Wisconsin eFiling Update
License to chill
Coping with climates Jon Snow would retreat from can be a total drag. We shovel, we salt, we pile on layers that make us feel more fluffy than fashionable, and at the end of the day, there's little time left to enjoy the season. Fortunately, the upcoming eFiling system update offers a slight reprieve. With enhanced features and additional voluntary cases types, you can maximize time spent in the office and take back those minutes lost to winter chores. Read on to learn more.
Mandatory probate and informal probate eFiling
Just a reminder—on March 1, 2018, probate (PR) and informal probate (IN) will become mandatory eFiling case types. Currently, all but four Wisconsin counties offer voluntary PR and IN eFiling. See the Participating counties page to learn where it is available.
What's on the horizon?
New voluntary case types. Guardianship (GN) and commitment (ME) case types will soon be available for eFiling on a voluntary basis. Implementations will be coordinated with the register in probate in each county and, when scheduled, roll out dates will be posted on the Participating counties page. When Corporation Counsel is the petitioning agency on a GN or ME case, any attorney from that particular Corporation Counsel office will be able to view or file additional documents on the case, similar to the way eFiling works for child support agencies. In addition to GN and ME eFiling, judgment and lien case types will be introduced to the voluntary line up over the next few months. Stay tuned for more on that as implementation plans solidify.
In-progress filings purged after 120 days. If you are a pro se party on a case, or otherwise not required to eFile under the electronic filing rule, but opt in to eFile, you must print and send electronic filing notices to other parties on your case, notifying them that they no longer need to send you paper communication about case activity.
Account update links added. The website will provide a link to eCourts so that you can easily update account information. Hover over or select your name in the top-right corner of the main menu and then select "Preferences" to access the "Update account information" link. See more on why it is important to keep your account information up to date below.
Amended Summons and Complaint eFiling broadened. Amended Summons and Complaints will be available for eFiling on cases that have a Third Party Defendant and no Defendant party type.
Docket and satisfy changes. When a request to docket or satisfy a judgment has been submitted, eFilers will no longer be able to submit additional requests until the pending request has been processed by the clerk.
Ready to File page updates. The Ready to File page will display the Document Title as entered by the eFiler instead of the Document Type selected on the eFiling website.
My cases query enhancements. The queries used to populate your My cases list have been optimized to return results more quickly.
Notification page search improvements. The overall search field on the Notifications page will be eliminated in favor of a subject field filter and search that can render abbreviated case numbers.
Deferred payments visible for agencies. Certain state and federal agencies are billed for applicable eFiling actions rather than paying during submission on the eFiling website (e.g., US Attorneys' Office, child support). Deferred payments will soon be visible on the Ready to File page for easier record keeping.
Calendar expansion. The events that display on the current Calendar search page do not include items without designated locations. Updates are being applied to expand the results to include all events regardless of whether a location has been indicated.
Document upload process improvements. The document upload process has been enhanced, eliminating the error regarding "document type missing".
The more you know...
With eFiling on the rise, keeping your eCourts account up to date with current contact information, specifically a valid email address, is crucial to receiving communication about your cases. There are step-by-step tutorials available here to help guide you through the update process according to the type of eCourts account you have. In addition, if you find that you're receiving notifications for a case that you're no longer serving on, withdraw from the case on the eFiling website to ensure that the party you represent receives paper communication about the case.
Reach out to us!
Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you. If you have questions along the way, call us at 1 (800) 462-8843, chat with us, or email us at eFileSupport@wicourts.gov. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @ CCAP_Wisconsin!