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 Minnesota, electronic filing (e-filing) is a standard practice for submitting legal documents to courts. The Minnesota Judicial Branch mandates e-filing for most court documents in civil, family, and criminal cases through the Minnesota Court's eFile and eServe (eFS) system. This system allows attorneys and parties to file court documents electronically 24/7 from anywhere with internet access. It is designed to increase efficiency, reduce paper use, and provide easier access to the filing process. Certain case types, such as conciliation court claims (small claims) and some probate matters, may have different e-filing requirements. Additionally, e-filing may be used for submitting documents to government and non-government entities, such as arbitration administrators, where the specific entity's rules and systems permit electronic submission. It is important to check the local rules and procedures of the specific court or entity to ensure compliance with their e-filing requirements.