Electronic filing (e-filing) is the process of filing legal documents with courts and other government and nongovernment entities (arbitration administrators) electronically—often through a website—rather than mailing or delivering paper copies of the documents to be filed.
In Florida, electronic filing (e-filing) is a standard practice for submitting legal documents to courts. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is the centralized online hub for e-filing court documents in the state's judicial system. This system is used by attorneys, clerks, and self-represented litigants to file documents in civil, criminal, family, and probate cases, among others. The Florida Supreme Court mandated e-filing for attorneys in 2013, making it the required method for submitting documents in most cases. The portal is managed by the Florida Courts E-Filing Authority, which sets the rules and standards for e-filing. Local rules and administrative orders may also govern specific procedures and technical requirements for e-filing in different jurisdictions within the state. Additionally, for arbitration and other non-government entities, the use of e-filing systems may vary and is often subject to the rules set by the specific entity or arbitration administrator.