Filing Guide
Physical Filing vs. eFiling in California
Understand the differences between physical court filing and electronic filing — and when each is required under California court rules.
LDS Covers 46 California Superior Courts for eFiling
Legal Document Server is court-approved to eFile in 46 of California's 58 Superior Courts, including all major metropolitan areas. Many of these courts have mandatory eFiling requirements. More counties will be going live with their eFiling program in the near future. For all other counties, physical court filings are required. Legal Document Server has an all-in-one system that allows you to file throughout all of California.
Electronic Filing (eFiling)
eFiling allows attorneys and legal professionals to submit court documents electronically through a court-approved Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP) like Legal Document Server. Documents are transmitted directly to the court's case management system.
- Instant submission — no travel to the courthouse
- Real-time status updates and confirmation receipts
- Available 24/7 up to court cutoff times
- Automatic document stamping and return
- Reduced risk of rejection due to formatting checks
- Lower per-filing cost vs. physical runner fees
Physical Court Filing
Physical filing involves delivering paper documents directly to the courthouse clerk's office. This is still required in counties that have not yet implemented mandatory eFiling, and for certain document types in all courts.
- Required in counties without mandatory eFiling
- Necessary for certain document types (original wills, sealed records)
- Allows same-day filing for urgent matters in some courts
- Accepted in all 58 California Superior Courts
- Handled by LDS runners with court expertise
Courts with Mandatory eFiling
The following counties require eFiling for most attorney-represented civil filings. Family law, probate, and small claims may have separate rules — contact our support team or place a Concierge order to have our team verify the current requirement for your specific case type.
+ 36 additional counties. See the full list on our Locations page.
LDS Handles Both — From One Platform
Legal Document Server has an all-in-one system that allows you to file throughout all of California — whether your court requires eFiling or physical filing. Submit your order online and our team handles the rest, including verifying the correct filing method for your specific court and case type.