Press Release
Court Expands Electronic Case Filing System
Family law, probate, mental health and adoption case files will transition to electronic database.
Oakland, Calif. – June 26, 2023 - The Superior Court of Alameda County will transition all family law, probate, mental health and adoption cases to a new electronic case management system this fall and is now offering demonstrations and informational sessions to raise awareness on how to use the system.
Beginning this week, the Court will provide demonstrations and answer questions from attorneys and others who frequently file and access court fillings for family court, probate, mental health and adoption. These demonstrations are being offered in anticipation of a transition of court files to the Journal Technologies’ eCourt case management system on September 5, 2023.
“We’re excited to be finally transitioning our last large volume of cases to a modern, secure and easy-to-use case management system,” said Presiding Judge Charles Smiley. “We hope to make the transition for these groups of users seamless and are offering as much assistance as possible before the transition is complete.”
Attorneys will be encouraged to begin e-filing on September 5, 2023, but mandatory usage will not occur until October 23, 2023. Litigants representing themselves can continue to visit the courthouse to file cases but are encouraged to e-file using the eCourt system. The final day to fax file documents will be at Noon on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
eCourt will provide all users a more streamlined approach to filing, reviewing and monitoring the development of cases in the court system. Among the significant changes will be electronic filing of most documents related to a case, an online court reservation system, elimination of fax filing and a modern interface that provides easier access to case files.
(Please note: A limited number of documents such as bench warrants, subpoenaed documents, and bonds, will continue to require in-person filings. Please review the court’s local rules for specific exemptions. Local rules for each area of law can be found here: https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/general-information/local-rules-forms).
While the Court does not oversee the electronic filing of cases, it can offer support and guidance to users on how to access and manage files once they are in the Court’s eCourt database. The electronic filling of cases is accomplished through third-party e-filing service providers.
If you’d like to participate in a Court online demonstration, please register by following the link below:
Online eCourt and e-filing demonstration registration: https://forms.office.com/g/GN5aVecrzX
A probate demonstration and Q&A session will take place on June 28 at 12:30 p.m. A family law demonstration and Q&A will take place on July 11 at Noon.