As an active litigator in Los Angeles County, I would like to see the Los Angeles County Superior Court embrace online court filings. In my opinion, there are many benefits to online filing. Consider just a few:
1. Ease the burden on the court on scanning incoming documents. Currently the central district scans incoming documents and makes them available to the public online for a fee.
2. Allow parties to have instant access to filed documents.
3. Decrease court traffic. Currently attorneys rely on attorney services (messengers) to file and deliver documents. While these services are very helpful they tend to tie up the filing window and increase the number of visitors to the court house on any given day. While messenger services would still be needed, electronic filings would streamline the court filing process.
There are obviously many other benefits to such a system. I am sure the LA Superior Court will eventually permit such filings, my question is how long will it be?
LA Superior has been working on this for a few years and is constrained by the proposed State system. In the meantime, the LA complex case court rooms have been using third party e-service providers like LexisNexis File & Serve. While traditional paper documents must still be filed with the court, the process does eliminate lots of paper being exchanged between the parrties. And, when the judges participate in e-service they receive the electronic version of their documents far faster than they’ll see the paper version. E-service is permissive in LA Superior, so the parties in any case can stipulate to using File & Serve as an e-service provider. Judge in LA support electronic filing and many encourage electronic service of litigation documents.