E-Service
Objectives
o Effective Dates of E-Service
Requirements
o Formatting Requirements
o Converting a Word Document
into a PDF Document
o Creating Outlook Rules to
Streamline E-Service
o Checklist / Practice Aid
o Resources
April 2013
www.GuardianadLitem.org
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E-Service
Benefits
• Speed – Effective and Efficient
• Ease of Use
• Remote Access to Your Cases Easy to Track Status of
Case
• Anytime Access
www.GuardianadLitem.org
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E-Service
Deadline (SC10‐2101)
Service by E‐Mail:
Mandatory for all cases,
even those pending as of
October 1, 2013
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516
Service required all of the time
• Exceptions
• Unless the court otherwise orders
• An attorney can motion the court and ask to
have service by mail – must be done on each
case
Service may be made in ADDITION to E-Service
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516
Service on Attorneys
• An attorney appearing in a proceeding must serve a
designation of a primary e‐mail address
• Best Practice. Use the contact email address given
to Florida Bar – not required.
• Update at Find a Lawyer at www.FlaBar.org
• An attorney appearing in a proceeding may
designate no more than two secondary e‐mail
addresses
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516
Service on Attorneys
• All filings must include the primary and any secondary
e‐mail addresses designated by the attorney.
• Secondary not required (but if a secondary email is
designated you must serve on that email)
• An attorney who fails to designate an e‐mail address
does not avoid service by e‐mail on that attorney.
• Documents may be served on that attorney at the e‐mail
address on record with The Florida Bar.
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Searching E-Mail Addresses
www.Floridabar.org
Update
Your E-mail
Address
Here
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 - Designation of E-mail Address
No Specific Requirements
Suggested:
DESIGNATION OF E‐MAIL ADDRESSES PURSUANT TO RULE 2.516
As Program Attorney for the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program, pursuant to Rule 2.516, I
designate the following e‐mail addresses for the purpose of service of all documents required
to be served upon me or my client in this proceeding:
Primary E‐Mail Address: c7galdb.eservice@gal.fl.gov
Secondary E‐Mail Addresses: Assistant@gal.fl.gov and Service@gal.fl.gov (only if necessary)
[SIGNATURE BLOCK and CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE]
If you are an unrepresented person in this matter, and if you have not filed and served your
own designation of e‐mail address, you may not use e‐mail for serving any court document.
Rather, you must serve it by U.S. mail or some other authorized method provided in Florida
Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516 to the physical address appearing above.
From E‐Things v6.2 by The Florida Bar© 2013
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516
Changes in e‐mail addresses should be handled in the
same manner as changes in mailing addresses have
been handled.
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Time of Service
Service by e‐mail is complete when the e‐mail is sent
Service by e‐mail is treated as service by regular mail for
purposes of computing time.
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Format
The document served must be attached in a “PDF” format
Convert WORD Document to
PDF
1. Open WORD Document
2. Click FILE
3. Click SAVE AS
4. Go To SAVE AS TYPE drop
down Menu
5. Select PDF
Your document will be saved as
a PDF with the same name as
your WORD document
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516
Practice Tip. Utilize naming protocols that are descriptive
of the contents of the document.
• Motion For Service Referrals C.B.pdf instead of
csxrbzy42.pdf.
• Another Example: JRR then Case Number.
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Format of Subject Line
Subject: SERVICE OF COURT DOCUMENT 112012CA000070xxxxxx
• One Email to all being served
• The subject line of the e‐mail must:
• Begin with “SERVICE OF COURT DOCUMENT”
• All capital letters are required
• Followed by the case number of the proceeding in
which the document is being served
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Format of Body of E-Mail
The body of the e‐mail must include:
• The court in which the proceeding is pending.
• The case number.
• The name of the initial party on each side of the case.
• The title of each document served with that e‐mail.
• The sender’s name and telephone number.
Remember: More than one document may be
served in a single e‐mail
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Size Limitations
E-Mail and attachments cannot exceed 5MB
(Check draft email to see the size of your email)
• Compress documents
• Serve attachments in separate e‐mails
numbered sequentially in the subject line
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E-Service
Rule - 2.516 – Signing Documents
Traditional format still acceptable
• Print a hard copy, sign with a pen and scan the
signed document
The document being served may be signed using any of
the /s/ formats: /s/, /s, or s/
• /s/ Alan Abramowitz
• s/ Alan Abramowitz
• /s Alan Abramowitz
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E-Filing
Setting Up Standard E-Mail Service Address
Setting up E-Mail Service Address for Your Circuit:
• All addresses must be uniform (Circuit Number Identifier – GAL - Office
Identifier)
• Please set up in the format shown below
Circuit
Identifier
2-3 Characters
GAL
3 Characters
Circuit Field Office
Identifier
Email Address
2 Characters
C7
GAL
DB (Daytona Beach Office)
c7galdb.eservice@gal.fl.gov
C7
GAL
DL (Deland Office)
c7galdl.eservice@gal.fl.gov
C7
GAL
FC (Flagler County Office)
c7galfc.eservice@gal.fl.gov
C7
GAL
PC (Putnam County Office)
c7galpc.eservice@gal.fl.gov
C7
GAL
SJ (St. Johns County Office)
c7galsj.eservice@gal.fl.gov
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
www.GuardianadLitem.org
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
Set up Outlook 2010 to copy incoming e-mail service messages to a special
mail folder
Go to Outlook
1. Click File
2. Click Rules & Alerts
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
Set up Outlook 2010 to copy incoming e-mail service messages to a special
mail folder
Select
• New Rule
• Move Messages
with Specific words
in subject to a folder
• Click the highlighted
“specific words”
• Search Text Box will
appear
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
Type - Service of Court Here – click OK
It will appear here
Service of court will now appear in the
Rules Wizard Panel.
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
1. Click move to specified folder
2. In the choose a folder panel click
NEW
3. In the Create a New Folder –
Name the folder to collect your
e-service messages
4. Click OK
5. You will be directed back to the
Rules Wizard – Click Next
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
Make sure the
condition “which
has an attachment”
and “with specific
words” is checked
Click Next
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
1. Make sure “stop
processing more
rules” and “move a
copy to the specified
folder” are checked
2. Click “specified”
3. Click the new e-mail
folder you created
then click OK
4. Click Next
5. Be sure the “Turn on
this Rule box is
checked
6. Click Finish
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Outlook
Setting Up Outlook Rules
Files will appear
here when you
open your
Outlook
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Resources
E-Filing Portal Website. https://www.myflcourtaccess.com
Florida Courts E-Filing Authority Board web
http://www.flclerks.com/eFiling_authority.html
The Florida Courts E-Filing Authority Board was created pursuant to legislative directive to provide
oversight to the development, implementation and operation of a statewide portal designed to
process the filing of court documents.
Florida State Courts E-Filing Information web page
http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/technology/e-filinginfostatus.shtml
This site on the Florida State Courts technology website provides updated information and status of
e-filing in Florida.
E-Filing for the Florida Supreme Court
http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/clerk/eportal.shtml
E-Portal E-Filer Manual (revised Feb. 2013) http://www.flclerks.com/eFiling_Authority/Resources/Manuals/FACC_ePortal_eFiler_Manual_revised_February_2
013.pdf
E-Portal Document Submission Standards http://www.flclerks.com/eFiling_Authority/Resources/Manuals/ePortal_Document_Submission_Standards.pdf
www.GuardianadLitem.org
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