
There are several e-filing service providers that are available to attorneys and litigants. In order to be an e-filing service provider in Indiana, companies must complete a certification process through the Indiana Supreme Court.
As Indiana’s E-Filing User Guide suggests, one thing you might want to consider when you’re choosing your provider is the quality and availability of training and support.
Click here to read through the list of current Indiana e-filing service providers.
Step Four: Get The Training And Support You Need
For general support and help understanding e-filing in the trial and appellate courts, read Indiana’s E-filing User Guide. This is an extremely helpful document.
The E-filing User Guide lists several how to’s, such as, how to plan the timing of your filings, how to handle confidential information in filings, how to prepare documents to be e-filed, how to avoid filing errors, and more. You’ll also find information on starting the e-filing process and properly formatting documents.
Click here to go to the E-filing User Guide.
You’ll also want technical training and help from your e-filing service provider. As we mentioned in Step Three, the training and support offered by your provider is an important factor when choosing your provider. Read the list of Indiana e-filing service providers and their technical training and support by clicking here.
Step Five: Sign Up For E-Filing and Technology Updates
If you want to stay current on e-filing news, register for E-filing updates on the Indiana Judicial Branch’s website. These will notify you when new e-filing service providers are certified, when e-filing becomes available in a court or county, and share other important notices.
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