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 Hawaii, electronic filing (e-filing) is an established practice for submitting legal documents to courts and other entities. The Hawaii Judiciary offers an electronic filing and service system known as the Judiciary Electronic Filing and Service System (JEFS), which allows attorneys and self-represented litigants to file court documents electronically in certain case types. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in civil cases in the Circuit Courts and the Supreme Court, and it is available in some Family Court and Land Court matters. The system is designed to increase efficiency and accessibility by reducing the need for paper filings. Users must register for an account to use JEFS, and there are specific rules and procedures outlined by the Hawaii State Judiciary that govern the process of e-filing, including formatting requirements, submission deadlines, and the method of service on other parties. Additionally, other government and nongovernment entities in Hawaii may have their own e-filing systems for various administrative or arbitration proceedings, and users must comply with the specific requirements of each system.