eFiling
Beginning April 1, 2013 the Florida Supreme Court set forth that attorneys will submit all civil court documents electronically. Effective October 2013, attorneys were likewise required to file all criminal court documents in the same manner.
E-Filing means submitting court records for a filing in a case through electronic systems and processes in compliance with Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, Rule 2.525, and all other elements necessary to either establish an index of records for new cases or associate the record with an existing case in the case management system. E-filing may also be referred to using the acronym ECF (Electronic Court Filing as established by the National Center for State Courts).
DIY FLORIDA
The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal provides self-represented litigants with DIY Florida, an electronic filing application that helps self-represented litigants complete court forms. DIY, or “Do It Yourself,” interviews are easy to follow and free to use. Located in the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, DIY Florida uses an interview-style web interface to collect the required information and prepare the selected court forms. After your documents are prepared, they can be filed through the Florida E-Filing Portal. Required filing and service fees may apply.
What is DIY Florida?
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Florida is a free-to-use interactive program used to complete official court forms. Built within the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, DIY Florida uses interview style questions to lead you through the steps and prepare your forms. Once prepared, you can use the E-Filing Portal to electronically file your completed forms with your Clerk’s office.
Which forms are currently available?
More than 20 forms are currently available on the DIY Florida platform in 5 areas:
- Landlord Tenant
- Small Claims
- Domestic Violence
- Simplified Dissolution
- Domestic Relations