eCourts Criminal

New Jersey attorneys will be granted access to eCourts on a staggered basisin conjunction with a rollout schedule for the legal practice areas including Criminal, Tax Court, Civil and Family. eCourts is currently in use by the Criminal Division, Tax Court, Special Civil Part and General Equity Foreclosure. The Administrative Office of the Courts will notify attorneys in each practice area, at the appropriate time, when e-filing participation is available.

Upload a withdrawal letter to the incorrect case. Refile the complaint using the correct docket number or enter it as a new complaint.

Note: The date you create the Refile/new filing in eCourts will be the filed date of the new case.

At this time, only local property tax appeals can be filed using eCourts. All other tax appeals should be filed through the traditional paper submission process. NOTE: If you file documents electronically through eCourts, you do NOT have to submit a hard copy to chambers or the management office.

No. Each individual document (e.g., Notice of Motion; Proof of Service) must be uploaded as a separate attachment, and each attachment cannot exceed a file size of 7 megabytes (MB).

eCourts users must complete a two-step initial registration process in eCourts priorto efiling:

1. reading the Terms and Conditions of eCourts Participation; and
2. certifying one’s agreement with those Terms and Condition and the acceptance of electronic service.

Below are the general steps to complete an e-filing.

− Logon to eCourts and certification of e-Filing Contact Information
− Search for an existing case or create a new case
− Enter filing details (e.g., filing type; filing description)
− Upload document attachment{s}
− Review and submit the filing
- Receive eCourts e-Filing Notification email.

For general assistance regarding related issues, contact the 

Mailing Address:
 

Hours: 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Monday - Friday; Except State Holidays

Yes, e-filing of Tax Court documents is mandatory.

After an e-filing is successfully submitted via eCourts, the system will automatically send an e-Filing Notification via email to contacts designated by the filer. An eCourts filer may designate up to three email addresses, for this purpose, in his or her e-Filing Contact Information maintained in eCourts. Additionally, the automated e-Filing Notification will be sent via email to those attorney(s) who are also eCourts users and designated as representing active case parties.

For Criminal cases, an electronic notification will also be sent when court staff update eCourts by scheduling a matter or entering deficiency notices, motion results, and orders.

eCourts Criminal allows documents to be uploaded using one of several access restrictions:

Sealed documents must be filed through the traditional paper submission process. These documents may not be submitted via eCourts at this time.

eCourts is a secure web-based application that can be accessed by authorized users. Therefore, a connection to the Internet using a browser is required. Internet Explorer version 10 or higher is recommended. Documents must be uploaded in PDF format (.pdf) or Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)format.

Upload the Motion to the earliest/lowest docket number, which will become the “lead” case/docket number. The Notice of Motion and supporting documents should include all applicable docket numbers. If the consolidation is granted, any subsequent motions should be uploaded only in the lead docket number.

Attorneys who intend to e-file Tax Appeal case information through eCourts are required to have a Judiciary charge account or “JACSAccount”.

To establish a JACS account. If you are an attorney representing a New Jersey municipality in a Tax Appeal case but you do not have a JACS account, you may require authorization from the respective government agency to utilize their existing JACS account. Questions about JACS should be sent via email to:  jacssupport.mbx@njcourts.gov

Once a filing is submitted through eCourts, it is immediately and officially received by the court. Corrections will require the filing of amended documents or a motion to remove incorrect contents from the electronic case jacket. Prior to submitting an e-filing, eCourts reminds the user to closely review all information entered and uploaded for accuracy.

If you are unable to certify that your e-filing Contact Information, as displayed in eCourts, is true and accurate, do not proceed with the e-filing process. You must update your attorney contact, firm or office information through the Attorney Online Registration and Payment Center.

You can receive assistance by contacting 855-533-3863  After your attorney registration is updated, you may immediately logon to eCourts and proceed with the electronic filing process.

Using the “Enter the docket number to file against an existing case” function, upload a letter to the incorrect case stating the document was misfiled and to disregard it. Upload the original document to correct case.

In order to receive e-Filing Notifications via email, attorneys must either be:

1. an eCourts user who is representing an active case party; or
2. designated by an e-filing attorney (in his or her e-Filing Contact Information maintained ineCourts).

Complete instructions and information about requesting access to eCourts are posted.

All documents, must be uploaded in PDF format (.pdf) or Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. Each document must be uploaded as a separate attachment (e.g., Notice of Motion, Proof of Service), and each attachment cannot exceed a file size of 7megabytes.

No. All licensed New Jersey attorneys in good standing automatically have access to eCourts.
County Board of Taxation, Municipal Assessors and Municipal Clerks are required to submit a Tax Court case jacket access request form.
Prior to accessing eCourts, attorneys should do the following:

1. Activate their Attorney ID through the Attorney Online Registration and Payment Center.
2. Verify the accuracy of their attorney contact information through the Attorney Online Registration and Payment Center.
   NOTE: Attorneys filing any documents that require a fee are required to have a Judiciary charge account or “JACS Account”.
   For more information about a JACS Account, review the answer to
   Do I need to have a Judiciary charge account (a.k.a., “JACS Account”) to use eCourts?

Upload any non-fee motion documents to each individual docket number.

No. When using eCourts to enter a New Tax Court Appeal case, eCourts will automatically generate the Case Information Statement (CIS); therefore, you will not need to upload a CIS. Note: eCourts does require that a Complaint document be uploaded for both a New and a Refile case.

eCourts will display an on-screen Confirmation including the assigned Transaction ID number immediately after an e-filing is successfully submitted, as shown below. This confirms the court’s receipt of the filing. Additionally, an e-Filing Notification email is sent to the email address(es) on file.

Presently, filings for Superior Court Criminal cases with an assigned PROMIS/Gavel system number, Tax cases, DC cases in Special Civil Part and Foreclosure cases in General Equity. Plans are underway to expand eCourts to accept e-filings for other legal practice areas including Civil and Family

Yes, for Tax Court only, County Board of Taxation, Municipal Assessors and Municipal Clerks can access eCourts case jackets once a Tax Court case jacket access request form is fully processed. They will have access to view all electronic Tax Court case jackets and will also receive eCourts notifications pertaining to cases in which they are associated. Registered County and Municipal users will not have access to e-file.

Upload the amended complaint/document using the “Enter the docket number to file against an existing case” function. Use the docket number of the original filing. Do not file an amended complaint/document as a new case.

If you are an attorney, who is an eCourts user, and submits e-filings or represents an active case party, your email address on file in eCourts must be valid to receive e-Filing Notifications. Likewise, if you are designated by an e-filing attorney to receive corresponding e-Filing Notifications, your email address must be correctly entered in the attorneys e-Filing Contact Information maintained ineCourts

No. New Jersey Rules of Court include provisions for the use of electronic signatures in an approved electronic court system such as eCourts. For additional detail, see Rule 1:32-2A. Electronic Court Systems, Electronic Records, Electronic Signatures, Metadata.

Yes, this is an important step for all attorneys as your contact, firm or office information included in your registration record will automatically be used to configure your eCourts user profile. Please ensure your email address is available and up to date.

NOTE: Attorneys who intend to e-file Tax Court case information on behalf of a New Jersey municipality must be properly registered as representing a public entity through the annual attorney registration process.

An attorney’s registration can be accessed and updated through the Attorney Online Registration and Payment Center. You can also receive additional assistance by contacting  855-533-3863

Upload the motion to each individual docket number.

No. When using eCourts to refile a Tax Court Appeal case, eCourts will automatically generate the Case Information Statement (CIS); therefore, you will not need to upload a CIS. Note: eCourts does require that a Complaint document be uploaded for both a New and a Refile case.

The electronic Case Jacket displays case summary information and will contain court documents and notices e-filed through eCourts. The Case Jacket may include items such as complaints, motions, briefs, signed orders, and notifications.

Documents filed via the traditional paper submission process, previously or in the future, may be added to eCourts by court staff for case management purposes. Should you need access to filed documents which do not appear in the electronic case jacket, the customary records request procedures should be followed.

For Criminal cases, the electronic case jacket does not yet include the following materials: discovery documentation; documents submitted by non-eCourts users; other case-related documents such as Complaints, and Presentence Investigation Reports; and paper case filings submitted prior to the implementation of eCourts (unless uploaded by court staff).

For Special Civil Part and Foreclosure, the case jacket includes all documents previously submitted via the Judiciary Electronic Filing and Imaging System (JEFIS).

Criminal – Motions, motion related filings, and other Criminal documents that do not require a filing fee.
All Civil documents
All Tax documents
All Foreclosure Documents
*Review answer to Which documents should NOT be e-filed via eCourts for exceptions

Licensed New Jersey attorneys, who are in good standing, can electronically file court documents using eCourts. The Attorney ID used for an electronic filing should be that of the attorney whose name is directly associated with the particular filing, just as it would be indicated on the paper filing.

Upload a withdrawal letter to the incorrect case. Then, create a new filing in eCourts with the correct information and attach/upload your documents.

Note: The date you create the new filing in eCourts will be the filed date of the new case.

With the exception of scheduled system maintenance periods, attorneys can take advantage of e-filing Tax appeals at their convenience—both during and after court business hours—as listed below.

eCourts Criminal includes the ability to submit filings for the same defendant on multiple cases. When submitting a filing for a defendant on a case, the system displays all other cases that exist for the selected defendant. Users can then select the additional case(s) they want to submit the filing on.
eCourts Tax, Special Civil Part, and General Equity Foreclosure includes the ability to file the same document on multiple cases. From the Enter a New Case/Search Existing Case screen – enter the docket #, Select “Yes” next to submit filing to other cases, click search, on add additional cases screen click the plus sign, enter next docket # and click search until all cases are selected.

Attorneys who intend to e-file any documents that require a fee are required to have a Judiciary charge account or “JACS Account”. eCourts will automatically charge applicable filing fee(s) against a JACS account in accordance with the Judiciary Account Charge System (JACS) Participation Agreement. To establish a JACS account. If you are an attorney representing a New Jersey municipality in a Tax Appeal case but you do not have a JACS account, you may require authorization from the respective government agency to utilize their existing JACS account. Questions about JACS should be sent via email to:  jacssupport.mbx@njcourts.gov .

The e-filing of Criminal Division motions and motion-related documents does not require a JACS account since eCourts only accepts those filings that do not require a filing fee.

eCourts includes online help which can be accessed through a “Help” hyperlink which is displayed at the top of every screen in eCourts. If you need additional assistance in using eCourts, you should contact the Judiciary Problem Reporting Desk at  609-421-6100

Yes, the Refile option in eCourts can be used in conjunction with a previously filed open or closed case.

The electronic Case Jacket can be viewed by all New Jersey attorneys in good standing. If you are experiencing technical difficulties in viewing a case jacket, contact the Judiciary Problem Reporting Desk at  609-421-6100

The following documents should not be e-filed via eCourts:
Criminal

• Cases not tracked in PROMIS/Gavel (e.g., Megan’s Law, Gun Permits, Municipal Appeals); and
• Filings that are not treated as part of court’s official case jacket. 

Civil and Tax

• Sealed or impounded complaints