Electronic Filing In Leon County
Efiling has changed how we work with our customers. No longer do filers have to come to our office or mail a document to create a case or file on an existing case. Instead, they can efile and serve parties from a statewide portal, while in their homes and offices. Efiling allows filers to know when filings are received and accepted, and filings are available to the judiciary and other court participants soon after acceptance. The potential for misfilings and lost documents is virtually eliminated.
We are excited to offer you this service; it is something Clerks have been planning and working on for years. Leon was one of the first offices in the State to provide full civil functionality to open a new case, pay filing fees, and file on an existing case. For attorneys, civil efiling became mandatory in April 2013, and criminal efiling became mandatory on October 1, 2013.
The portal has evolved to meet the needs of all filers and to include new functionality as approved by the courts and the Efiling Authority. Just last year, the statewide portal opened up to pro se or self-represented litigants, but efiling is not required for pro se litigants. Our office will continue to accept paper filings from those who represent themselves. Regardless of whether you are an attorney or a pro se litigant, please do not send paper filings to our office if you have efiled those documents.
What You Need to Start Efiling
- A valid email address and regular access to email to receive electronically filed documents. NOTE: You may receive email through your smart phone or tablet, but you will not be able to efile using these devices.
- Access to a computer with an Internet connection and browser.
- Documents to be filed must be in one of the following formats: Microsoft Word 97 (or higher), WordPerfect or Adobe PDF.
- The case number you are filing to, for filing on an existing case.
Accessing the Portal
- The link to the central portal is www.myflcourtaccess.com. Click on File Now!
- To register as a user, click on "Register now", and follow the instructions. Select "Self-Represented Litigant" as your role.
- Your registration will be for the statewide portal and will not be specific to just one county.
- After you register and receive your login information, you can begin filing immediately. Type in your assigned User Name and Password to login to the portal. You are now ready to e-file!
Filing Your Documents
- Access to the portal provides you only with the ability to transmit filings electronically. You must prepare the documents and then submit them on the portal. If you need assistance with forms for filing in Leon County, please review the selections provided here.
- When you login to the efiling portal, the efiling map will display. Select a filing jurisdiction (select a county from the drop-down box) and then select "new" or "existing" case. Click File Now.
- Enter the information as required on each tab. Use the NEXT button, or you can move from tab to tab, starting with Case Information.
- On the Case Parties tab, simply highlight the party that you are filing on behalf of. Do not add new parties to the case unless you are filing a new case, or you are filing a pleading on an existing case that adds new parties (like a third party complaint).
- You will select the document type and add your document on the Documents tab.
- On the Service List tab, you can provide eservice to other parties on the case. If they have electronically filed on the case, their email information will already be populated. If they have not, you can add them.
- On the Fees and Payments tab, you may pay any filing fees that are due. You may pay by credit card or electronic check.
- The final tab is Review and Submit. Review the information entered. If correct, click Submit. If you need to make changes, click on the appropriate tab and make the changes; then go back to Review and Submit.
- You will receive two emails from the portal regarding your filing: One when the filing is submitted and a second when the filing is accepted. If the filing is not accepted for any reason, it will be returned to you for correction in a "pending queue"; the portal will notify you via email with the reason the document is being returned to you and provide instructions as to how you correct your filing.
Viewing Your Filings
- If you want to view your filings, you need to use local Clerk systems. For Leon County, attorneys can access their cases and filings on the Judicial Website; attorneys can register for access on the main page of this site, in the left hand column, by clicking on the button labeled "Attorney Sign Up Page".
- Currently, our office is working to implement AOSC14-19, a Florida Supreme Court administrative order that sets out a number of requirements for Clerks to be able to offer electronic case information and images. We hope to be able to provide electronic access for pro se litigants in the near future; until that time, feel free to contact our office for assistance or visit our Help Center.
Additional Efiling Information & Resources