Court & Hearings

E-filing is short for electronic filing. It is a way to file your court documents online with the court clerk without having to mail or bring paper copies to the courthouse.

There are several electronic filing service providers (EFSPs) you can use to file your forms. Many of them are free, but some may charge. Most people use Odyssey (eFileIL). You need an email account to e-file.

If you do not have an email account, you may qualify for an exemption from e-filing. To file for an exemption, you will need to fill out an exemption form. There are different exemption forms for the three court levels in Illinois. If you are filing in:

• A Circuit Court, use the E-filing exemption - Circuit Court Easy Form,
• The Appellate Court, use the E-filing exemption - Appellate Court Easy Form, or
• The Supreme Court, use the E-filing exemption - Supreme Court Easy Form.

If you would like to create an email account, you will need access to a smartphone or a computer to create an email account. You can use a computer at your local library or a Legal Self-Help Center.

There are several free email providers that you can use, including:

• Mail.com,
• Gmail,
• Outlook, and
• Yahoo Mail.

If you make an email account to e-file, it is important to check it every day during your case. Court documents and information about your case might be sent to you by email.

You usually have to e-file. You do not need to e-file in civil cases if you are automatically exempt or if you qualify for an exemption. Original wills may not be e-filed. 

You are automatically exempt from e-filing, and you do not need to use an exemption form, if:

• You are in jail or prison,
• You are filing into a juvenile case, or
• Your disability (as defined by the ADA) prevents you from e-filing.

You may qualify for an exemption if you have “good cause.” Good cause is when you do not have a lawyer and you:

• Have trouble reading, writing, or speaking in English,
• Do not have an email account,
• Do not have a credit card or bank account,
• Do not have Internet or a computer at home or you do not understand how to use a computer or the internet, or
• Tried to e-file your forms, but you were not able to complete the process because the equipment or help you needed was not available.

You may also qualify for an exemption if you are filing court forms for an emergency as allowed by local court rules. Check your local court’s website or call the clerk to see if your situation qualifies. 

Once you have filed the exemption form, you are exempt. If a judge later finds that you didn’t meet any of the above qualifications, you will be required to e-file. Judges may also choose to give an exemption depending on you, the type of filing, or the details of your case.

There are different exemptions forms for the three court levels in Illinois. If you are filing in:

• A Circuit Court, use the E-filing exemption - Circuit Court Easy Form,
• The Appellate Court, use the E-filing exemption - Appellate Court Easy Form, or
• The Supreme Court, use the E-filing exemption - Supreme Court Easy Form.

It depends. Court clerks can charge a fee depending on the type of case you are filing into and the county. Some EFSPs may also charge a separate e-filing fee. Odyssey eFileIL does not charge a separate e-filing fee.

You can pay with a credit card, debit card, or eCheck (bank account). You may be able to pay cash with the clerk at some courthouses when you e-file. We recommend calling your circuit clerk first to be sure they take cash. If you cannot afford the filing fees, you may qualify for a fee waiver.

If you do not have a credit card, debit card, or an eCheck (bank account), you can buy a prepaid debit card at most convenience or grocery stores. Note: a 2.85% fee is added on top of the court filing fees for any credit or debit card payments. A $0.25 fee per e-filing submission, also called an envelope, is added for using an eCheck (bank account).

The cost depends on the type of case and the county you are filing in. View the Fee Schedule Chart for your county to find out the filing cost. Here are some Fee Schedule Charts:

• Cook County Fee Schedule Chart
• DuPage County Fee Schedule Chart
• Lake County Fee Schedule Chart
• Will County Fee Schedule Chart
• Kane County Fee Schedule Chart

If your county isn't listed, you can usually find a fee schedule chart online or you can contact the court clerk to learn what fees apply. You can use the finder tool on the Illinois Courts website to contact your court clerk.

Each document must be in PDF format, including exhibits and other papers. You need to upload each document one at a time in PDF format. To create documents as PDFs use an online tool like this one or select "Save as PDF" as your printer on a computer or smartphone. If you filled in your forms by hand, you will need to scan and save them as a PDF to a computer or smartphone. You can visit one of the Legal Self-Help Centers for access to computers and scanners free of charge.

The EFSP will allow you to upload exhibits and other documents.

Most court records are open to the public and considered “nonconfidential.” Certain case types are sealed and considered “confidential” when filed such as juvenile, protective orders, cases involving minors, and mental health cases. For other case types, if you want the court documents to be hidden from the public, you need a court order. If you e-file your forms as “confidential” without a sealing order or in a case type that is not usually hidden from the public, the clerk may reject the e-filing.

If you are starting a new case, the e-filing system will give you a case number. You will need to select the right case category and case type for your filing. You can view a chart of common case categories and case types.

If you are filing into an existing case, your case number should be in the upper right corner of any document you have received about the case. You can find information about your case by using this number and your court location to search.

Yes. The way you deliver your forms depends on the type of case and type of filing.

If you are starting a new case, you may need a sheriff to deliver the forms. For more information about serving a summons to begin a lawsuit, read about serving a summons and watch a video about service of process.

If you are e-filing into an existing case, you normally have to notify the other party electronically. Read our article about responding to a lawsuit.

You will normally receive two emails from [email protected] after filing the documents. The emails include:

• A confirmation message: This message should arrive very soon after you submit your document telling you that your document was received, and
• A status message: This tells you if the court has accepted or rejected your document and may take several hours or days to receive. This email will also include a link to a copy of the document with the court's stamp on it. Keep checking your email or log into your e-filing account to see if your filing was accepted. If your document is accepted it will be filed with the court and become a part of the case. Even if your document is accepted, you should continue to check your email address regularly in case you get more information from the court about your case. If your document is rejected, the clerk should explain why.

Check your spam or junk folders if you do not see a confirmation or status email from [email protected].

Those messages or other court documents should explain details about the next court date. It may be in person or remote. You might need to visit the court clerk's website to look up your case. Contact Illinois Court Help for assistance. You can call or text them at (833) 411-1121.

What if my e-filing is rejected?

Documents can be rejected by the clerk if:

• They are not in the correct format,
• There is an incorrect or unpaid fee, or
• You selected “Confidential" without uploading a court order.

If your document is rejected, you have to fix the problem and refile it. You should get an email saying why your documents were rejected. Learn more about what to do to fix a rejection.

If you need assistance, you can search for a sign- or spoken-language interpreter near you using the Language Interpreter Registry. Different courts may handle interpreters differently. Contact your court clerk or court disability coordinator to find out options for accommodations.

If you have trouble reading, writing, or speaking in English, you may qualify for an e-filing exemption. See Do I have to e-file? To see if you qualify.

If you can’t e-file on your own, you might qualify for an exemption or be automatically exempt from e-filing. See Do I have to e-file? To see if you qualify or are automatically exempt.

View our step-by-step guide for help with the e-filing process. You can bring your forms on paper or in digital format to the court clerk or visit a Legal Self-Help Center. You can also visit Illinois Court Help for live help e-filing your documents. Some EFSPs have their own resources. For a step-by-step guide to using Odyssey, visit the Illinois Courts website.

If your case is in Cook County, there are additional resources. The Clerk of the Circuit Court has partnered with Illinois JusticeCorps to offer free resources for self-represented litigants. This Center is located at:

69 W Washington
CL29 (Pedway Level)
Chicago, IL 60602.

Assistance in-person currently accepts walk-ins, or they can assist with e-filing over the phone. Illinois JusticeCorps can be reached by phone at (872) 529-1093 or in person Monday-Friday from 8:30AM to 4:00PM.

Want to learn more about e-filing?

Check out the Illinois Courts website for more information about e-filing.

If you qualify for an exemption or are automatically excused from e-filing, you have other ways to file your documents, including:

• In person at the courthouse,
• By mail,
• Through a third-party commercial carrier, like FedEx or UPS, or
• Any other way your local court allows.

Check your local court’s website or call the clerk to see which methods they accept.