Aug. 16, 2017 – Mandatory e-filing will begin Sept. 1 in Milwaukee County. Attorneys and high-volume filing agents will be required to e-file court documents in civil, small claims, family, paternity, criminal, traffic, and ordinance-forfeiture cases.
All but four counties have implemented mandatory e-filing. A county-by-county implementation plan began July 1, 2016. Brown and Monroe counties will implement mandatory e-filing on Oct. 2. Burnett County will follow on Oct. 16.
Things to Know About the New E-filing Rule
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E-filing is required for lawyers and for agents filing 10 or more small-claims actions in a county per year. Self-represented litigants are allowed to e-file but are not required to do so.
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Documents e-filed by 11:59 p.m. on the day they are due are considered filed that day. Non e-filing parties may file by fax until 11:59 p.m. Local fax rules restricting the number of pages still apply.
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Parties must submit copies of documents, not originals, even when filing on paper.
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The small-claims summons and complaint may be verified without a notary.
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Lawyers may authorize staff members to submit pleadings to the e-filing system on the lawyer’s behalf and to apply the lawyer’s electronic signature. The lawyer is responsible for all documents e-filed by staff members.
Other Resources on E-filing
