Supreme Court offers electronic filing system

The Nevada Supreme Court's new electronic filing and access system is up and running.

Chief Justice Jim Hardesty said the court began accepting both civil and criminal filings from practicing lawyers through the Web-based system Thursday. Litigants can file documents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, attorneys and court clerks can pay filing fees, view and print documents and docket sheets using the system.

Hardesty said the system will not only provide unprecedented services but make court operations more effective.

"That means public dollars will be saved and public access will be enhanced," he said.

Private lawyers will also be able to save their clients' money because they won't have to ship or physically deliver documents to the court.

"The electronic filing of documents will allow all justices to receive the documents at the same time rather than having paper documents rotate from one justice to another," said Hardesty. "The improved efficiency is obvious and we hope the court can resolve appeals more quickly despite our growing caseload."

Opening the system to civil filings is the final step in the process. The pilot program started in March 2008 was for criminal fast-track cases only. In February, the court began accepting e-filings for all criminal cases.

Attorneys will also be able to initiate certain types of cases such as writ petitions electronically.