E-FILING. Manual THOMAS A. KLEIN WINNEBAGO COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

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1 THOMAS A. KLEIN WINNEBAGO COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT E-FILING Manual Thank you for your interest in the Winnebago County E-filing Program. Attached is a walk through intended to assist you as you e-file with our county. Our E-Filing Administrator is also always available to assist you with your e-filing questions and will address any concerns you may have. We look forward to partnering with you to advance this program. V8

2 Table of Contents CONTACT INFORMATION... 3 Amy Havens, E-FILING ADMINISTRATOR... 3 REGISTERING TO E-FILE... 3 TO BEGIN REGISTERING... 3 Locate the Attorney E-Filing tab... 3 Fill in the Attorney E-Filing Registration form... 4 After the clerk has reviewed and approved your registration request... 6 ATTORNEY PORTAL... 7 REGISTER YOUR E-FILING ACCOUNT... 7 SETTING UP PAYMENT METHODS... 8 DRAWDOWN ACCOUNTS... 8 WALLETS ACCOUNTS... 8 SETTING UP CITEPAYUSA... 9 MANAGING CITEPAYUSA ACCOUNTS... 9 CREDIT CARD OPTION CHECKING ACCOUNT OPTION FILE A NEW CIVIL CASE TO BEGIN FILING A NEW CIVIL CASE Select the correct case type category Add Litigants Adding Additional Filings Request A Hearing / Request Case Sealed Attaching Documents FILE ON EXISTING CIVIL CASE TO BEGIN FILING ON EXISTING CIVIL CASE Add Litigants Adding Filings To An Existing Case Request A Hearing / Request Case Sealed Attaching Documents MAKING A FILING PAYMENT DRAWDOWN ACCOUNT WALLET ACCOUNT CitePayUSA Receipt MANAGING YOUR EXISTING CASES Monitor Case Filings Filing Status HOW TO CREATE A DESKTOP SHORTCUT Internet Explorer: Google Chrome... 25

3 Contact Information Any questions or concerns contact: Amy Havens, E-Filing Administrator Registering To E-File To begin registering, please visit our website at Locate the Attorney E-Filing tab located on the right hand side of our home page.

4 This form will help us to load your information, approve your request, and enter you as an e-filer in our system. You will only need to visit this form once per attorney. Fill in the Attorney E-Filing Registration form, making note to address each line marked with an asterisk. Attorney Information Payment Method Page 4 of 25

5 Staff Contact Information Authorization Information Notes: Page 5 of 25

6 You will receive an automated response from our system that will confirm your registration was successfully submitted. Submission Confirmation After the clerk has reviewed and approved your registration request, you will receive an with a link to click. This link will bring you to the Attorney Portal. Notification & Link Notes: Page 6 of 25

7 Attorney Portal This portal will be your direct connection to the clerk s office and will be used to e-file your documents. A shortcut to this link may be placed on your desktop for easy access. See page 24. Register Your E-Filing Account It is at this point that you will need to confirm all information is correct, choose a password, and click the red Register button. You will receive an automated response from our system notifying you that your request has been saved. Page 7 of 25

8 Setting up Payment Methods Drawdown Accounts, contact our E-Filing Administrator. Subject to a $2,500 minimum initial deposit per attorney, and restored at a minimum $2,500 increment deposit per attorney. Wallets Accounts are set up with CitePayUSA and may be used with a checking account (with No additional fees) or a credit card (4% per transaction). Transaction fees only apply to filings incurring statutory fees. You will need to login into the Attorney Portal, if using a wallet, and set up your account. Go to the right side click Welcome Back for a drop down menu. Choose My Profile to begin. You will need to choose a Wallet Name and create a Wallet Password to protect access to your wallet information. Page 8 of 25

9 After the Wallet is created, click the red Manage button to set up your payment preference with CitePayUSA. Setting up CitePayUSA Your E-Filing Payments Login password will be necessary to make any changes to your payment preferences, and will redirect you to the CitePayUSA E-Filing Payments page. Managing CitePayUSA Accounts After login, choose to add a credit card or add a checking account. Page 9 of 25

10 Credit Card Option Enter your credit card information and click the red Save Changes button. After reading the CitePayUSA Terms and Conditions pop up, click the I Agree button to proceed. Your Wallet will now reflect your new payment option. CitePayUSA allows you to add as many Checking Accounts or Credit Cards as you wish to use. Notes: Page 10 of 25

11 Checking Account Option Enter your checking account information and click the red Save Changes button. After reading the CitePayUSA Terms and Conditions pop up, click the I Agree button to proceed. Your Wallet will now reflect your new payment option(s). Notes: Page 11 of 25

12 File A New Civil Case To begin filing a new civil case, login to the Attorney Portal and choose New Case Filing from the Filing dropdown at the top of the page. Select the proper Court (Winnebago County). Select the correct case type category for your new filing. Main Filing Type can be found by typing in key words. Choose the red Continue button to proceed to the next page. Page 12 of 25

13 Add Litigants Click the red Add Litigant box to open the Add/Update A Litigant screen. Add/Update A Litigant Input all available information regarding each litigant. The Filing Litigant box must be and is only checked on the intial set up of plaintiff s information. Repeat, if necessary, to add new litigants until all parties are listed. (This includes all additional party types.) Click the red Save button after each party has been entered. THIS BOX IS ONLY CHECKED ON THE INTIAL SET UP OF PLAINTIFF S INFORMATION. Page 13 of 25

14 All litigants will appear when finished. Adding Additional Filings Advance to the Add Filing Type section to enter additional document titles that you may also be filing along with your complaint. These documents can be found by typing in key words. If you are exempt from filing fees, choose the proper reason for exemption from the drop down menu. You must be pre-approved to use this option. Please contact the E-Filing Administrator for help with exemptions. Request A Hearing / Request Case Sealed You may request a hearing by checking the box and typing suggested dates in the blank text field. If a document has been ordered sealed, please refer to that order and date in the blank text field. Attaching Documents Click the red Add Document button to attach documents. Page 14 of 25

15 Add a Document Description to the text field. Choose a PDF File to Upload. A PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format that has captured all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. PDF files are created using Adobe Acrobat, Acrobat Capture, or similar products. Documents must be submitted as separate PDF attachments. Do not send all documents in one PDF. Documents that have incorrect information will cause the filing to be rejected. Click the red Save button to attach this document. Repeat for additional documents. You only check this box if it is the original Complaint/Petition. Example: Summons for John Doe ATTACH A PDF DOCUMENT All documents will appear when finished. Click the red Submit button. Once you have hit submit, go to page 19 for instuction on how to make a payment if a fee is due. Page 15 of 25

16 File On Existing Civil Case To begin filing on existing civil case, login to the Attorney Portal and choose Filing On Existing Case from the Filing dropdown at the top of the page. Add Litigants If you have been given leave to file an Amended Complaint, Third Party Complaint, or a Counter Complaint, click the red Add Litigant box to begin adding your litigants. ONLY DO THIS PAGE IF YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN LEAVE TO FILE AN AMENDED COMPLAINT, THIRD PARTY COMPLAINT, OR A COUNTER COMPLAINT. Page 16 of 25

17 Adding Filings To An Existing Case Advance to the Add New Filing Type section to enter document titles that you may be filing. These documents can be found by typing in key words. If you are exempt from filing fees, choose the proper reason for exemption from the drop down menu. You must be pre-approved to use this option. Please contact the E-Filing Administrator for help with exemptions. Request A Hearing / Request Case Sealed You may request a hearing by checking the box and typing suggested dates in the blank text field. If a document has been ordered sealed, please refer to that order and date in the blank text field. Attaching Documents Click the red Add Document button to attach documents. Page 17 of 25

18 Add a Document Description to the text field. Choose a PDF File to Upload. A PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format that has captured all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. PDF files are created using Adobe Acrobat, Acrobat Capture, or similar products. Documents must be submitted as separate PDF attachments. Do not send all documents in one PDF. Documents that have incorrect information will cause the filing to be rejected. Click the red Save button to attach this document. Repeat for additional documents. Example: Summons for John Doe You only check this box if it is the original Complaint/Petition. ATTACH A PDF DOCUMENT All documents will appear when finished. Click the red Submit button. Once you have hit submit, go to page 19 for instuction on how to make a payment if a fee is due. Page 18 of 25

19 Making a Filing Payment With a wallet (credit card or checking account) or drawdown account now set up, you may choose your preferred method of payment. Drawdown Account Your transaction is complete when you click the red Pay and File box. You now are able to monitor case filings after logging into the attorney portal. (see page 21) Wallet Account You may have multiple choices. This will depend on how many Wallet Accounts you have set up. Please note a transaction fee will be reflected and added to your Total Due. Click the red Pay and File box when finished. Page 19 of 25

20 CitePayUSA Receipt If you paid using a Wallet Account, you will receive a CitePayUSA receipt in your . This will reflect your filing and transaction fees. Filings will now be reflected in the Attorney Portal. You will be able to see if the filing is in pending or accepted status. Page 20 of 25

21 Managing Your Existing Cases Monitor Case Filings To monitor case filings, login to the Attorney Portal and choose Existing Filings from the Filing dropdown at the top of the page. Filing Status When you wish to organize your existing filings list, you may put a check in the Hide Filed or Hide Reviewed boxes. The lists may easily be called up by clicking the red Retrieve box. After the clerk has reviewed and accepted your filing, you will be able to view your file stamped or issued copies. Print and use these copies for service or for your own records. (see examples on page 22 & 23) Filing fees/transaction fees are subject to change per statute and vender agreement. The office of the Circuit Clerk reserves the right to reject e-filings that are deemed incorrect or for additional verification of payment. Rejection reasons may include but are not limited to the following: filings with incorrectly attached documents, filings determined to have a filing fee due, filings made in the wrong county, wrong parties, or wrong case numbers. Thank you for your participation in the Winnebago County E-filing Program. We are happy to expand our filing options to include this new platform. With your assistance, we look forward to continuing the advancement of the Circuit Clerk s office. Page 21 of 25

22 Example: Electronic File Stamp Copy 12 Page 22 of 25

23 Example: Electronic Sealed Summons Copy Page 23 of 25

24 How to Create a Desktop Shortcut Internet Explorer: 1. In the URL, open up the website IE: For E-Filing efile.wincoil.us 2. Select File 3. Select Send 4. Select Shortcut to Desktop 5. Select Yes Page 24 of 25

25 Google Chrome 1. In the URL, open up the website IE: For E-Filing efile.wincoil.us 2. Open up the Settings for Google Chrome 3. Open up Tools/More Tools 4. Select Add to Taskbar Page 25 of 25