eFiling in the Land Court

Servicemembers and Tax Lien cases can be electronically filed with the Land Court Department.

All other Land Court case types must be filed by mail or in person.

Tyler Technologies is the provider of the Odyssey File and Serve system in which eFiling occurs in the Massachusetts state courts. The website is www.efilema.com. Prior to filings, the filer must register (e.g. provide contact information) and set up a payment account in Tyler. To initiate a case filing, the filer must input the case information (e.g. location: Land Court, Category: Servicemembers, Case Type: Efiled Complaint under Servicemembers Civil Relief Act ($255.00)). Then add a party type (e.g. required parties like Plaintiff/Defendant, contact information, and any additional parties. After entering parties’ information, the filer must choose the appropriate filing codes and upload their documents. For Servicemembers cases, the filer must add service contacts to the case. After uploading the documents for the case, the filer will need to submit payment. The final step is for the filer to review and verify the information prior to submission. Once submitted, an envelope number will be assigned, and the filer will receive email notice if the envelope has been accepted or rejected by the Land Court.

Electronic filing can be done by anyone who has access to a computer and the internet. Individuals such as self-represented litigants and attorneys, legal aid services, state agencies, law firms, etc. Paper filing with the Land Court is still accepted.

In order to eFile with the Land Court, the filer will need to register for an account on Tyler (www.efilema.com). After completing the registration portion, the filer will need to scan the required documents for filing a case.  Please refer to the Guide on How to eFile at the Land Court to learn how to register and what correspondences will need to be submitted, in order for the envelope to be approved. Follow the guide for a step-by-step instruction on how to complete the initial case filing and submit it to the Land Court in Tyler.

A defendant can file a Tax Lien Answer form with the Land Court electronically or on paper. As of March 30, 2022, an online guided interview program called “Guide and File” is available to help defendants complete and file a Tax Lien Answer form. It is set up in a question and answer format which guides the user through the questions. When the questions have been answered, the program generates a completed form for review. After review, it must be filed at the Land Court either electronically (eFile) or in person/by mail (on paper). When completing a Tax Lien Answer, it is helpful to have the Tax Lien Complaint and Citation on hand to help answer some of the questions, including the “Return Date” which is the date by which the Answer must be filed at the Court.

The Guide & File program does not provide legal advice and does not take the place of advice from a lawyer.

Access the Online Tax Lien Answer Guide and File 

The Administrative Office of the Land Court conducted a Tax Lien eFiling Training on January 26, 2022. This training was recorded on Zoom and the video recording can be viewed online at the above link.

What are the current fees to eFile with Tyler?

The filer must pay the standard Court Fee required for initiating a new case with the Land Court, and the eFiling system will insert the appropriate amount. 

The filer also pays a one-time eFile Provider Fee of $22.00 for each eFiled case envelope that initiates a new case (regardless of the number of documents included), as well as a Payment Service Fee on that eFiled submission ($0.25 per eCheck/ACH, or 2.89% for Credit Card).  These fees are charged at the time the initial case filing envelope is accepted by the court.  No fees are charged for eFiling an envelope into an existing case.

When is the cut off time to submit an eFile envelope?

The cut off time to submit an eFile envelope is 11:59pm of each day.

What is the maximum size for a document that can be uploaded into Tyler?

The maximum size is 25MB.

What type of files can I submit through Tyler?

Only PDFs can be uploaded through Tyler.

What are some common reasons that an envelope may be rejected?

Some common reasons include but are not limited to, a lack of service contacts, missing documents, incorrect docket codes, and lack of signature or e-signature on complaint and affidavit(s).  If rejected by the court, the filer has to refile the case in its entirety after necessary corrections are made based on the reviewer's comments.