Electronic filing, or the migration of the court record from a paper to an electronic format, enables lawyers and other users to submit documents to the court electronically. Electronic filing that includes digital signatures, private and public access, and document management are becoming more commonplace to reduce the court costs, attorney time, and make documents more accessible.
Electronic Filing Trends in Illinois:
Though the federal courts have had mandatory electronic filing for several years, now, it was only on January 22, 2016, that the Illinois Supreme Court announced mandatory electronic filing (e-filing) in civil cases for the Illinois Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Courts. The Order set out a timetable for implementation, with the mandate being phased in over two years. E-filing will become mandatory for civil cases in the Supreme Court and the five districts of the Appellate Court effective July 1, 2017. E-filing will become mandatory for civil cases in all Circuit Courts effective January 1, 2018.
Currently, 15 Illinois counties have applied and been approved to conduct electronic filing programs. The 15 counties approved are Clinton, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kendall, Lake, Madison, Marion, McHenry, Montgomery, Moultrie, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will, and Winnebago.
Why Law Firms and Clients Should Embrace E-Filing:
Electronic filing allows a lawyer to go onto a court’s website and file documents without leaving their offices. They will be able to access existing filings with equal ease. Because clients pay their attorneys’ for their time spent, electronic access to vital court filings and the ability to file documents with a click of a button greatly reduce client’s legal fees. A task that would have taken an attorney or legal staff a few hours, now only takes a few minutes to complete.
Electronic filing also allows case files to be stored and accessed more efficiently. This permits attorneys to search for specific documents, analyze the information, and use it to prepare other legal documentation needed for a case. It also reduces or eliminates the cost of printing, copying, packaging and mailing.
Even though technological advances have the potential for productivity increases, legal professionals have typically hesitated to adopt them, whether out of fear (of change, of trying to learn new processes, etc.) or deeply entrenched habits. However, once law firms do adopt these advances, not only will the firm benefit by the efficiency these advances offer, but clients will also benefit from reduced legal bills and quicker turnaround times for attorney work-product.
Embracing the power of E-filing technology enables lawyers to practice law more efficiently and provide clients with better service and value. If you are unsure of whether your case documents are being filed electronically, ask your attorney if E-filing is available for the jurisdiction where your case is pending. It could save you and your attorney a tremendous amount of time and money.
Should you have any questions about E-filing or any other law that may affect your business, or would like to schedule a free initial consultation, please contact Waltz, Palmer & Dawson, LLC at (847)253-8800 or contact us online.
Waltz, Palmer & Dawson, LLC is a full-service law firm with various areas of service to assist your business, including: Employment Law, Intellectual Property, Commercial Real Estate, Business Immigration, Litigation and general Business Law services. Individual services include Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Probate, Guardianship, Divorce and Family Law.
This article constitutes attorney advertising. The material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
To subscribe to our business e-newsletter, pleases send an email request to www.info@navigantlaw.com