279 lines
16 KiB
Markdown
279 lines
16 KiB
Markdown
# Standard Operating Procedure: File a Case Through eLegal
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**Purpose:** This document provides step-by-step instructions for filing a civil case through the county's eLegal portal using documents from the Filevine case management system. Follow every step exactly as written. Do not skip, combine, or reorder steps unless explicitly told to do so.
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**Time estimate:** 10–15 minutes of active work from start to finish (including waiting for acceptance email).
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**Prerequisites before beginning:**
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- You have a Filevine project open with the case name and all source documents in the "1. Pleadings & Filed Docs" folder
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- You have access to your Filevine account and eLegal account
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- You have the Complaint, Summons, and Civil Case Cover Sheet ready in the Filevine project
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---
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## Phase 1: Gather Documents from Filevine
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### Step 1.1 — Open Filevine and locate the case
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1. Open your web browser and navigate to your firm's Filevine portal
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2. In the project search or dashboard, locate and click on the correct case project (e.g., "10854 - Park Manor Apartments")
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3. **What you should see:** The project page loads with a left sidebar showing sections: "Activity," "Dates & Deadlines," "Property Contacts," "Documents," etc.
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### Step 1.2 — Navigate to the documents folder
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1. In the left sidebar, click on **"Documents"**
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2. You will see a list of folders (e.g., "1. Pleadings & Filed Docs," "2. Exhibits," etc.)
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3. Click on the folder labeled **"1. Pleadings & Filed Docs"**
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4. **What you should see:** A list of PDF files, including "CMP - Complaint," "CMP - Summons," and "CMP - Civil Case Cover Sheet"
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### Step 1.3 — Download the required files
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1. Hover your mouse over the file named **"CMP - Complaint"**
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2. Click the **Download icon** (downward arrow) that appears next to it
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3. Wait for the file to finish downloading (you'll see it appear in your browser's download bar or your computer's Downloads folder)
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4. Repeat steps 1-3 for the remaining two files: **"CMP - Summons"** and **"CMP - Civil Case Cover Sheet"**
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5. **⚡ Pitfall:** Do not skip any of these three files. You will need all three to complete the filing. The court will reject your filing if any are missing.
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### Step 1.4 — Open the Complaint PDF for reference
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1. Open your Downloads folder (or the browser's download bar)
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2. Double-click on **"CMP - Complaint"** to open it in a PDF viewer
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3. Resize and position this window so you can see both the PDF and the Filevine window at the same time
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4. **You will need to refer to this document again later** to copy the property address, city, state, zip code, and the damages amount. Keep it open throughout the entire filing process.
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---
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## Phase 2: Initiate the Filing in eLegal
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### Step 2.1 — Open the eLegal portal
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1. In a new browser tab (or a new window), navigate to the eLegal portal
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2. Log in with your credentials if you are not already logged in
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3. **What you should see:** The eLegal Dashboard with several options. Look for a large orange button in the center of the screen labeled **"Initiate a New Case"**
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### Step 2.2 — Start the new filing form
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1. Click the orange **"Initiate a New Case"** button
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2. **What you should see:** A "New Filing" form appears with numbered sections. The first section is labeled **"1. Select Court & Case Type."**
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---
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## Phase 3: Enter Court and Case Details
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### Step 3.1 — Select the court
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1. Find the **"Court"** dropdown menu in Section 1
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2. Click to open it
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3. Type **"Alameda"** (or the appropriate county name for your case) into the search/filter box
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4. From the filtered results, select **"Alameda County Civil"** (or the corresponding civil court option — make sure to select "Civil," not any other variant)
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5. **What you should see:** The selected court appears in the field
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6. **⚡ Pitfall:** Do not select a criminal or family court by mistake. Always verify the word "Civil" is part of your selection
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### Step 3.2 — Select the case type
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1. Find the **"Case Type"** dropdown menu, located below the Court selection
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2. Click to open it
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3. Type **"Unlawful Detainer"** into the search box
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4. From the results, look for an option that matches your case based on the damages amount shown in the Complaint PDF
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5. **Check the Complaint PDF:** Look at the top-right corner of page 1 of the Complaint. It will state the total damages sought, such as:
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- If it says **"over $35,000"** → Select the "Civil Unlimited" option
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- If it says **"$10,000 to $35,000"** → Select the "Civil Limited" option
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6. Click to select the matching case type (e.g., "Unlawful Detainer - Commercial ($10,000 to $35,000) - Civil Limited")
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7. **What you should see:** The selected case type appears in the field
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8. **⚠️ Stumble:** If you are unsure whether to select "Limited" or "Unlimited," stop and re-read the damages amount from the Complaint PDF
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---
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## Phase 4: Enter Property and Party Information
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### Step 4.1 — Enter the release zip code and court location
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1. Find the **"Release Zip & Court"** field below Section 1
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2. Type the property zip code from the Complaint (e.g., **"94544"**)
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3. From the auto-suggested dropdown, select the correct courthouse (e.g., "94544 - Hayward Hall of Justice")
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4. **What you should see:** The court location auto-populates based on your zip code selection
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### Step 4.2 — Enter the premises address
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1. Find the **"Address"** field
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2. Go to the Complaint PDF window
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3. Highlight and copy (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C) the full property address from the document (e.g., "27250 Sleepy Hollow Ave, Unit #212")
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4. Click into the Address field in eLegal and paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V)
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5. **What you should see:** The address appears exactly as copied
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6. Repeat this same process for the **City** field, **State** field, and **Zip Code** field — each time reading from the Complaint PDF
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---
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## Phase 5: Upload Required Documents
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### Step 5.1 — Upload the Complaint
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1. Scroll down to find **Section 2: "Add Documents"**
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2. Click the **"Document Type"** dropdown
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3. Type **"Complaint"** and select it from the list
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4. A **"Click to Upload"** area will appear next to the label
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5. From your Downloads folder, locate the **"CMP - Complaint"** file
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6. Drag and drop (or browse and select) this file into the upload box
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7. **What you should see:** The filename appears in green, indicating a successful upload
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8. **⚡ Pitfall:** If you upload the wrong file (e.g., Summons instead of Complaint), the court will reject your filing. Double-check that the Document Type label matches the file name
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### Step 5.2 — Upload the Summons
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1. Click the **"Add Another"** button or "+" icon to create a new document row
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2. In the new row, click the **"Document Type"** dropdown
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3. Select **"Summons"**
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4. A new upload box appears
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5. Drag and drop the **"CMP - Summons"** file into this box
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6. **What you should see:** The filename appears in green
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### Step 5.3 — Upload the Civil Case Cover Sheet
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1. Click **"Add Another"** for a third row
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2. Select **"Civil Case Cover Sheet"** as the Document Type
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3. Drag and drop the **"CMP - Civil Case Cover Sheet"** file into the upload box
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4. **What you should see:** The filename appears in green
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5. Verify all three documents show green checkmarks or confirmation text
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---
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## Phase 6: Add Parties and Select Services
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### Step 6.1 — Select the representing attorney
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1. Scroll down to find the **"Representing Attorney"** field
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2. Click the dropdown menu
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3. Select your name (e.g., "Todd B. Hubbard")
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4. **What you should see:** Your name appears in the field
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5. **Note:** This field does not auto-populate based on your login — you must select it manually every time
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### Step 6.2 — Add the Defendant party
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1. Scroll down to the **"Parties"** section
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2. Click the **"Add Party"** button
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3. A new form appears with a **"Role"** dropdown
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4. From the Role dropdown, select **"Defendant"**
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5. Fill in the defendant's **Last Name** and **First Name** from the Filevine document viewer
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6. If the defendant has an Address listed in Filevine, copy and paste it into the address fields
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7. Scroll down to the **"Party We Represent"** section and check the checkbox next to this party
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8. **⚡ Pitfall:** Forgetting to add all defendants is a common error that will cause rejection. Double-check the Complaint document to see if multiple defendants are listed — you must add each one separately
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### Step 6.3 — Handle AKA/DBA Defendants (if applicable)
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1. If the Complaint lists any defendant with an AKA (Also Known As) or DBA (Doing Business As):
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2. Click **"Add Party"** again
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3. Select the appropriate role: **"AKA"** or **"DBA"**
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4. Enter the alternative name as First Name (and Last Name if applicable)
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5. In the "Party We Represent" checkbox, check this entry as well
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6. **⚡ Pitfall:** Do not merge AKA/DBA names into the primary defendant entry. They must be separate party entries with their own Role selection
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### Step 6.4 — Skip additional services (unless instructed otherwise)
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1. Scroll to the **"Additional Services"** section
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2. Verify that no checkboxes are selected for extra services like "Process Serving"
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3. **Leave this section empty** unless your supervising attorney has specifically instructed you to include a service
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### Step 6.5 — Select payment and calculate fees
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1. Scroll to the **"Payment Method"** section
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2. Click the **"Select Payment Account"** dropdown
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3. Choose the credit card designated for filing fees
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4. Scroll to and click the **"Calculate Fees"** button
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5. **What you should see:** The total fee amount appears on screen
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6. **⚠️ Stumble:** If you receive an error message after clicking "Calculate Fees," do not ignore it. Go back and review all party information fields for missing or incorrect data (typos in names, addresses, etc.)
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---
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## Phase 7: Review and Submit
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### Step 7.1 — Gather the courtesy email
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1. Switch to your Filevine window
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2. Click on the **"Vitals"** section in the left sidebar
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3. Locate the **project email address** listed there
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4. Copy the email address (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
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### Step 7.2 — Enter the courtesy email and verify
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1. Switch back to the eLegal window
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2. Scroll down to the **"Courtesy Email Notice"** field
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3. Paste the project email address from Filevine
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4. Scroll to the bottom of the form
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5. Check the box that says **"I have verified my filing information"**
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### Step 7.3 — Submit
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1. Click the **"Submit Filing"** button
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2. **What you should see:** A confirmation message appears, and the filing status changes to **"Pending"**
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3. Note the **Filing ID** and **Case Number** that appear on the confirmation screen — write these down or take a screenshot
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4. Mark in your Filevine project notes (in "Dates & Deadlines") that the filing has been submitted and note the Filing ID
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---
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## Phase 8: Retrieve Accepted Documents
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### Step 8.1 — Wait for the acceptance email
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1. After submitting, wait for an email to arrive from eLegal with the subject line: **"Filing ID [ID Number] Accepted on [Case Number] - [Case Name]"**
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2. **Expected timing:** The email typically arrives within **5–15 minutes**, though in some cases it may take up to 30 minutes
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3. If you do not receive the email within 30 minutes, refresh your inbox and check the spam/junk folder
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### Step 8.2 — Open the acceptance email
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1. In Outlook (or your email client), locate and click on the acceptance email
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2. **What you should see:** The email body contains a message stating that documents could not be attached due to size limits, with a link to "Click here" to view and download the filed copies
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3. Click the **"Click here"** link
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### Step 8.3 — Log in to eLegal (again)
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1. A new browser tab opens to the eLegal login page
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2. Enter your email and password
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3. Click **"Login"**
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4. **What you should see:** You are directed to a page titled **"Filing [ID Number] - Accepted"**
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### Step 8.4 — Download each accepted document
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1. On the acceptance page, you will see a table listing the filed documents with "Accepted" status and a **"View" icon** (eye symbol) next to each
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2. For **each document** in the list:
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a. Click the **"View"** eye icon
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b. A new window opens showing the PDF
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c. Click the **"Download"** button (downward arrow icon) in the top right of the PDF viewer
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d. When prompted, choose your Downloads folder and click **"Save"**
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e. Close the PDF viewer
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3. Repeat until every document has been downloaded
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4. **⚡ Pitfall:** Do not skip any document. All filed documents should be downloaded and archived
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5. **⚠️ Stumble:** If you accidentally click the "Add a Case" button instead, close that window and go back to the filing acceptance page
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---
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## Phase 9: Archive to Filevine
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### Step 9.1 — Upload documents to the correct folder
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1. Switch to your Filevine window
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2. Navigate to **"Documents"** → **"1. Pleadings & Filed Docs"**
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3. Open your Downloads folder in a separate window
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4. Select all the downloaded eLegal documents (Complaint, Summons, Cover Sheet, etc.)
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5. Drag and drop them into the "1. Pleadings & Filed Docs" folder in Filevine
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6. **What you should see:** An "Uploading [N] item(s)" progress bar appears at the bottom
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7. Wait for the upload to complete (the files will appear in the folder)
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8. **⚡ Pitfall:** Double-check you are uploading to "1. Pleadings & Filed Docs." Uploading to a different folder can cause confusion for team members and may result in documents being missed during review
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### Step 9.2 — Update the case number
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1. In the Filevine sidebar, click on **"Dates & Deadlines"**
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2. Find the field labeled **"Case Number"** under the "Complaint Info" section
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3. Look at one of your downloaded eLegal documents (or your notes from Phase 7)
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4. Copy the **case number** from that document (e.g., "23CV106510")
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5. Paste it into the Case Number field in Filevine
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6. Verify it appears correctly
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### Step 9.3 — Update the filing date
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1. Find the field labeled **"Date Case Filed"** with a calendar icon next to it
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2. Click the calendar icon
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3. Select the correct filing date (this should match the date shown on your eLegal acceptance page or email)
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4. **What you should see:** The selected date appears in the field
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### Step 9.4 — Final verification
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1. Review all entered data: case number, filing date, and document list
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2. Verify no error messages appear anywhere on the page
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3. Filevine saves changes automatically — no explicit "Save" button is required
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4. The workflow is now complete.
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---
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## Quick Reference
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| Field | Where to find the data |
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| Property Address, City, State, Zip | Complaint PDF (page 1) |
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| Damages amount (for Limited vs Unlimited) | Complaint PDF (top-right corner, page 1) |
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| Defendant Name(s), AKA/DBA | Filevine Documents section |
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| Case Type | Determined by property type + damages amount |
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| Courthouse | Auto-populated from zip code |
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| Courtesy Email | Filevine → Vitals section |
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| Filing ID, Case Number | eLegal confirmation screen + acceptance email |
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| Filing Date | eLegal acceptance page or email |
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## Common Errors and Fixes
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| Error | Likely Cause | Fix |
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| "We cannot save because you are missing required fields" | Forgot to select a court, case type, or party role | Go back and fill in all blank required fields marked with an asterisk (*) |
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| Generic fee calculation error | Typo in party name, missing address line, or incomplete data | Review every party field for accuracy; check names, addresses, and roles |
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| Court rejects the filing | Wrong document type selected (e.g., Summons uploaded as Complaint) | Delete the incorrect file, re-select the correct Document Type, and re-upload |
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| "Limited" vs "Unlimited" case type confusion | Not checking damages amount in Complaint | Read the damages figure — if over $35,000 it is Unlimited; if $10,000–$35,000 it is Limited |
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| Missing acceptance email after 30 min | Email delay or spam filtering | Check inbox thoroughly, including spam/junk. If still missing, log into eLegal directly to check filing status |
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