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Electronic Court Filing · 46 California Courts · Since 1961

California Court E-Filing Services

E-file civil, family law, probate, and small claims documents with California superior courts through our secure portal, or send them to us and we will e-file for you. We advance the court fees and email you the file-stamped copy.

Place an Order Find Your Court

California e-filing

46 courts
from $14.95

Civil, family, probate, and small claims

  • Fees advancedon one invoice
  • Stamped copysent by email
  • No setup feeor monthly charges
E-Filing Rates Court statutory fees and EFM fees are extra. Full pricing
  • Court E-FilingYou submit through our portal$14.95Law Firms / Legal Departments$34.95 – Party without Attorney
  • Concierge E-FilingWe submit it the same day$49.95Law Firms / Legal Departments$99.95 – Party without Attorney
  • Concierge E-Filing RushWe submit it as soon as possible$99.95Law Firms / Legal Departments$199.95 – Party without Attorney
  • E-ServicePer party served$2Law Firms / Legal Departments$5 – Party without Attorney

Concierge requests received by 3:00 PM Pacific with everything we need are submitted the same day. Need it filed right away, or after 3:00 PM? We can submit it as Rush, subject to availability.

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  • E-file 24/7 online
  • File-stamped copy by email
  • Fees advanced
  • 65+ years in California

Since 1961, Direct Legal Support has filed documents with California courts. Today most courts accept filings electronically, and we make e-filing simple: one account for every court on our list, the court's fees advanced and billed on one itemized invoice, and a file-stamped copy emailed to you when the court accepts your filing. Prefer to hand it off? Our Concierge service e-files for you. Questions? Email support@directlegal.com or call (800) 675-5376.

Pricing

E-Filing Rates

ServiceLaw FirmsParty without Attorney
Court E-FilingYou submit through our online portal$14.95$34.95
Concierge E-FilingEmail us your documents and we submit them the same day when they reach us by 3:00 PM Pacific$49.95$99.95
Concierge E-Filing RushWe submit it as soon as possible, including after 3:00 PM, subject to availability$99.95$199.95
E-ServicePer party or person served electronically$2.00$5.00
Courtesy Copy DeliveryPrinted and delivered to the judge's department. Rates by courthouse From $95From $150
E-Filing in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, or TexasPer filing$5.00$10.00
Support: Law Firms and Legal DepartmentsAvailable: Phone (800) 675-5376Available: Email support@directlegal.com
Support: Parties without an AttorneyPlease include your account number when you email us.Available: Email support@directlegal.comNot available: Phone Reserved for law firms and legal departments only

Concierge e-filing requests that reach us by 3:00 PM Pacific with everything we need (your account number, each document as a separate PDF, and the correct format) are submitted the same day. If a filing has to go in right away, or your request arrives after 3:00 PM and must be filed that day, we can submit it as a Concierge E-Filing Rush. Rush filings are subject to availability.

Court statutory filing fees and EFM (electronic filing manager) fees of $2.25 to $10.00 are paid in addition to our fees. The court and EFM fees shown when you order are estimates. Some courts, such as San Francisco and Orange County, can add fees that are not shown when you order. Our e-filing fee applies whether the court accepts or rejects the filing.

We advance the court's fees and bill them, with our fee, on one itemized invoice. If you pay by credit or debit card, our system places a pre-authorization on the card for our base fees. We accept credit cards, debit cards, and ACH (subject to approval). There is no fee to open an account.

The process

How E-Filing Works

  1. Log In or Create an Account

    Log in to your Direct Legal account, or create one for free.

  2. Place a County E-Filing Order

    Choose the court and case, then upload each document as a separate, text-searchable PDF.

  3. The Court Reviews Your Filing

    We transmit your filing and the court's fees to the court. Review times vary by court.

  4. Get Your Stamped Copy

    When the court accepts your filing, we email you a link to the file-stamped copy. If it is rejected, we email you the reason and the corrections needed.

Start an Order or call (800) 675-5376

Rather not use the portal? Email your documents to support@directlegal.com as separate PDFs with your account number, and we will e-file them for the Concierge fee.

Use Clio or NetDocuments? Pick your documents straight from the matter on the Documents tab, and get the court’s returned documents saved back. See our software integrations.

County by county

California Courts We E-File In

Here is what each superior court on our list accepts for e-filing. Most courts accept every case type, and the exceptions are marked Physical Filing. Select a county for its e-filing rules, courtesy copy requirements, and courthouses. Not sure which county a city is in? Use our court finder.

Counties Where We File in Person

These courts are not on our e-filing list, so we file your documents at the courthouse through our court filing service:

Alpine CountyAmador CountyDel Norte CountyHumboldt CountyLassen CountyModoc CountyPlumas CountySan Joaquin CountyShasta CountySierra CountyTrinity CountyTuolumne County
Watch

E-Filing How-To Videos

How to Submit a Court E-Filing in California

Step-by-step e-filing of an answer, motion, or other document in an existing case, with tips to avoid rejections. (8:48)

How to E-File a New Court Case in California

How to start a new case with a California court through the Direct Legal portal. (11:47)

Prefer reading? Our step-by-step guides, How to E-File a New Case (PDF) and How to E-File in an Existing Case (PDF), walk through every screen. See all of our client portal guides and tutorials.

California law

California E-Filing Rules

A few California rules decide whether an e-filing is accepted and when it counts as filed:

  • Who must e-file. A court can require represented parties to e-file by local rule. Self-represented parties are exempt from mandatory e-filing, though they may choose to e-file (California Rules of Court, rule 2.253).
  • When it counts as filed. A document the court receives electronically between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. on a court day is deemed filed that day if the court accepts it. Documents received on a weekend or court holiday are deemed filed the next court day (CCP § 1010.6).
  • Text-searchable PDFs. E-filed documents must be text searchable when technologically feasible (rule 2.256(b)). Scanned pages should be run through text recognition first.
  • Bookmarked exhibits. Unless filed by a self-represented party, electronic exhibits must include bookmarks to the first page of each exhibit, with titles that identify the exhibit (rule 3.1110(f)(4)).
  • Electronic service. A party represented by an attorney who has appeared in the case must accept electronic service of documents that could otherwise be served by mail, express mail, overnight delivery, or fax (CCP § 1010.6(b)(2)). E-filing a document does not serve it, so we can e-serve your documents when you e-file. See e-filing versus e-service.
Tips

How to Avoid E-Filing Rejections

Most rejections come from a handful of fixable problems. Before you submit, check that:

  • The case number and court are right. Filings in existing cases must match the case number, case title, and courthouse on file.
  • Each document is its own PDF. Upload the main document, exhibits, proposed orders, and proofs of service as separate files.
  • The document type and fees match. Choose the document type the court expects, and include the first appearance or motion fee when one applies.
  • Signatures are in place. Every document needs the required signatures, including electronic signatures where the rules allow them.
  • Hearing dates are reserved. Many courts require you to reserve a motion hearing date before you file.
Beyond California

E-Filing in Other States

We also e-file in four other states for $5.00 per filing for law firms and $10.00 for self-represented parties:

Filings in those states are submitted through our online portal. Concierge e-filing is available for California courts only.

Questions

E-Filing Questions

How much does e-filing cost?

For law firms and legal departments, e-filing through our portal is $14.95 per filing, and Concierge e-filing, where we submit for you, is $49.95, or $99.95 for Concierge E-Filing Rush, submitted as soon as possible. Parties without an attorney pay $34.95, $99.95, and $199.95. Court statutory filing fees and EFM (electronic filing manager) fees of $2.25 to $10.00 are extra, and our fee applies whether the court accepts or rejects the filing. The court and EFM fees shown when you order are estimates.

What is Concierge e-filing?

If you would rather not use the portal, email your documents to support@directlegal.com as separate PDFs with your account number, and we will submit the e-filing for you. Concierge e-filing requests that reach us by 3:00 PM Pacific with everything we need (your account number, each document as a separate PDF, and the correct format) are submitted the same day. If a filing has to go in right away, or your request arrives after 3:00 PM and must be filed that day, we can submit it as a Concierge E-Filing Rush. Rush filings are subject to availability. Concierge e-filing is available for California courts only.

Which California courts accept e-filing?

We e-file in 46 California superior courts. Most accept civil, complex civil, small claims, family law, and probate filings. Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Ventura require physical filing for some case types, and we file those in person.

Do I have to e-file?

If you have an attorney, the court may require it by local rule. Self-represented parties are exempt from mandatory e-filing under California Rules of Court, rule 2.253, but may choose to e-file.

When is an e-filed document considered filed?

A document the court receives electronically between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. on a court day is deemed filed that day if accepted. Documents received on a non-court day are deemed filed the next court day (CCP 1010.6).

What format do my documents need to be in?

Upload each document as a separate PDF. Documents must be text searchable when feasible, and attorneys' electronic exhibits must be bookmarked (California Rules of Court, rules 2.256 and 3.1110).

What happens if the court rejects my filing?

We email you the court's rejection reason and the corrections it needs, so you can fix the document and resubmit.

How do I get my conformed copy?

When the court accepts your filing, we email you a link to the file-stamped copy. You can also download it from the order in your account.

Do you advance court filing fees?

Yes. We advance the court's statutory filing fees and EFM fees and bill them on one itemized invoice. If you pay by credit or debit card, our system places a pre-authorization on the card for our base fees.

How do I pay?

We accept credit cards, debit cards, and ACH (subject to approval). If you pay by credit or debit card, our system places a pre-authorization on the card for our base fees. Payment is processed with the payment method on file when the order is complete, and receipts and paid invoices are emailed to your accounting contact.

Can you e-serve my documents?

Yes. E-service is $2.00 per party or person served for law firms and $5.00 for parties without an attorney.

Do I still need courtesy copies if I e-file?

Often, yes. Many California courts and judges still want printed courtesy copies of e-filed motion papers, and the rules differ by county. Each county page lists that court's courtesy copy rules. We print and deliver courtesy copies starting at $95 for law firms.

Do you e-file outside California?

Yes. We e-file in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Texas for $5.00 per filing for law firms and $10.00 for self-represented parties. Those filings are submitted through our online portal; Concierge e-filing is available for California courts only.

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Create a free account and submit your order in a few minutes. There are no setup fees. If you have a question first, call us or send a message.

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We advance the court's fees and bill them on one itemized invoice.

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