Rules governing electronic filing
Massachusetts E-Filing Rules
The Supreme Judicial Court published the Massachusetts Rules of Electronic Filing (SJC Rule 1:25), effective September 1, 2018 (with amendments effective June 1, 2020), which govern e-filing generally in various courts of the Commonwealth. Participants are expected to be aware of the provisions in these rules before registering for electronic filing.
Electronic filing in the SJC–Single Justice session
At this time, all SJC–Single Justice case types are eligible for electronic filing through eFileMA.com. This includes the initial filing of a case, as well as all subsequent pleadings. The office of the SJC Single Justice Clerk's Office accepts the electronic filing of most documents, including those that are impounded.
Mandatory Supreme Judicial Court–Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
All case initiating filers must submit a completed Supreme Judicial Court–Single Justice Case Cover Sheet when using eFileMA.com for new Single Justice cases at the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC). Failure to file the completed case cover sheet will result in the rejection of your filing.
The fillable form is already in PDF format. All fields on the form must be completed. If a request for information is inapplicable to your case, please enter “N/A.” If inadequate space is provided for the information requested, please provide the additional information in an attachment, and filed in the same PDF as the cover sheet. The cover sheet may be signed electronically by the person filing. Once fully completed, simply "save" the form for upload. Incomplete cover sheets will not be accepted for filing.
To the extent that any request for information on the cover is not clear, please refer to the instructions for each section or call the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for the County of Suffolk at 617-557-1100.
Payment and waiver of e-filing vendor fee
In addition to the statutory filing fees, the Supreme Judicial Court has authorized the e-filing vendor (Tyler Technologies) to charge fees for use of the site.
The vendor fee is a flat rate of $22 per case and is charged only to the plaintiff or petitioner when a case is initiated by e-filing, unless the filing fee has been waived by the court. Please note, credit card providers also charge a payment service fee of $9.74. Regardless of whether a case is initiated by e-filing, in-person, or by postal mail, no vendor fee will be charged for any subsequent e-filing made by any party to the case.
You may waive this fee by using a "waiver account" set up as a "payment method" in the eFileMA.com system. You may use a waiver account when filing with the SJC-Single Justice session if:
- You represent the Commonwealth.
- You represent a party who was found indigent in the lower court and are filing a motion to waive the entry fee supported by an affidavit of counsel.
- You are a self-represented plaintiff or petitioner and are filing an affidavit of indigency.
Use of a waiver account outside the above situations may result in a rejection of your filing.
How to register for e-filing through eFileMA.com
To e-file, a user must register with the Court's e-filing vendor at eFileMA.com. Importantly, registration with eFileMA.com constitutes consent to:
- Receive electronic service from attorneys or self-represented parties in all cases; and
- Receive electronic notifications from the Court in lieu of paper notices of the Court's actions, orders, judgments, rescripts, and decisions.
-
Getting registered
The e-filing vendor has produced short, instructional videos, "Getting Started Training Videos," that walk you through the process of registering your law firm, registering individual user accounts, and setting up payment accounts.
Attorneys with cases pending in the SJC-Single Justice session are encouraged to create this account with eFileMA.com and maintain their name and current email address on the eFileMA.com "Public List."
-
Steps for Massachusetts attorneys
If you are a Massachusetts attorney registrant:
- Either create a new "Firm" account or join an existing Firm account if one already exists
- You are required to use your business email address on file with the Board of Bar Overseers
- Check with your firm to see if a "Firm" account has already been created prior to registering a new "Firm" account
- For help with your "Firm" account registration and administration, access the eFileMA guides
Non-party filings
- For non-party filings, contact the Clerks’ office at (617) 557-1100 for instructions to file a motion to intervene.
-
Steps for out-of-state attorneys
If you are an out-of-state attorney:
- Registration of a Firm account requires a Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (BBO) number
- If you do not have a Massachusetts BBO number, you should register for a "Self-Represented" account
- A motion to be admitted pro hac vice must be filed by a Massachusetts licensed attorney
Non-party filings
- For non-party filings, contact the Clerks’ office at (617) 557-1100 for instructions to file a motion to intervene.
How to use eFileMA.com to serve other parties electronically and receive e-service
-
After registration
- By registering for eFileMA.com, you have consented to receipt of all SJC-Single Justice notices by email only and the service of all documents e-filed through eFileMA.com by email only.
- It is your responsibility to ensure that the court, opposing parties, and eFileMA.com all have your current and correct email address.
-
Adding yourself to the (required) public service list
Upon registering for eFileMA.com, you are required to add yourself to the public service list. To do this:
- Use the orange "Actions" dropdown in the upper-right corner
- Select either "Firm Service Contacts" if using a firm account, or "Service Contacts" if using an individual account
- Click the "Add Service Contact" button, and fill in your information
- Be sure that the "Make This Contact Public" box is checked, and click "Save Changes"
-
Serve other parties using e-filing
Serve other parties using e-filing by adding their service contact to a case. When the system prompts you for service contacts:
- Select "Add From Public List" from the actions dropdown, and search the public list for the attorney or party to receive service.
- If you have not already done so, you must also add yourself as a service contact to the case at this time to ensure you receive e-service of future e-filings by other parties in that case.
- If a party is not registered with eFileMA.com, you must then serve the document on that party by conventional methods (that is, in paper form).
How to e-file a new SJC-Single Justice Case and process payment
-
Prepare required filings for submission
- Include the mandatory Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
- Create documents according to the required PDF instructions
- Ensure all supporting documents are in searchable PDF form
- Separate different pleading documents into individual PDF files
- Follow the specifications for different types of documents
- Adhere to PDF file size limits
For best results preparing your filings, please refer to the sample list of potential reasons e-filed documents are rejected.
-
Prepare Case initiating documents
Case initiating documents should be uploaded and filed in the following order:
- Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
- Motion to Waive Filing Fee and Affidavit of Counsel or Self-Represented Plaintiff’s/Petitioner’s Affidavit of Indigency (if applicable)
- Petition/Application/Complaint
- Supplemental filings (e.g., Exhibits, Attachments, Record Appendix, Affidavits, Memorandum of Law, etc.)
Impounded documents
- A party filing a petition, complaint, or application, seeking to have the entire case or any pleadings or attachments impounded, must file a motion to impound in accordance with S.J.C. Rule 1:15.
- Impounded exhibits must be filed in a separate PDF file from public exhibits.
- If any of the above documents are impounded, refer to the instructions: how to file an impounded document into an existing case.
-
Start a new Single Justice Case
- Login to eFileMA.com
- Select "Start a New Case"
- Complete Case Information
- Under court location, select "Supreme Judicial Court - Single Justice (SJ Docket)"
- Fill in the required case information
- Click “Save Changes”
- Complete Party Information
- Fill in Plaintiff information
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Fill in Defendant information
- Click “Save Changes” button
- For each additional party, click “Add Another Party”
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Fill in Plaintiff information
- Login to eFileMA.com
-
File your Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
To proceed with filing your Supreme Judicial Court - Single Justice Case Cover Sheet:
- Choose Filing Type: e-file or e-file and serve
- Go to the "Filing Code" dropdown
- Under "Filing Code," select “E-Filed Case Cover Sheet”
- Fill in required filings fields
- Under "Lead Document," upload completed Single Justice Case Cover Sheet.
- Upon uploading the PDF, the Case Cover Sheet will appear below "Lead Document"
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Next, select the "Add Another Filing" button
-
File a Motion to Waive Filing Fee & Affidavit of Counsel (Attorneys)
If you are an attorney filing a motion to waive the filing fee supported by an Affidavit of Counsel. (If you are a Self-Represented Plaintiff or Petitioner, go to the next step):
- Under "Filing Code," select “Motion to Waive Filing Fee”
- Under "Lead Document," upload a motion to waive the filing fee
- Upon uploading the PDF, the motion will appear below "Lead Document"
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Upon uploading the PDF, the motion will appear below "Lead Document"
- Select the “Add Another Filing” button
- Under “Filing Code,” select the filing code "Affidavit of Counsel"
- Upload the supporting PDF affidavit of counsel
- Click “Save Changes” button
- If applicable, select the "Add Another Filing" button
-
File an Affidavit of Indigency (Self-Represented Plaintiffs/Petitioners)
If you are a Self-Represented Plaintiff/Petitioner filing an Affidavit of Indigency (if applicable):
- Under “Filing Code,” select “Affid Indigency c. 261, s. 27 A-G” filing code
- Under "Lead Document," upload a completed Affidavit of Indigency
- After uploading the PDF, the Affidavit of Indigency will appear below "Lead Document"
- Click “Save Changes” button
- After uploading the PDF, the Affidavit of Indigency will appear below "Lead Document"
- If applicable, be sure to file the supplement to the Affidavit of Indigency, select the "Add Another Filing" button
-
File a Petition, Application, or Complaint
- Choose Filing Type: e-file or e-file and serve
- Under "Filing Code," select correct filing code for the Petition, Application, or Complaint
- Refer to the Single Justice practice and procedure guidance for more information
- Under "Lead Document," upload a PDF petition, application, or complaint
- Click “Save Changes” button
- After uploading the "Lead Document,"select the "Add Another Filing" button to add any additional supporting documents
- Click “Save Changes” button
A new matter shall not be opened on a motion or letter.
Impounded documents
- A party filing a petition, complaint, or application, seeking to have the entire case or any pleadings or attachments impounded, must file a motion to impound in accordance with S.J.C. Rule 1:15.
- Impounded exhibits must be filed in a separate PDF file from public exhibits.
- If any of the above documents are impounded, refer to the instructions: how to file an impounded document into an existing case.
-
Pay case filing fees
There is a $315 case filing fee through the e-filing system unless you have filed the required documents for a waiver of the case filing fee. (Refer to Payment and waiver of e-filing vendor fee.) The vendor fee is a flat rate of $22 per case and is charged only to the plaintiff or petitioner when a case is initiated by e-filing, unless the filing fee has been waived by the court. Please note, credit card providers also charge a payment service fee of $9.74.
Once the documents are all submitted, follow the prompts in the Fees section.
- Select Payment Account
- If you filed either Motion to Waive Filing Fee and Affidavit of Counsel or Self-Represented Plaintiff’s/Petitioner’s Affidavit of Indigency according to 4(b) above, select waiver account If you have not already created a waiver account, refer to how to create a waiver account.
- Select Party Responsible for Fees
- Select Filing Attorney
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Select Payment Account
-
After your submission
Automatic notification
- Please note that when submitting filings to the court through eFileMA.com, a notification from eFileMA.com will automatically generate and be sent to you, acknowledging the submission.
- That notification does not mean that the SJC-Single Justice Clerk's Office has accepted your submission.
Courtesy copies
- Courtesy copies are used to provide courtesy notice to clients, other individuals, or courts/agencies as a convenience.
- Although they can be sent through the e-filing portal they do not satisfy the service requirement.
- Odyssey e-filing portal allows you to send courtesy copies to any email address, and the recipient will receive a confirmation of the filing as well as a copy of the document.
-
Next steps overview
Clerk's Office review
- Following the Clerk's Office's review of your submission, you will receive a separate notification from eFileMA.com stating that your filing has been either accepted or rejected (in the latter case, the notification will state the reason for rejection).
Clerk's Office acceptance or rejection
- After acceptance by the Clerk’s Office, you will receive notice of acceptance with an assigned docket number (e.g., SJ-2021-123). Once the case has been entered, you may then file and serve any additional documents by following the instructions for filing into an existing case.
- If your submission is rejected, you will receive an email containing the reason. Please refer to the sample list of potential reasons e-filed documents are rejected.
eFileMA.com registration
How to e-file documents into an existing SJC-Single Justice Case
-
Prepare documents for submission
- Create documents according to the required PDF instructions
- Ensure all supporting documents are in searchable PDF form
- Separate different pleadingdocuments into individual PDF files
- Follow the specifications for different types of documents
- Adhere to PDF file size limits
For best results preparing your filings, please refer to the sample list of potential reasons e-filed documents are rejected.
Impounded documents
- A party filing a petition, complaint, or application, seeking to have the entire case or any pleadings or attachments impounded, must file a motion to impound in accordance with S.J.C. Rule 1:15.
- Impounded exhibits must be filed in a separate PDF file from public exhibits.
- If any of the above documents are impounded, refer to the instructions: how to file an impounded document into an existing case.
- Create documents according to the required PDF instructions
-
File into an existing Case
- Login to eFileMA.com and select "File into Existing Case."
- Complete Case Information
- Under court location, select "Supreme Judicial Court - Single Justice (SJ Docket)"
- Find the case by docket number or party name
- Click the "Search" button
- Select the "Actions" arrow at the right-hand side of the correct case, and select "File into Case"
- The case and party information will fill in automatically.
-
Choose Type and Code of Filing
- Choose Filing Type
- e-file or e-file and serve
- Choose Filing Code
- Select the correct filing code for your document from the dropdown menu
- Fill in the required fields highlighted in red
- Choose Filing Type
-
Upload your document(s)
- Under "Lead Document," upload the PDF document
- Click “Save Changes” button
- After uploading the "Lead Document", select the "Add Another Filing" button to add any additional supporting documents
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Under "Lead Document," upload the PDF document
-
After your submission
Automatic notification
- Please note that when submitting filings to the court through eFileMA.com, a notification from eFileMA.com will automatically generate and be sent to you, acknowledging the submission.
- That notification does not mean that the SJC-Single Justice Clerk's Office has accepted your submission.
Courtesy copies
- Courtesy copies are used to provide courtesy notice to clients, other individuals, or courts/agencies as a convenience.
- Although they can be sent through the e-filing portal they are not intended as service.
- Odyssey e-filing portal allows you to send courtesy copies to any email address, and the recipient will receive a confirmation of the filing as well as a copy of the document.
-
Next steps overview
Clerk's Office review
- Following the Clerk's Office's review of your submission, you will receive a separate notification from eFileMA.com stating that your filing has been either accepted or rejected (in the latter case, the notification will state the reason for rejection).
Clerk's Office acceptance or rejection
- After acceptance by the Clerk’s Office, you will receive notice of acceptance with an assigned docket number (e.g., SJ-2021-123). Once the case has been entered, you may then file and serve any additional documents by following the instructions for filing into an existing case.
- If your submission is rejected, you will receive an email containing the reason. Please refer to the sample list of potential reasons e-filed documents are rejected.
How to e-file impounded documents into an existing SJC-Single Justice Case
-
Prepare impounded document(s) for submission
To file an impounded document through eFileMA.com, you will follow the same steps as any other document in an existing case.
Before filing impounded document(s) through eFileMA.com:
- You must identify any impounded document by marking the cover or first page as impounded
- Refer to S.J.C. Rule 1:25, Rule 11(c)
- When applicable, file a motion to impound clearly identifying the materials to be impounded
- Care must be taken not to overly designate documents as impounded
- Impounded exhibits must be filed in a separate PDF file from public exhibits
- All confidential information should be redacted wherever possible, or if infeasible, segregated in a separate PDF
- Failure to do so may result in a submission being rejected
Follow the same document preparation for filing in an existing case:
- Ensure all supporting documents are in searchable PDF form
- Create documents according to the required PDF instructions
- Separate documents into individual PDF files
- Adhere to PDF file size limits
- You must identify any impounded document by marking the cover or first page as impounded
-
File into an existing case
- Login to eFileMA.com and select "File into Existing Case"
- Complete Case Information
- Under court location, select "Supreme Judicial Court - Single Justice (SJ Docket)"
- Find the case by docket number or party name. Click the "Search" button
- Select the "Actions" arrow at the right-hand side of the correct case, and select "File into Case"
- The case and party information will fill in automatically
-
Choose type and code of filing
- Choose Filing Type
- e-file or e-file and serve
- Choose Filing Code
- Select the correct filing code for your document from the dropdown menu
- Fill in the required fields highlighted in red
- Choose Filing Type
-
Upload your impounded document(s)
Under "Lead Document," click the upload button and upload a PDF.
- Under "Lead Document," upload the PDF document
- Click “Save Changes” button
- After uploading the "Lead Document", select the "Add Another Filing" button to add any additional supporting documents (including public documents) to an envelope that contains an impounded document. For example, a single envelope may include a public motion, a public memorandum of law and impounded exhibits.
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Remember to segregate each of your filings into individual PDF documents
- Click “Save Changes” button
- Under "Lead Document," upload the PDF document
-
After your submission
Automatic notification
- Please note that when submitting filings to the court through eFileMA.com, a notification from eFileMA.com will automatically generate and be sent to you, acknowledging the submission.
- That notification does not mean that the SJC-Single Justice Clerk's Office has accepted your submission.
Courtesy copies
- Courtesy copies are used to provide courtesy notice to clients, other individuals, or courts/agencies as a convenience.
- Although they can be sent through the e-filing portal they are not intended as service.
- Odyssey e-filing portal allows you to send courtesy copies to any email address, and the recipient will receive a confirmation of the filing as well as a copy of the document.
-
Next steps overview
Clerk's Office review
- Following the Clerk's Office's review of your submission, you will receive a separate notification from eFileMA.com stating that your filing has been either accepted or rejected (in the latter case, the notification will state the reason for rejection).
Clerk's Office acceptance or rejection
- After acceptance by the Clerk’s Office, you will receive notice of acceptance with an assigned docket number (e.g., SJ-2021-123). Once the case has been entered, you may then file and serve any additional documents by following the instructions for filing into an existing case.
- If your submission is rejected, you will receive an email containing the reason. Please refer to the sample list of potential reasons e-filed documents are rejected.
PDF requirements for all electronic filings
Searchable Portable Document Format (PDF)
- All documents submitted for e-filing must be searchable PDFs
- Documents must be submitted as electronically converted PDFs rather than scanned PDFs whenever possible
- Scanned PDFs must be made searchable using an optical-character-recognition software
- Some office copier/scanners can do this automatically by setting them to text mode, or by enabling character recognition
- To make a PDF searchable after scanning, use "Recognize Text" in Adobe Acrobat's "Tools" pane, or use another tool such as FineReader Online or Smart OCR
File size limits
eFileMA.com imposes size limits on filings
- No individual PDF document may be more than 35 MB in size
- No "envelope" (which can contain multiple PDF documents) may be more than 50 MB in size
If your PDF files are too large, follow these steps to make them smaller and minimize file sizes.
Separate PDFs for different pleadings
- Each different pleading filed should be a separate PDF
- Do not merge multiple motions and different types of pleadings in a single PDF
- Multiple PDF files may be e-filed in one envelope, even if they are separate pleadings, as long as they relate to the same case and comply with the file size limitations
Specifications by document type
Please follow these specifications for PDFs when e-filing the following types of documents:
- Case Cover Sheet
- The Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet shall be saved and filed as a separate PDF.
- Single Justice Case Initiating Documents
- The petition, application or complaint, any appendix or exhibits, and the Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet shall each be saved and filed as separate PDFs.
- Requests to waive the filing fee
- Any motion to waive the filing fee and supporting affidavit of counsel or a self-represented plaintiff’s/petitioner’s affidavit of indigency shall be saved and filed as separate PDFs.
- Memorandum of Law
- Any memorandum of law shall be saved and filed as a separate PDF.
- Exhibits
- Impounded exhibits must be filed in a separate PDF file from public exhibits.
- Motions
- Any motion, supporting affidavit or exhibits shall be saved and filed as separate PDFs.
- Certificates of Service
- Certificates of service are required. Any certificate of service shall be saved and filed as a separate PDF.
Naming conventions
Special characters to avoid in file names
- [ ] (Square brackets)
- @ (At sign)
- # (Pound sign)
- $ (Dollar sign)
- % (Percent sign)
- ^ (Caret)
- & (Ampersand)
- ? (Question mark)
- \ (Backslash)
- / (Forward slash)
- + (Plus sign)
- = (Equals sign)
- " “ ” (Quotation marks: straight and curly)
- : (Colon)
- ; (Semicolon)
- , (Comma)
- < (Less-than sign)
- > (Greater-than sign)
- { } (Curly braces)
- | (Vertical bar/pipe)
Other details to check before e-filing
- Documents shall not be locked or otherwise password protected.
- Each document submitted for e-filing may contain electronic links, but only to navigate within the same document.
- For example, a table of contents may contain a hyperlink to the corresponding page later in the same document.
- You must verify the legibility and orientation of all PDF documents before e-filing them.
- Photos of documents cannot be accepted.
Next steps
What happens to my document after I submit it?
After you file a document, it goes into "Submitted" status, and you will receive a confirmation email. Next, a staff member of the Clerk's Office will review your document for compliance with these instructions. Based on this review, your document will either be accepted or rejected.
If your document is accepted, you will receive an email stating that it was accepted. A copy will also be emailed to anyone you added to the "courtesy copies" field, as well as anyone you selected as a service contact. Your document will then be docketed in your case. Note: An accepted filing is not the same as a granted motion; a document being accepted merely means that it is docketed. It is possible for an e-filed motion to be accepted and then subsequently denied.
If your document is rejected, it is most likely because it did not conform to the formatting or filing rules. You will receive an email stating the reason why the document was rejected. Please review the email listing the reason for rejection before attempting to refile.
Why was my document rejected?
SJC Electronic Filing, Rule 5 allows the Clerk to reject any e-filed document for any technical nonconformance and to allow resubmittal of a conforming document. The following list is a sample of potential reasons why a document that you attempt to e-file may be rejected:
- Attempt to enter a new case without filing an original complaint or petition (letters, motions and copies of trial court pleadings insufficient to initiate a new case)
- Attempt to file a new case without payment of filing fee, an attorney’s motion to waive the filing fee and supporting affidavit, or self-represented plaintiff’s/petitioner’s affidavit of indigency
- Attempt to file a new case without a Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
- Failure to complete all fields on the Supreme Judicial Court – Single Justice Case Cover Sheet
- Document not signed with either a scanned, handwritten signature or an electronic signature pursuant to SJC Rule 1:25, Electronic Filing, Rule 13.
- Improper use of Waiver Account. Payment required.
- Filing code selection does not match document.
- The post-case initiating document is missing a certificate of service.
- Document is illegible.
- Documents or pages are out of order, missing, or upside down.
- Document was filed in wrong case or court.
- Document attributed to the incorrect party.
- Failure to redact personal identifying information pursuant to S.J.C. Rule 1:25 (social security numbers, etc.)
- PDF is corrupt. Remove embedded fonts.
- PDF is not searchable using optical character recognition.
Accordingly, prior to submission, it is important to double-check that your submission does not contain one of the deficiencies listed above. If your submission is rejected, you will receive an email containing the reason.
Further e-filing questions
The eFileMA website has a self-service area (eFile knowledge base) with links to a variety of useful topics.
- For technical assistance with eFileMA, please visit their support page to call, email, chat, or access their help center.
- Should you require further assistance with procedural questions related to e-filing with the SJC – Single Justice Session, please call the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for the County of Suffolk at (617) 557-1100.