Learn about eFIling

I Want To Learn about eFIling

COMING SOON!

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The Maricopa County Justice Courts are pleased to announce eFiling is coming to our courts by the end of the year. Our staff is working hard with the Arizona Supreme Court to bring this technology to our customers.  Upon implementation, we will accept case initiation and subsequent filings for civil, evictions, and small claims cases through an online portal, eFileAZ. 

Note that the process and details on this page are subject to change between now and the program's debut and afterward as updates take place.

To get yourself ready, the Supreme Court's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) provides the resources and training materials below. We encourage to you to review this information before the expected launch date in December:


What is eFiling?
  • eFiling (electronic court filing) is the secure, online transmission of legal documents and paperwork to a court instead of submitting physical paper copies in person or by mail. 
  • eFileAZ is the approved electronic filing service provider the AOC chose for the Justice Courts of Maricopa County.

How e-Filing Works
  • Submission: Attorneys, legal representatives, or those representing themselves upload their legal documents through an online portal with eFileAZ. Filers will pay the filing and court fees during the submission process.
  • Clerk Review: The court clerk reviews the submission. If it is complete and compliant with local rules, statutes, and processes, the court accepts it and updates the electronic docket. If found to be deficient, the clerk will reject the submission. The filer will receive an email noting acceptance or the reason for the rejection.
  • Access: Approved documents become instantly accessible in eFileAZ to parties who have successfully efiled into the case.

FAQs

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Who can eFile?
  • Attorneys
  • Self-represented litigants (those without an attorney, also known as pro se or pro per)
  • Legal paraprofessionals
  • Process servers
  • Anyone!

Do I have to use eFiling?
  • eFiling will always be optional for self-represented litigants (those without an attorney).
  • The AOC will eventually make it mandatory for attorneys and legal paraprofessionals. Continue to check this page for updates.

What cannot be eFilied?
  • Certain documents are excluded. They are listed in the guidelines for eFiling.

What guidelines cover eFiling at the Maricopa County Justice Courts?

Will batch eFiling be available?
  • Batch eFiling (submitting multiple cases at once) will not be available at the time of go‑live. All filings must be submitted individually through the eFiling portal.
  • The AOC is exploring options for expanding functionality in the future, and any updates regarding batch eFiling will be announced as they become available.

Will I need specific forms for eFiling?
  • The Arizona Supreme Court has forms available for free at the online Self-Service Center.
  • Current Justice Court forms are not compatible with eFiling but are being converted and will be available to download from our website for free.

What are the costs to eFile?
  • $6.50 to start a new case.
  • $6.50 for each new "lead" document added to an existing case (i.e. answer, counterclaim, motion, etc)
  • $3.80 for electronic service upon parties to the case or their attorneys.
  • 3% processing fee

Note: These costs are in addition to the standard court filing fees outlined in Arizona laws. Those filing fees are listed here.


What if my submission is rejected?
  • You will receive an email explaining the deficiency.
  • The standard court filing fees will be refunded or not charged.
  • The above eFiling fees are non-refundable.
  • If you wish to try again, you must restart the process.

What if I need legal advice or have legal questions?
  • Administrative Order 2007-28 prevents court staff from giving legal advice.
  • You should consult an attorney with your legal questions.
  • We have a listing of free or low-cost legal resources on this web page.

Customer Support

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Personal Assistance with eFiling:

Justice Court clerks may help with only:
  • Documents returned as “deficient”
  • See our Locations page for court contact information.

The AOC has a support center to assist with all other general eFile questions including:
  • Refunds
  • Technical or document upload questions for the eFileAZ portal
  • Training Information

Reach the AOC support team at:
  • Phone: 602.452.3519 or 800.720.7743
  • Email: pasupport@courts.az.gov
  • Available days: All court days (no holidays/weekends/etc)
  • Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Get Ready!