Hammering out the e-filing details.

Details, details, details.

From a possible change in the e-filing deadline for the Supreme Court to handling fee-free filings by government lawyers to dealing with paper filings after e-filing becomes mandatory, the Florida Court E-Filing Authority dealt with myriad issues at its February 14 meeting.

One of those details was a report that at least one county --Pinellas--is likely to miss the April 1 deadline when all lawyers are supposed to file their trial court civil cases electronically. Three other counties likely won't be able to take some or all civil filings until April 1.

Another detail is that Bar members who become delinquent on their membership fees or CLE reporting could find themselves cut off from the ability to file court documents.

The authority oversees the Internet portal through which all court filings will eventually be made. It is working, along with the Supreme Court's Florida Courts Technology Commission, to implement the court's order that paperwork for civil trial cases filed by attorneys be done electronically by April 1. Criminal case filings will go electronic by October 1.

"We're looking forward to having no issues and no problems on April 1, but the reality is we will probably have some and we will address those as they come up," said authority Chair Tim Smith, Putnam County Clerk of Court.

The meeting was rife with examples of the broad range of items to be addressed.

One, of course, is the readiness of various county court clerks to receive the electronic filings through the portal.

Levi Owens, project manager for the portal, reported to the board that 58 counties had completed all preliminary work and can accept filings in all civil divisions. Five of the remaining nine counties were expected to complete their work between late February and mid-March. In the remaining counties, Hillsborough can accept probate filings and additional filings on existing cases, and expects to be able to take initial filings in new cases by April 1.

Miami-Dade can accept all family law filings and additional filings in existing cases in other civil divisions. It expects to be able to accept new filings in those other divisions by April 1. Pasco County expects to accept all civil filings by April 1. And Pinellas County can receive probate filings, but doesn't expect to be able to accept other civil filings until April 29.

In response to a query from Smith, Owens said Pinellas officials are aware that they need to apply for an...