eCourts

eCourts is live in Mecklenburg County

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Proposed Order Submission in Odyssey Counties

This document outlines the process for submitting externally generated Proposed Orders in Odyssey Counties. Following these guidelines will help ensure that Proposed Orders are reviewed and signed by the appropriate judge.

Attorneys should ensure that their Proposed Orders are clear, concise, and free of errors or typos. Failure to do so may result in delays or rejection of the Proposed Order. In addition, attorneys should double-check that they are submitting the correct version of the Proposed Order and that all required information is included.

Best Practice

• Initial drafts can be shared and edited among attorneys, litigants, and judicial officials outside of the File & Serve system (such as through email).
• Once the Proposed Order is ready for judicial review and signature, the attorney submits for judicial signature and filing through File & Serve.
• The Clerk will receive the submission in the File & Serve reviewer queue.
  • Clerk will review, to verify that it is a Proposed Order, and accept the submission.
  • Once accepted, the Clerk will send a task, including the Proposed Order documents, to Judicial Support Staff or Judge (local decision).
• If routed through Judicial Support Staff, Judicial Support Staff will then move the Proposed Order task to the appropriate Judge.
• Judge will receive the Proposed Order task.
  • Judge will review the Proposed Order and apply an electronic signature.
  • Judge will route the signed order to Judicial Support Staff or Clerk (local decision).
• If routed through Judicial Support Staff for case management, Judicial Support Staff will then move the signed order task to Clerk.
• Clerk will receive the Signed Order task from Judge or Judicial Support Staff.
• Clerk will file stamp the Order, add a new Order event, and relate the Order document to the Order event.

If you have any questions, please contact eCourts@nccourts.org.

Training

NCAOC is committed to equipping attorneys and others who interact with the courts with information and training for the shift to eCourts, through online resources at nccourts.org and live, online, and in-person training sessions. Learn more about these resources at the following:   

• Review user guides, tutorials, and FAQs for eCourts applications.
• Review changes to the General Rules of Practice related to digital case management.

Register with eCourts Systems

eCourts comprises several enterprise-level software systems that work together to provide integrated case management for courthouse officials and employees as well as electronic access for the public. Some functionality requires users to register for accounts on these systems. For example:

• File & Serve is the system that the public (including attorneys) uses to electronically file documents with the courts. Electronic filing is mandatory for attorneys in Odyssey counties under Rule 5(b)(2) of the General Rules of Practice, and all attorneys are required to eFile in Mecklenburg County. However, anyone seeking to file a document through File & Serve must have an account on that system.
• Portal is the system that the public (including attorneys) uses to access filed court records. Although Portal can be used anonymously, confidential case types and certain types of legally protected personal identifying information are not available to the public on Portal.  However, individuals with legal authority to access these types of confidential information (such as an attorney of record in a confidential case) can access restricted case types and unredacted versions of public records through an “Elevated Access” Portal account. 

Registration and further information about these resources can be found at the following links:

• Register for File & Serve to explore the eFiling platform in advance.
  • Law Firms & Solo Practitioners: A firm administrator (one for each firm) should set up the firm account and invite the individual users (attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, etc.) to set up their own accounts. From the landing page, the firm administrator can register for their firm account by creating their individual user account credentials and then adding the firm information. Solo Practitioners can serve as their own firm administrator.
  • Other Users: Other File & Serve users (self-represented litigants, process servers, pro hac vice attorneys, etc.) can register for an individual account
• Register for elevated access on Portal to view certain non-public information in cases where you are the attorney of record.
• Confirm an “Address of Record” with the State Bar for service under Rule 5 of the Rules of Civil Procedure. See 1A-1, Rule 5, G.S. 84-39, and G.S. 84-4.1, as amended by S.L. 2023-103. The eCourts system has certain notification features that rely on the Address of Record information imported from the North Carolina State Bar’s new “Court Service Information” registry.

eFiling

eFiling, also known as File & Serve, enables you to file documents electronically through a single, secure, centralized online location. It also allows you to:

• Submit court documents online to the clerk's office in eCourts counties.
• Pay filing fees that are automatically calculated for you when you submit filings.
• Get a file-stamped copy upon the clerk’s acceptance.
• Receive filing status updates via email.

How do I register for eFiling / File & Serve?

Attorneys and individuals must register for an account to access File & Serve.

• Firm Account: Firm Administrator
  The firm administrator will set up the firm account and invite the individual users (attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, etc.) to set up their own accounts. From the landing page, the firm administrator can register for their firm account by creating their individual user account credentials and then adding the firm information. After registering, the firm administrator will receive an email to activate their account.

• Firm Account: Individual Users
  Firm Account Users include:
  • All legal professionals including:
    • Solo practitioners
    • Attorneys, paralegals, and staff at firms with multiple filers

  Individual users in a firm will be invited to create an account within a firm by the firm administrator. Once the firm administrator has added them to the firm account, the user will receive an email to set up their credentials.

  Note: Attorneys may be required to enter an attorney number. If you do not have an attorney number from this state, register as an individual.

• Individual Account Users
  Individual Users of File & Serve include:
  • Filers without lawyers (pro-se filers or self-represented litigants)
  • Process servers
  • Landlords and tenants (renters)
  • Pro hac vice or out-of-state attorneys
  • Other non-parties (for example, employers filing garnishment information)

  These users can register individually for their account here and scrolling down to ‘Register for an Individual Account.’ From there they will set up their account credentials and information. They must fill out all required fields. After submitting, they will receive an email with a link to activate their account.

You can learn more by reviewing the eCourts page on the NC Courts website and clicking on the "I am a member of the Bar" link. 

Find eFiling registration details, FAQs, and training materials there and by clicking the buttons below: