How To efile Criminal Pleadings/Documents:

Transcription

1 How To efile Criminal Pleadings/Documents: Log onto the eportal at o If you do not have an account, please click the register now link o Choose the applicable filer role that relates to you or your agency / organization o If you cannot remember your user name or password, click the forgot password link. o If you have an existing account, please enter your issued username and password The next screen will allow you to choose which County / Jurisdiction you would like to electronically submit documents to. Choose Lee County in order to file documents with the Criminal Division of the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court Select the Existing Case notation and click File Now

2 Case Information Tab This option brings you to the Case Information Tab where you may select the type of court, county name, and the applicable court division your document needs to be filed in. Type of Court will automatically default, as this is the only option available at this time. Lee County should also automatically default from the drop down menu. o Filers can only file documents on cases that currently exist within the Clerk s Case Management System. The Division to be selected depends upon the criminal case type you wish to file on: o Circuit Criminal: Felony (CF) case type o Civil Traffic: Traffic (TR) case type o County Criminal: Misdemeanor and Ordinance (MM/MO/CO/IN) case types o Criminal Traffic: Criminal Traffic (CT) case types o Juvenile Delinquency: Delinquency (CJ) case type After the Court Division is selected, input the case number for the document: o Case year must be a valid 4 digit Year (Example 2012). o Sequence # must be 6 Digits or less If there is a co-defendant party on the case number listed A screen prompt will appear allowing the filer to select the appropriate case. o The Court Type will auto appear based upon the Court Division selected o Party Identifier and Branch Location Identifier is not a required field leave it blank o Click Search

3 Ensure the case title matches the information on the document to be filed. o Juvenile Delinquency cases will display Confidential vs. Confidential as the case title. o Click Next Case Parties Tab Select the Party you are filing on behalf of plaintiff or defendant for all Criminal cases excluding Juvenile Delinquency cases. o State of Florida = State Attorney Office / Law Enforcement / All Other Filer Roles o Defendant Name = Public Defender, Regional Counsel, Private Bar Attorney, Self-Represented Litigant o For Criminal Cases DO NOT Click a listed attorney name Click Add Party Click Next For Juvenile Delinquency cases, the filer will add themselves as a party to the case. o Click Add Party o Select Role type o Enter filer information o Click Save This process will only affect the Juvenile Delinquency case types due to confidentiality.

4 Click Next Once an attorney is made part of the record, he/she will be able to view the case parties information and will not have to add themselves for every document they file. Documents Tab IMPORTANT: If you are representing multiple clients, or the same client with multiple cases, this process must be completed for EACH defendant. If you are representing a client with multiple case numbers, this process can be performed ONCE to the first case number listed on the document. Click on Add Document Choose the appropriate Document Group and Document Type for the filing you are submitting. o A Quick Reference to the most common filings can be located at o Filers also have the ability to Search all of the available selections via the Search option Enter in the number of pages of the document (this number must match the number of pages submitted

5 Upload the Image from your PC, using the Browse option to locate the file. Click on the file and the name should appear in the Select Document box. o The document must be in Word 97 or higher, PDF, or WordPerfect format Click Save (after each document is selected) You may choose to upload as many documents for the selected case as needed. You may now review, edit, or remove the uploaded document(s). o Click Add to upload more images for this case o Click on the File path to view the uploaded image o Click the title of the document group/type to modify the uploaded image o Click Remove: to delete the image. Once all of the documents are submitted, filers must select an option indicating the documents to be submitted are in compliance with Florida Rule

6 Once the all of the documents have been selected, and the applicable confidentiality clause is chosen, select Next Service List Tab This tab will allow filers to e-serve documents upon other attorneys. Attorneys have the option of adding or removing applicable addresses for other attorneys / interested parties. Filers also have the ability to update / maintain up to 3 addresses for their document submissions. For more information regarding eservice, visit the Clerk of Court website at

7 Payments Tab This tab will only be required for Criminal if the filer submits a Notice of Appeal (to Circuit, District or Supreme Court) or for Petitions to seal or expunge a case. For first time a fee is required, the filer must enter the appropriate payment information and click save. If desired you may check the save payment box for the eportal to auto-populate for future use. If the filer is submitting any other type of pleading, the balance due will indicate $0.00 and the Payment tab can be skipped Please click Next Review And Submit: Ensure all information and attached documents are correct Click Submit Confirmation Information: The filing process (for this case) is now complete. The image has been sent to the Clerk for approval Upon completion the filer will receive the following confirmation screen and a corresponding . Once the document has been submitted it is assigned a unique filing ID #. This notification / filing ID is for the filer s reference and does NOT indicate the filing has been accepted by the clerk. A separate notification will be sent to the filer upon the Clerks accepting process.