e-Filing Resources

When you must e-file

Attorneys

e-filing is required for all case types: criminal, infraction and all civil cases, unless otherwise provided in LGR 30.  Additional filing requirements are set forth in LCrRLJ 8.2. Case documents or pleadings filed during a scheduled court hearing on the case do not need to be e-filed. Failure of attorneys to comply with mandatory e-filing rules may result in a sanction being assessed to the attorney for the non-compliance.

• Cases initiated prior to mandatory e-filing - Unless you receive a waiver from the Court, mandatory e-filing applies to all attorneys for all case types, regardless of whether the case was initiated via paper or through e-filing. If the case originated as a paper filing, and you are an attorney, you must use e-filing for all future filings.

Non-attorneys and pro se parties

Other requirements when e-filing

• Case information Cover Sheets: State Court Rule ARLJ 10 requires the filing of a Case Information Cover Sheet for each new civil filing, except in infraction cases.
• Proposed Orders
  • Ex Parte motions: You must file a separate proposed order for the judge to sign
  • Motion that will be heard before the judge in court: You may file a copy of your proposed order as an attachment to your motion document; Do not file this proposed order as a separate document. At the time your Motion is heard, you must provide the judge with an order, unless otherwise instructed by the judge.

What cannot be e-filed

Washington State Courts General Rule (GR) 30 and KCDC Local General Rule (LGR) 30 identify the types of documents that cannot be e-filed and must be filed in paper form.

e-filing details

Timeframes

• Initial acceptance/rejection of filings should occur within 2 business days of your submission. If your filing requires additional action (such as review by a judge, signature, setting a hearing, etc.) please anticipate additional time for complete processing.
• Filings made after regular Court business hours are considered filed the next business day at 8:30 a.m. KCDC’s regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time, not including holidays. 

Confirmation of Court's receipt of e-filings

• You will receive confirmation of acceptance after Court staff review your filing for compliance with the Court's e-filing rules and requirements. You also can log into the e-Filing and Case Access portal, and from the ‘My Cases’ tab view the filing status of all of your submissions.

Conformed copies

Upon acceptance of your filing, you will receive a conformed copy of your filing by email. Additional copies may be retrieved from the e-Filing and Case Access portal by searching for your case and obtaining copies from the 'Documents' folder.

Rejected e-filings

• Correct a a filing that was rejected: Unless otherwise notified of next steps by the Court, corrected filings may be e-filed under the title of ‘Resubmission or Corrected Filing.’ These e-filings will be reviewed by Court staff to ensure the required corrections have been made so that final processing of the filing can occur.
• Notice to other party: If the Court rejects a filing, and the filing has already been served on another party, it is your responsibility to serve the party with any corrected pleading or notice, or to notify the party of any rejected filing.

Fees and payments for e-filing

• The only fees are the state-mandated fees associated with filing certain court documents (such fees are not specific to e-filing and were applied to paper filings). The following convenience fees will be added to those document filing fees, based on the method of payment:
  • Credit card: 2.49% of the transaction value, with a minimum fee of $1.49
  • e-check: $1.00 flat fee
  • Regardless of the number of documents or new cases included in your cart, only one convenience fee is charged to complete the transaction. If no fee is associated with your filing, you will not be charged any fees for your e-filing submission.

• Payment must be made at the time of each transaction. KCDC does not offer ‘draw down’ accounts or send invoices for e-filing.
• You can pay for multiple filings in one transaction. The e-Filing and Case Access portal has an ‘add to cart’ feature. You can add multiple document filings, or new case filings, to your ‘shopping cart’ and make one ‘check out’ transaction. For filings that do not require payment of filing fees, submit those to the court on a case-by-case basis. For a single case, you can add multiple documents to your filing at one time.

System will not allow you to e-file

If you are not able to file a case through the e-Filing and Case Access portal because the case does not yet exist in the system or because of its age (may occur with Petitions to Vacate a prior conviction older than 10 years), check to ensure you are filing in the correct court, and if so, contact the Court for assistance at (206) 205-9200.

How to accomplish various e-filing tasks 

• e-File a new case: Visit the Initiate a new case tab
• e-File documents into an existing case: Visit the Search for case tab, or access via 'My Filings.'
  • Instructions for how to e-file documents
• Access your cases: Visit the Access cases tab to view cases you’ve initiated via the e-Filing and Case Access portal, or cases with activated token access. You also will be able to view case filing status, and take action such as view case information or file additional documents.
• Access your filings: Visit the Access filings tab to view document filings you’ve made into any case via the e-Filing and Case Access portal. You also will be able to check filing status, see fees paid, and view the document image.

Technical requirements

Use of the King County District Court e-Filing and Case Access portal requires:

• Portal account
• Active email address to list on your portal account
  • This email address is where all information about your cases will be emailed. Make sure your email client and security platform will allow you to receive emails from @kingcounty.gov addresses
• Internet access
• Recommended web browser (other versions may not be compatible with the Court's payment processer and e-filing vendor)
  • Microsoft web browser, most recent stable version
  • Mozilla Firefox, most recent stable version
  • Google Chrome, most recent stable version
  • Apple Safari version 5.1.7 (win) and 7.0 (Mac) or newer
• Recommend use of antivirus software