Vol 9, Issue 1
Are You Ready to Efile?

The online training videos posted on our website have recently been updated to include the changes made to the portal over the past few months.  Read on... 

 

Can Your Support Staff File for You?

 

The Florida Bar's Professional Ethics Committee "sees no problem in letting staff e-file."  Read on...

 

Supreme Court Pushes Back Appellate E-filing Dates.  Read on...
A Message from the Clerk
Bob Inzer, Clerk of Court

Bob Inzer

Let me begin by thanking your for your support during the last election. I can assure you that my commitment to customer service and improving the quality of services we render is unwavering.

 

In the near future we will migrate from a paper driven court to one that is fully electronic. While change is often difficult, I'm confident that we can make this transition with minor inconveniences. I also know that in the long-run this will make the courts and your offices more efficient and improve the overall effectiveness of our court systems. We will continue to provide the training and instruction materials to ensure a smooth transition.   

 

Have a very safe and happy holiday season.  Thank you again for your support.
Submitting a Summon for Issuance on the Portal
Legal Documents  
As you know, you can submit a summon for issuance on the portal for $10.  We will print it, issue it, and place it in your pickup box for retrieval.  In addition, we are now scanning the issued summons and attaching it to the summons issued progress docket entry on the case.  In this way, you can access the judicial website at http://judicial.clerk.leon.fl.us, print the summons, attach your complaints, and deliver them to the sheriff or process service for service.  Given the language found in FS 30.231(3), this electronic alternative should be attractive and efficient to all.

 

We will be moving over the next month or so to handling all such Clerk-issued documents, such as notices of action, clerk defaults, notices of sale, etc.

 

Portal Enhancements:  Version 2012.02 Went Live on November 19, 2012
 
Here is a summary of some of the significant enhancements: 
  1. Will allow the filer to view attached documents on the "review and submit" page, prior to filing.
  2. Will require filers to add complete party addresses on new cases.  As requested in the past, Leon asks again that filers are conscious of providing party addresses, not "c/o Attorney" addresses.
  3. Will fix the issue of when a filer picks a document with a fee, but then changes to a document without a fee, the fee remains.
  4. Will update the registration process so that only one attorney bar ID # is permitted.
  5. Will alphabetize document types when new ones are added to the group, instead of listing them at the bottom of the list.
  6. Will add a 6 character memo box on the "payment" tab, right under the credit card information section, so efilers can add text to show on a bank statement.

The portal will be down again November 23 at 6 p.m. to November 25 at 6 p.m. to deploy the new appellate module.

 

State Agency Alert

Florida's Capitol

We recently learned that state agencies that have labored over the payments screen and how to handle the Fla. Stat. § 28.345 exemption from fees have relief in sight.  Please contact the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers (FCCC) about setting up your account so that lawyers associated with your agency will be able to file without paying or having to submit a document to claim the exemption when a filing involves a fee.  You can reach the FCCC at 850-577-4609 or at support@myflcourtaccess.com.