Electronic filing now in Kansas courts statewide

TOPEKA—It's official. All state courts in Kansas are now able to receive electronically filed court documents.

"This is a significant milestone in our plan to modernize court operations and we achieved it through careful planning, modest financial investment and the determination of court personnel statewide," said Chief Justice Lawton Nuss. "This accomplishment also comes on the heels of another milestone. In May, our district courts surpassed the 1-million mark for documents processed that were filed electronically."

Currently, electronic filing is required in the appellate courts – Supreme Court and Court of Appeals – as well as in 12 district courts composed of 45 counties. The remaining district courts accept electronic filing but currently do not require it. More are expected to make electronic filing mandatory in coming months.

District courts that require efiling are:

• 2nd: Jackson, Jefferson, Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties

• 6th: Bourbon, Linn and Miami counties

• 7th: Douglas County

• 8th: Dickinson, Geary, Marion and Morris counties

• 12th: Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Republic and Washington counties

• 16th: Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa and Meade counties

• 21st: Clay and Riley counties

• 23rd: Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties

• 25th: Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott and Wichita counties

• 26th: Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, Stanton and Stevens counties

• 27th: Reno County (civil only)

• 28th: Ottawa and Saline counties

Electronic filing is also required in Johnson County, using a system they developed in-house several years ago.

Lawyers in good standing who are licensed in Kansas may electronically file in any state court. Self-represented parties who are not lawyers must file paper documents in all courts.

Kansas district courts process more than 400,000 cases a year and the switch to electronic filing means court workers are no longer required to manage paper files. This reduces paper, mailing and file storage costs for both courts and lawyers. It also reduces opportunities for error from misfiled documents or incorrect data entry.

Electronic filing is a necessary component for the judicial branch's eCourt project, which will bring all courts onto a common case management platform that will allow easier access to court records and enable cross-district information sharing. An eCourt steering committee and its subcommittees are developing a list of requirements for document and case management systems that will be included in a request for proposals later this year.