Cal. R. 8.73

As amended through September 20, 2024

Rule 8.73 - Contracts with electronic filing service providers

(a)Right to contract

(1) The court may contract with one or more electronic filing service providers to furnish and maintain an electronic filing system for the court.

(2) If the court contracts with an electronic filing service provider, the court may require electronic filers to transmit the documents to the provider.

(3) If the court contracts with an electronic service provider or the court has an in-house system, the provider or system must accept filing from other electronic filing service providers to the extent the provider or system is compatible with them.

(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2011.)

(b)Provisions of contract

The court's contract with an electronic filing service provider may allow the provider to charge electronic filers a reasonable fee in addition to the court's filing fee. Whenever possible, the contract should require that the electronic filing service provider agree to waive a fee that normally would be charged to a party when the court orders that the fee be waived for that party. The contract may also allow the electronic filing service provider to make other reasonable requirements for use of the electronic filing system.

(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2017.)

(c) Transmission of filing to court

An electronic filing service provider must promptly transmit any electronic filing and any applicable filing fee to the court.

(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2011.)

(d) Confirmation of receipt and filing of document

(1) An electronic filing service provider must promptly send to an electronic filer its confirmation of the receipt of any document that the filer has transmitted to the provider for filing with the court.

(2) The electronic filing service provider must send its confirmation to the filer's electronic service address and must indicate the date and time of receipt, in accordance with rule 8.77.

(3) After reviewing the documents, the court must arrange to promptly transmit confirmation of filing or notice of rejection to the electronic filer in accordance with rule 8.77.

(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2017; previously amended effective January 1, 2011.)

(e)Ownership of information

All contracts between the court and electronic filing service providers must acknowledge that the court is the owner of the contents of the filing system and has the exclusive right to control the system's use.

Cal. R. Ct. 8.73

Rule 8.73 amended and renumbered effective 1/1/2017; adopted as rule 8.75 effective 7/1/2010; previously amended effective 1/1/2011.

Advisory Committee Comment

The definition of "electronic service" has been amended to provide that a party may effectuate service not only by the electronic transmission of a document, but also by providing electronic notification of where a document served electronically may be located and downloaded. This amendment is intended to modify the rules on electronic service to expressly authorize electronic notification as a legally effective alternative means of service to electronic transmission. This rules amendment is consistent with the amendment of Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, effective January 1, 2011, to authorize service by electronic notification. (See Stats. 2010, ch. 156 (Sen. Bill 1274).) The amendments change the law on electronic service as understood by the appellate court in Insyst, Ltd v. Applied Materials, Inc. (2009) 170 Cal.App.4th 1129, which interpreted the rules as authorizing electronic transmission as the only effective means of electronic service.