Who is required to file electronically?
Any party represented by an attorney in the Supreme Court.
Are pro se filers eligible to file through the system?
No.
Will documents submitted on paper by pro se filers be made available on the Court’s docket?
Yes. These filings will be scanned by the Clerk’s Office and made available on the Court’s docket. While the entire petition, brief or motion will be scanned, only the relevant lower court opinions and orders from the appendix will be scanned.
Should all filings from attorneys be submitted through the system?
Most filings should be submitted through the system. Limited exceptions to this requirement (for example, when documents are filed under seal) are included in the Court’s Guidelines for the Submission of Documents.
If a document is submitted through the electronic filing system, does a filer still have to send a paper version to the Court?
Yes. Paper filing remains the official filing, and the requirement to submit electronically does not alter the core requirement of filing in paper form.
How do I register?
Go to the following page on the Supreme Court’s website: file.supremecourt.gov.
How long will it take to process my application?
It should take one to two business days for your application to be approved.
Should I submit an application to extend the time to file a petition through the electronic filing system?
Yes. From the home screen, click “New Filing,” select the box to note that this is not in a case that has already been accepted for filing, and select “Application” from the dropdown menu.
Do I have to enter a notice of appearance before submitting a document in an existing case?
Yes. Before you can file anything in an existing case, you must first have entered an appearance in the case.
While electronically filing, the system says it is “running a virus scan.” Do I need to wait for the scan to finish before I can upload my documents?
No. The Court’s electronic filing system is still available for electronic filing even while it runs a scan for viruses. You may continue through the filing process.
If I want to file a waiver and I am a member of the Bar, what do I do?
From the home screen, click “New Filing,” select the box to note that this is a case that has already been accepted for filing, and select “Waiver” from the dropdown menu.
If I want to file a waiver and I am not a member of the Bar, what do I do?
You should submit the waiver or extension request in paper form only.
When will a petition for a writ of certiorari submitted through the system be available on the Court’s docket?
Petitions will be available on the docket once the Clerk’s Office has reviewed the paper document and accepted it for filing. If a filing is mailed to the Court, it may take several days from mailing for the filing to be reviewed, docketed, and posted.
What happens if a document that was submitted through the system is not accepted for filing?
The docket entry will change to indicate that the document was “not accepted for filing,” and the electronic version of document will no longer be available to view or download.
Should emergency applications be submitted through the electronic filing system?
Yes. But the paper version of the document remains the official filing, and the mere submission of an emergency application through the system will not cause the Clerk’s Office to review the application.
If a filing cannot be submitted electronically due to technical problems, but the paper version was properly filed, will the filing still be timely?
Yes. Because the official filing remains the paper version, the fact that a document was not submitted through the system due to technical problems does not affect the timeliness of the filing.
What do I do if after submitting a document through the system I determine that some kind of change is necessary?
Contact the Clerk’s Office by telephone. Once you have submitted a filing through the system, you cannot withdraw it or substitute one version of the document for another.