The Court's online Electronic Filing
System (EFS) allows you to send documents to the Court
and pay fees online and, where appropriate, receive documents
back signed and sealed. Use the links below to access
the EFS and to obtain more information about it.
The rules governing electronic filing
are located in Order
1 5AC of the Federal Court Rules. The following information
is a summary of those rules and provides extra information
about accessing and using the Court's online EFS.
To access the system, select 'eCourt'
from the Main menu and then select 'Electronic
Filing' from the sub-menu.
What
documents can be sent on the EFS?
Practically all Court forms, whether
or not they attract fees, may be sent using the EFS.
However, complex documents such as maps, (where photo-reduction
results in poor image quality or loss of scale) or where
colour is a critical component of the case (eg, in an
intellectual property or Native Title case) may not be
suitable for electronic filing.
Is there
a prescribed format or a limit on the file size?
The documents lodged electronically
must be in any version of Microsoft Word (.doc), Rich
Text Format (.rtf), Portable Document Format (.pdf),
Tagged Image Format (.tif), Graphical Information Format
(.gif) or Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpg).
A single application filed with the
Court (zipped or unzipped) should not be more than 100
pages when printed (inclusive of any annexure or attachment).
How are
signatures to be affixed?
Where a document has to be signed,
a facsimile of the signature must be affixed on the document
by electronic means. Alternatively an image of the signed
document may be submitted. Affidavits may only be filed
electronically by sending an image of the document in
a prescribed format and access to a scanner will be required
for this purpose.
Payment of
fees on-line
The EFS allows you to pay on-line
the fees relating to the document being submitted. Payment
may only be made using VISA or MasterCard.
When are
documents received and accepted at the Court and how
are they returned?
A document is not accepted or filed
with the Court until it is received, checked for completeness
and accuracy and stamped by the Court. Documents received
by 4.30pm (local registry time) are considered to have
been received on that day. Documents received after 4.30pm
will be noted as being received at the start of business
on the following day.
Documents are returned either by email,
fax, post or held for collection, depending on the preference
of the sender (as stipulated on the EFS when sending
the document).
Registering
as a User
You may register as a user on-line
through the EFS without any assistance from Court staff.
Just click on 'Logon' and then the prompt under the 'Register
as a User' heading and complete all the registration
details. When you register as a user, the system stores
most of the information you enter eg your name, address,
contact details etc so that you do not have to re-enter
it each time you send a document to the Court.
Step by step
guide
The following is a step by step guide
to assist you in the use of the Court's Electronic Filing
System (EFS). There is also an on-line tutorial to assist
you. Before you start using this guide please ensure
that:
You have ascertained whether a
fee is payable and if so have your credit card details
on hand; and
you have completed and have on
hand the forms/documents you wish to submit, (including
any application form for waiver/exemption of fees),
in the correct electronic format.
1. Select 'eCourt' from the Court's
website main menu, then select 'Electronic Filing'. The
electronic filing menu contains the options E-filing
information, Logon and Tutorial. First time users are
advised to read the e-filing information before proceeding.
2. Select Logon then, if you have
registered as a user, enter your Name and Password and
click on 'Submit'. If you have not registered as a user
you will need to do so by clicking on the prompt under
the 'Register as a User' heading and complete the registration
details.
3. You are now presented with three
filing options - (a) filing a new application/appeal,
(b) filing documents in an existing case, and (c) re-submitting
a document. Option (c) would be used only when Court
staff advise you to re-submit a document that is deficient
or defective for some reason. Click on the Proceed button
next to the appropriate filing option.
4. The next screen contains the various
forms you can file. Select the form number that you wish
to file or select 'Other documents', then amend the quantity
('Qty' box) if you are sending more than 1 of that type
of form, and finally click on the relevant box ('corporation'
or a 'person/body') next to the fee amount. In some cases
there will be no fee.
5. A box appears asking you to click
'OK' if you want to select another form or 'Cancel' if
you want to proceed to the next screen. Remember that
you may select more than one form in the one transmission
as long as the total number of pages per document does
not exceed 100 pages.
6. If you click on 'Cancel' you move
to the screen that has sender's details, which you need
to complete. Most of this information would be pre-set
with the details you entered when registering as a user.
Amend 'Registry in which you are filing' details
if relevant. Then click on 'Submit'.
7. The next screen is where you attach
your documents. Click on the 'Browse' prompt. Select
the document you wish to send and click on it or on the
'Open' button to attach it. If you wish to have copies
of the document returned to you in hard copy, scroll
down and indicate the number of copies you require and
the number of pages in the document - a fee applies for
this service. You do not need to complete this segment
if you do not want copies or if you want the document
returned to you by email. Click on the 'Submit' button.
The system prompts you with a message asking if you want
to submit any further documents. Follow the procedure
outlined above in this paragraph should you wish to submit
further documents. Otherwise click on 'No'.
8. If the document you are sending
does not attract fees, the next screen you encounter
will be the final screen that provides you with a transaction
number. Print this sheet and retain for your records.
If fees are involved, you will move to another screen
where you either opt to continue to payment or select
the 'waiver/exemption' from fees option. The former takes
you to the payment screen, the latter to a document attachment
screen, to attach your waiver/exemption form (if you
have already attached your waiver/exemption form in (7)
above, you should select the 'continue to payment' option).
9. If you selected the waiver/exemption
option, attach the document as in (7) above. If you opted
for 'continue to payment', you move to the payment screen
where you either enter details of your credit card and
click on the authorisation to charge your credit card
button, or click on 'Continue without Payment' giving
reasons for non-payment in the remarks box.
10. The final screen contains details
of your transmission and allocates a transaction number.
Print this screen and retain for your records.
