Electronic Domestic Case Filing Begins in March in Jackson County

News Release from the Jackson County Circuit Court:

Starting in March, there will be no more mad dashes to the courthouse by attorneys to file papers at the last minute. The Circuit Court in Jackson County will begin paperless electronic filing which is expected to save shoe leather for attorneys and public dollars for the community.

The Court has been working for years in its efforts to get ready for electronic filing. The Office of State Courts Administrator in Jefferson City has given the Court a green light to go green."It is a distinct privilege for Jackson County to enter the future with electronic filing which, at its core, is another tool to facilitate the public's access to the courts," said Presiding Judge Marco A. Roldan.

Electronic filing will start for civil and domestic cases filed and pending in Independence

on March 4. Electronic filing will start in Kansas City on March 25. The move to electronic filing is expected to save the Court money in reduced paper costs, less postage, and document storage, and lead to administrative efficiencies. It will also benefit attorneys who will no longer need to file papers in person. Computer filings will be mandatory for attorneys in civil and domestic cases. At this time, paper filings will continue to be used in criminal, probate, and juvenile matters, as well as in pro se filings where the parties represent themselves without an attorney. Pro se cases are typically filed in small claims, in adult abuse petitions and divorce filings.

Thus far, three circuits out of 45 in the state have instituted electronic filing. However,

Jackson County will be the largest circuit to date. In fiscal year 2012, according to the state’s

figures, there were a total of 49,210 civil and domestic cases filed in the Circuit Court of Jackson

County.“Due to the hard work of the Jackson County court staff, our civil divisions have already gone paperless in anticipation of eFiling,” said Joel P. Fahnestock, who is chair of the Circuit

Court’s Technology Committee, and who is a member of the Missouri Court Automation

Committee in Jefferson City. “The judges and staff are excited that the state’s eFiling system is

coming to Jackson County next. It is quite an honor.”