Electronic filing in the Appellate Division was heralded several years ago, and the rollout began in June 2013. But the process has been slow to expand. This week, however, a notice to the bar was issued that contains the latest schedule for the gradual expansion of electronic filing in the Appellate Division. Under that schedule, by “Late 2015/Early 2016,” any appeal or motion, submitted by any attorney, will be electronic. The notice to the bar also includes a January 21, 2015 Order of the Supreme Court that relaxes certain rules and contains some details as to how the process will work.
Separately, the Supreme Court will likewise “incrementally” introduce electronic filing in that Court, as announced in another notice to the bar. That notice announces the relaxation of certain rules, effective April 1, 2015, to facilitate electronic filing, but no target date for all fiilngs to be electronic is included. Filings in criminal matters by the Office of the Public Defender, the Office of the Attorney General, and County Prosecutors will be the first to go electronic.
Once electronic filing becomes the norm, so many trees will be able to breathe easier.