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 Alabama, electronic filing (e-filing) is widely accepted and often required for legal documents in both state and federal courts. The Alabama Judicial System has an electronic filing system known as Alacourt.com for state courts, which allows attorneys and parties to file court documents electronically. This system is used for civil, criminal, and domestic relations cases. The federal courts in Alabama, including the District Courts, also use an electronic filing system called CM/ECF (Case Management/Electronic Case Files). This system enables the filing of legal documents online and provides access to case files for registered users. The use of e-filing increases efficiency, reduces paper waste, and provides immediate access to filed documents. While e-filing is generally encouraged and in some cases mandated, there may be exceptions for pro se litigants (individuals representing themselves) or in certain types of cases. It is important for filers to check the specific requirements and procedures of the court in which they are filing.