Santa Cruz County Same-Day E-Filing Company

Searching for a Santa Cruz County Certified E-Filing Service Provider (EFSP) that does instant Court Electronic filing, Process Services, Private Investigations (skip Tracing) all with a click of a button? You can electronically file (file) and serve all legal documents same-day by choosing our instant e-filing services. Our document efiling service, process serving and skip tracing services are proven to beat short deadlines by instantly and expeditiously submitting electronic copies over the internet to the court. Whenever court e filing is unavailable, we will visit the clerk at the courthouse for you in person on the same day you request the filing service. Contact us and share your specific needs today. No companies that court file legal papers will go above and beyond for your service like E-FILE Expert™.

We are a Santa Cruz County California e-filing court technology company and certified E-Filing Service Provider (EFSP) for all 58 counties in California. Our Santa Cruz County California court e filing company can also guarantee same-day or next-day delivery for all legal document filings statewide. Business organizations such as lawyers, law firms, insurance agencies, government agencies and corporate legal departments trust E-FILE Expert™ because we have more than 30 years of experience with same-day in-person filings rules and regulations at courthouses. 

Our Santa Cruz County California e-filing company can meet any deadlines at the Santa Cruz County Superior Court through electronic filing, same-day in-person filing at the courthouse, by fax machine, or by mail depending on the courthouse’s rules. Scroll down for complete lists of the counties that accept e-filing or require in-person filings or other methods provided by our Santa Cruz County California court filing company. 

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Electronic Filing

Electronic filing (“e-filing”) is available for all court case types. e-Filing is mandatory for attorneys. Santa Cruz Superior Court’s local rule regarding e-filing is posted on the Local Rules page, see rule 1.3 at the court’s website. This rule includes a list of filings which are exempt from mandatory e-filing.

Self-Represented Litigants are encouraged to use e-filing but are not required. Use our Quick E-Filing Guide to get started. Filings from Self-Represented Litigants may be submitted by mail or in-person at the clerk’s windows during regular business hours through E-FILE Expert™. 

Getting Started:

The first step in e-filing is to select  E-FILE Expert™ as your service provider. The EFSP acts as an intermediary between you and the court’s case management system.

When reviewing the list of EFSP’s keep in mind that most offer do-it-yourself and concierge services for filing. Additionally, the service fees charged vary by EFSP and each offer e-filing support (users must establish a “waiver” account to avoid fees for criminal filings). When deciding on your EFSP look at the level of filing support offered to see if it fits your needs.  Once you pick  E-FILE Expert™ as your e-filing Service Provider (EFSP) you would like to use for e-filing you will be able to go through their tutorial on how to e-file.

If you have e-filed with another court, you do not need to re-register or pick a new provider (as long as your provider is on the list).  If you decide to change service providers, you do not need to re-register. You will be able to use your login information with the new provider.  If you have technical issues with filing, please contact the EFSP  E-FILE Expert™ for assistance.

Small Claims

You can easily start small claims cases online with  E-FILE Expert™. Simply complete the interview, generate forms and submit the forms either electronically,  or request in-person same-day court filing at the counter, or via mail through  E-FILE Expert™.

Once you have opened your small claims case, if you have additional documents to file, these must be submitted through  E-FILE Expert™ the e-filing Service Provider (EFSP) as explained above.

After Submitting:

Once you submit your documents through e-file you should receive a confirmation email from the Court that your submission was received. A clerk will then review your forms. After review, you will receive an email accepting or rejecting your submission. The email accepting your submission will have a link to download a file-stamped copy of your document. Documents are also accessible by logging into the e-filing service provider’s site. 

Don’t forget that you need to have a copy of your documents served on the other party in accordance with the California Code of Civil Procedure. If you need help understanding service contact the Self Help Center. 

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Basic Electronic Filing Questions

How does e-filing work?

a. Electronic filing or e-filing enables filers and courts to efficiently process documents and fees online.  eFileCA manages the flow of information among filers, clerks, court personnel and judges.  The filer submits documents by establishing an account with an electronic service provider (EFSP) such as E-FILE Expert™

Is e-filing secure?

a. Yes. The eFileCA system adheres to state and federal security regulations and meets Payment Card Industry security Standards to protect filer and transaction information.

Is e-filing mandatory for my court?

a. Yes, e-filing is mandatory for attorneys, but optional for self-represented litigants. See Santa Cruz Superior Court Local Rule 1.3.

b. It varies by court. Please review the list of Courts accepting e-filings section at  http://www.odysseyeFileCA.com for information on specific courts.

What type of cases can I e-File using  E-FILE Expert™?

a. In Santa Cruz County e-filing is mandatory for all case types. See Santa Cruz Superior Court Local Rule 1.3. 

b. Most courts restrict e-filing to non-criminal cases. Specific case types per court can be viewed by logging into http://www.odysseyefileca.com/service-providers.htm, selecting a particular court, and viewing their available options.

When can I use E-FILE Expert™?

a.  E-FILE Expert™ is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Consult your local court rules for the court review timelines and schedules.  b. Any document received electronically by the court between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. on a court day shall be deemed filed on that court day. Any document that is received electronically on a non-court day shall be deemed filed on the next court day, see Civil Code of Procedure 1010.6.  Note: The system may be temporarily offline from time to time for maintenance purposes.

Can I use  E-FILE Expert™ if I’m a self represented litigant (pro per or pro se)?

a. Yes, self-represented parties are eligible to use the site for e-filing. However, it is not mandatory and they may continue to file by mail or in person through  E-FILE Expert™.

Do I have to register to use  E-FILE Expert™?

a. Yes, all users must register with an electronic service provider (EFSP) prior to using e-filing.

Is support available for the  E-FILE Expert™ system?

a. Yes, support is provided for both attorneys and self represented litigants. Each electronic filing service provider (EFSP) offers a different type of e-filing support. When you pick your EFSP such as  E-FILE Expert™ look at the level of filing support that is offered and see if it meets your needs.

Is training available for using  E-FILE Expert™?

a. Yes, training is provided for free. You can register by selecting Web Training Sessions at http://www.odysseyefileca.com/service-providers.htm. You can attend as many training sessions as you need. One hour of CLE credit can be earned for many of the sessions.

What time do I have to submit my document to have it deemed filed the same day?

a. Any document received electronically by the court between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. on a court day shall be deemed filed on that court day. Any document that is received electronically on a non-court day shall be deemed filed on the next court day, see Civil Code of Procedure 1010.6. Keep in mind that some of the EFSP companies have a cut-off time for same-day processing because of the time it takes for the envelope to be submitted and received by the court.

What documents can and cannot be e-filed?

a. All documents can be electronically filed except for those outlined in Local Rules 1.3.01(c).

How will we be notified about whether a filing is accepted or rejected?

a. You will receive an email once the filing has been processed indicating if the filing was accepted or rejected.

In a criminal case, what email address shall we use to serve the DA’s Office?

a. The Santa Cruz District Attorney’s Office has asked filers to use the following email addresses for service:

1. Felony cases: DATFelonyTeam@santacruzcounty.us  2. Misdemeanor cases: DATMisdemeanorTeam@santacruzcounty.us

Can I sign my document with an electronic signature?

a. Refer to California Rule of Court 2.257 for the Requirements for signatures on documents

How do I submit CD’s where I would previously submit them over the counter?

a. CD’s shall be submitted in the courtroom only. We will not accept either the contents of CD’s or CD’s themselves when e-filing.

How do I e-file documents requiring a Judge’s signature in a Non-Criminal Case?

a. All items requiring a judge’s signature are subject to mandatory electronic filing for all non-criminal case types.

b. The document requiring a signature must be its own lead document. Any letter or cover sheet accompanying the document must be submitted under a separate filing code as its own lead document.

Electronic Service

1.) What is e-service?

a. E-service is a feature provided by  E-FILE Expert™ where documents are electronically served to other parties in a case via e-mail. Using this option, you can track when each party received and opened the filing. Note: Initial filing service must be served in person.

2.) How do I serve other individuals with my e-filed documents?

a. Filers are responsible for accomplishing service of all filings as required by applicable court rules. For this purpose, filers may use the mail service, serve by hand delivery, send an e-mail, or use  E-FILE Expert™ as it offers the option of electronic service of each filing to the designated service contact.

3.) Can I use e-service without filing a document with the court?

a. Yes, eFileCA may be used to exchange documents between parties without filing the documents through the courts.

Electronic Filing Fees

1.) Is there a fee to use  E-FILE Expert™?

a. Yes, there are fees associated with filing documents electronically with  E-FILE Expert™:

b. Standard court filing fees: Statewide fee schedules can be found at

https://www.santacruzcourt.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Statewide%20Civil%20Fee%20Schedule%20eff%2

001.01.2020_0.pdf?1578081881252. Contact your local court for additional information on specific filing fees.

c. Filings submitted without all the required filing fees will be rejected for correction.

d. E-file fee: A service fee is assessed for use of the e-filing system. The fee is $3.50. This is subject to change.

e. EFSP fee: Additional fees may be charged by provider, fees vary between the different providers

f. Payment service fee: A payment service fee is assessed to cover the credit card processing fees. The current fee is 3%, this number can fluctuate quarterly.

g. eCheck Fee: The fee is $.25.

Adding New Parties

Do I need to add new parties when filing into an existing case?

a. When electronically filing into an existing case, parties that already exist in the case should not be added as new parties. We have noticed an increasing number of filers adding new parties, when those parties already exist on the case. The only time new parties should be added to the case is when the filing adds new parties to an existing case. This could be an amended complaint adding new defendants, cross complaint adding cross-defendants, amendment to complaint naming a doe, etc. When new parties are added through electronic filing that already exist on the case, the clerk must delete them before processing the filing or the parties will be duplicated in the case management system.

Documents

1.) Can I upload all documents together or must they be separated?

a. Documents should be filed as you would file them at the clerk window. For instance, a document that would have been stapled together at filing should be filed as one lead document. Another way to think about it is that anything that needs its own file stamp should be filed separately, as a lead document that gets its own separate event code. Multiple documents can be filed together in one envelope but each document to be filed needs its own event code.

2.) Is there a size limit for the document that can be uploaded?

a. Limits are 35 megabits for the whole envelope and 25 megabits for a single document. There have been a few initial problems here that have all been resolved by calling the EFSP. If the document is truly too big, and the EFSP cannot resolve it, then the document can be electronically filed in separate batches—but please first call the court to let us know that this is going to happen so we can monitor and filings are not rejected in error.

3.) What format do I have to save my document in?

a. PDF, however some EFSPs allow you to file as a Word document because they then turn it into a PDF for you.

4.) Do I have to bookmark my document?

a. Yes, pursuant to California Rule of Court 3.1110(f), a document filed electronically with exhibits must include electronic bookmarks with links to the first page of each exhibit and a bookmark title that identifies the exhibit number or letter and briefly describes the exhibit.

5.) Do I have to add OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to my document?

a. Yes, pursuant to California Rule of Court 2.256(b)(3), a document filed electronically must be text searchable.

b. For assistance you can contact the filer support number for the electronic service provider you are using.

Common e-filing mistakes

• If you have an attorney all your filings must be submitted by your attorney.

• Documents must be filed as you would file them at the clerk’s window. For instance, a document that would have been stapled together at filing should be filed as one document. Multiple documents can be filed together in one envelope but each document to be filed needs its own event code. For example, a new dissolution case would have two events with two documents, one for each event, the petition and the summons.

• If you are submitting something for filing that is not on a judicial council form, make sure your documents are in fileable format, California Rules of Court 2.100-2.119. Often, this is when you are trying to file copies of emails, financial documents or other items to support your case. If you are not sure check with our Self-Help center before you file.

• Your documents need to be in PDF format. We are not able to take other formats, such as, a photo of the document.

• Most filings need to be served on the other side before they are filed with the court. Make sure you submit a proof of service with your filing.

• Filing fees are missing. If you aren’t sure if there are fees associated with your filing, you can check the fee schedule on the court’s website or contact the clerk’s office to confirm before filing. You may also write a note to the clerk when you file that you authorize them to charge to your account any fees associated with the filing. Common filings that have fees:

o Answer/Response – up to $435

 In civil, this fee is paid for each defendant submitting the answer. If there are two defendants, each would have to pay up to $435.

o Motion or Order to Show Cause – $60 – $85

o Stipulation and Order that requires a judge’s signature – $20

If you have any additional questions before e-filing, please contact the clerk’s office or the Self-Help Center in order to help your filing be processed as quickly as possible. If there are problems with your e-filing, you will receive a rejection notice and explanation of what needs to be corrected. 

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