Superior Court of Los Angeles County Expands Criminal Case Electronic Filing on New In-House Platform, Improving Communication and Efficiency
Pilot Program Now Underway with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for Out-of-Custody Felony Cases from the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station
The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is expanding its new electronic filing (efiling) platform with select Los Angeles County justice partners that will dramatically improve inter-agency communication and efficiency in criminal cases after initially launching efiling for probation reports earlier this year. Beginning with out-of-custody felony cases from the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station and in collaboration with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the expanded efiling platform allows a justice partner to file court documents electronically, replacing a paper records system.
“The fair, timely, and effective resolution of cases depends on the strength of the partnership between the Court and those who serve alongside it in the pursuit of justice,” Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II said. “The expansion of our electronic filing pilot program marks a meaningful step forward, allowing our justice partners to file case documents remotely and securely, while freeing them from the burdens of paper records and the delays they so often impose. We are grateful to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and his office for their partnership in this effort, and we remain committed to identifying new ways to make our court operations more efficient, accessible, and responsive to those we serve.”
Prosecutorial agencies are required to file paper documents in-person at courthouses. With the new pilot, select district attorney office filers will efile documents remotely and securely, eliminating paper handling, review time, and significantly streamlining courthouse operations by enhancing the Court’s ability to maintain complete and easily accessible records. Data from participating prosecutorial agencies is securely digitized with documents and signatures submitted electronically.
“Electronic filing makes the criminal justice system more efficient, more accessible and removes unnecessary delays for one of the largest court systems in the nation,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “Electronic filing for out-of-custody felony cases is a meaningful step and my office is committed to helping bring it to every courthouse across the county. I want to thank our partners at the Superior Court of Los Angeles County for expanding this pilot program, ensuring that this is another valuable investment in public safety.”
The initial pilot will only include out-of-custody felony cases, such as individuals released on bail, on their own recognizance, citation or summons.
Direct Integration with Justice Partners Built on CourtStack
The pilot’s efiling system relies on CourtStack to integrate this new efiling solution with the Court’s case management system. Developed in collaboration with California Trial Courts and the Judicial Council of California, CourtStack is a development platform that empowers the delivery of digital court services in a manner that’s intelligent, efficient and cost effective. Existing applications built on CourtStack include LACourtConnect, the Court Access Portal, and CourtWays, the Court’s digital signage solution.
Future Expansion of Electronic Filing to Other Justice Partners
This pilot builds on the new efiling platform’s ability to receive efiled documents from the Los Angeles County Probation Department. The Court plans to use this pilot to solicit feedback from justice partners with the aim of expanding efiling to other justice partners and criminal case filings in the coming months.
This pilot aligns with the Court’s broader goal of transitioning to electronic documents across all litigation types in alignment with the Court’s 2025-28 Strategic Plan, which calls upon the Court to embrace new solutions, technologies, and approaches with the goal of enhancing the court user experience.
You can view the full notice here.
First Legal, your premier litigation support provider.
