E-filing begins! Mandatory e-filing for civil cases starts April 1.

On April 1, Florida lawyers are required to electronically file all documents relating to civil cases. The question of how smooth the transition is to e-filing may depend on how well lawyers are prepared.

The Florida Courts E-Filing Authority Board, at a March 12 meeting, reviewed its plans and preparations for April 1, the date the Supreme Court has set for all civil filings in trial courts to be done electronically.

The filing is done through a statewide Internet portal overseen by the authority.

Among the information presented to the board was that 59 of the state's 67 counties had completed their technical work and were accepting voluntary filings prior to the April 1 deadline. Plus, the authority was told that the remaining eight counties are approaching readiness, the computers and software for the portal are ready for the expected huge spike in e-filings on April 1, and the Supreme Court has begun accepting voluntary electronic filings, with only minor problems.

Mandatory e-filing also begins for the Supreme Court on April 1.

The authority created a special committee to review "other types of filers and their specific types of documents and processes to see how to best accommodate them as the portal moves forward. Its first task: Look at how to deal with a summons.

Summonses are typically filed with the clerk, who stamps and signs them and then forwards the paperwork to the sheriff for delivery.

"The goal on April 1 is to have no problems," said Authority Chair Tim Smith, Putnam County Clerk of Court. "The reality is ... there are issues, but the goal is to be prepared not to have any.

"I think that in the end we tried to anticipate those events coming on April 1, but who can look into the crystal ball and know everything?"

One big unknown is how ready attorneys are. Columbia County Clerk of Court P. Dewitt Cason chairs the authority's User Forum Committee and reported that 25,000 attorneys had registered with the portal. But he estimated that 60,000 attorneys will need to be registered when the civil filing becomes mandatory--20 days after the meeting.

Supreme Court Clerk and authority member Tom Hall also was concerned about attorney readiness. He said the Supreme Court began accepting voluntary electronic filings on February 27 and has been receiving 30 or so a day since.

He reported only minor glitches, but noted those filings represented only a fraction of the court's total caseload. He also added that when one party in a case...