2
Dallam
Hartley
Oldham
Deaf Smith Collings-worth
Har
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Foard Wilb
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Wic
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Gaines
Cla
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Mo
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Co
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Gra
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Fan
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Lam
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Red
Riv
er
Bowie
Cass
Marion
Harrison
Mo
rris
Titu
s
Fran
klin
Delta
Hu
nt
Wood
Camp
Gregg
Panola
Ru
sk
Ellis Smith
NavarroHill
HoodSomer-vell
Shelby
Sabine
Newton
Orange
JeffersonChambers
Galveston
Brazoria
Matagorda
CalhounAransas
Nueces
Kleberg
San Patricio
Ken
edy
Willacy
CameronHidalgo
Starr
Zap
ata
Jim
Ho
gg
Bro
oks
Du
val
Webb
La S
alle
McM
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BeeDimmit
FrioZavala
Mav
eric
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Jim
Wel
lsLi
ve O
ak Goliad Vic
tori
a
WhartonBexar
Val VerdeReal
Terrell
Sutton Kimble
Bandera
Kerr Kendall
Comal
Guadalupe
Hays
BrewsterPresidio
PecosJeff Davis
ReevesCu
lber
son
Hu
dsp
eth
El P
aso
Cro
cket
t
Schleicher
Andrews
Ward
Loving
Earth
SanSaba
Lampasas
Mills
Hamilton
Bla
nco
Williamson
Travis
Milam
Lee
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Caldwell
Lavaca
Colorado
Austin
Washington
Burleson
Fayette
Waller
Brazos Gri
mes
MadisonRobertson
Leon
PolkTyler Jasper
San
Au
gust
ine
SanJacinto
Walker
Montgomery
Lib
erty Hardin
HarrisFort Bend
CoryellMcLennan
Bell
Falls
Freestone
Limestone
TOPICS
What we will talk about today
Actual experiences of SRLs with e-filing based on user surveys
Texas (2015)
California (2013)
Critical issues for SRLs in e-filing
Alternatives for addressing issues
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SURVEY OF SRLs – ORANGE COUNTY
Survey of Experience with e-filing:
• Mandatory e-filing program was 3 months old
• Electronic surveys sent to email addresses provided during e-filing
• Paper surveys distributed at self-help centers
• Received 303 responses from self-represented litigants
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SURVEY OF SRLs – TEXAS
Survey of Experience with e-filing:
• E-filing program was 1 year old (permissive)
• Electronic surveys sent to email addresses provided during e-filing
• Received 548 responses from self-represented litigants
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Texas SRL Survey (2015)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
0 (Failed) 1 2-10 11-50 51+
How Many Times Have You eFiled?
Percent
9
BEWARE OF ASSUMPTIONSSelf represented litigants have a range of capabilities relative to e-filing:
• Most self represented litigants have access to a computer and the internet
• Many self-represented litigants are computer literate
• Not all self-represented litigants are eligible for fee waiver
• Making eFiling easy will solve our SRL issue
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OVERALL – COST OF E-FILING
12
58%
13%
29%
52%
12%
36%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Efiling is less expensive About the same eFiling is more expensive
Attorneys
SRPs
How do to the costs of e-filing compare to paper filing?
TEXAS SRLs FIND E-FILING CHEAPER
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Costs More Costs About the Same Costs Less Not Sure
Cost vs. Paper
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OVERALL – MANDATEE-FILING REQUIREMENT DOES NOT DISCOURAGE FILING
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Orange Texas
E-filing did not discourage filing 75% 71%
If did discourage, what was reason:
Unclear or confusing process 63% 69%
Cost 36% 27%
Problems with payment process to complete transaction
23% 30%
Difficulty accessing a computer with internet
19%(5% OF TOTAL)
14%
Selecting EFSP 18% 27%
Other 49% 48%
FILING STEPS COMPARISON
Paper Filing
• Prepare document
• Sign
• Make copies
• Get to Courthouse
• File document and pay fee
E-Filing
• Prepare document
• Sign
• Select EFSP and register
• Upload document and pay fee
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The process is the punishment
PREPARING THE DOCUMENT
PROBLEMS DESCRIBED
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
• Use of document assembly programs
• Self-help programs, NGOs, etc., provide forms, instruction, and computers
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SIGNATURES
PROBLEMS DESCRIBED
• signing electronically prepared documents
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
• CA & TX have rules allowing /s/
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SELECTING EFSP
PROBLEMS DESCRIBED
• How do you know which one to use?
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
• Orange - Legal Aid Society is an EFSP
• For use in their programs
• Court self-help clinics file though them
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PAYING ANY FILING FEE
FORM OF PAYMENT ORANGE TEXAS
Credit Card 91% 73%
Fee Waiver 9% 27%
E-check (ACH) 5% 0%
Cash 1.4% 0%
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What forms of payment are accepted?Which forms of payment are most used?
E-FILING PROCESS
• Converting paper documents to electronic form for filing
• Need to bookmark
• Uploading document
• Selecting document type
• Large documents
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REJECTION OF FILING
• MOST COMMON REASONS FOR REJECTION
– Incorrect Formatting
– Incorrect Fees
– Combined PDFs
– Filer’s Request
– Addressed to wrong clerk
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