How Do I E-File My Legal Documents in Cook County

An overview for pro se litigants

Beginning July 1, 2018, electronic filing is required in Illinois for all civil cases (except for housing, wills, and quasi-criminal cases). If you have an attorney, they will take care of the filing for you. If you are self-represented, you have to do it yourself. The Clerk of Court’s office will help you, or you can do it from home if you know how to follow the steps.

First, you must create an online account with an electronic filing service provider (EFSP) using an email address. EFSPs are companies that are linked to the Clerk of Court’s system. The fees and features of EFSPs vary, but the most common EFSP is Odyssey E-File IL, which is free. This is the EFSP used at the clerks’ physical locations.

Once you create the account, you must add a payment method in order to pay your filing fees at the time you e-file. The filing fees are charged by the Clerk of Court and vary based on the type of document you are filing. Many filings are free, but to start a case you will pay a fee of a few hundred dollars unless you are able to obtain a fee waiver from the court.

The next step is to upload your documents in pdf format. The best way to do this is with a scanner, or by saving a Word document as a pdf. You can even sign your pdf with Adobe Reader. Don’t forget to save your finished document in a place you can easily find on your computer, such as your desktop or a special folder.

You will need to log in to the EFSP and pull up your case information (for an existing case) or be ready with information about the other party in order to open a new case. If you are filing to open a new case, then you need to have the name and contact information for the other party. If you don’t have the contact information of the other party, it is still possible to open the case, but talk to a lawyer about your legal options for serving notice on the opposing party.

Once you pull up the case information (or enter information for a new case), follow the prompts for designating what type of document you are filing, uploading your document, payment, and so on. Once you submit your filing, you will be asked if you want to schedule a court date. You may or may not need a court date, depending on what you are filing.

Make sure that the other party receives notice of what you file, and you should file a certificate of service with the clerk to demonstrate when and how the document was sent.

E-filing can be tricky, but you can find help at the Cook County Clerk of Court’s physical offices located in the courthouses, and at the clerks’ offices in any other county in Illinois. There, they have scanners and computers set up and staff who will assist you with the process. They also have forms for many kinds of filings, but you can also find these on their website.

Turrisi Law can also help you with the e-filing process. Call us with any questions at (312) 448-8089.