The State of Michigan is rolling out a new electronic filing program, and the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores is one of twenty to be selected to pilot the platform.
MiFILE is the state's new electronic filing software. Electronic filing or e-filing is the process of filing court papers using a computer instead of handing them to a court clerk in person or mailing them.
The MiFILE initiative requires attorneys to e-file civil case documents (Michigan Court Rule 1.109(G)(3)(f)). Other non-attorneys are not yet required to use the system.
"We are using advanced technology in these cases to eliminate paper and deliver better services," Chief Judge Joseph C. Oster of the 40th District Court said. "It is a win-win for the litigants and the environment. We are excited and honored to begin this statewide initiative right here in St. Clair Shores."
According to the Michigan Courts One Court of Justice website, MiFile was created to make access to courts easier, provide more flexibility to litigants, and help make courts more efficient. Each court has a case management system that allows the clerk and staff to process documents. The system also automatically notifies filers of the acceptance or rejection of a document into the system, making it a much faster process.
The 40th District Court began training with the State of Michigan MiFILE Team in March 2022 and officially went live on January 24, 2023. The court encourages visitors to visit the Michigan Courts One Court of Justice website to learn more about this exciting process.