The Atlanta Lawyer February / March 2019 | Page 15

stood which can cause frustration to the filer. State: Nothing at all, we love e- filing. 6) What are some of the most common user errors? What ad- vice do you have for users so as to avoid these problems? Sup: A few of the most common user errors are incorrect case numbers/parties on documents, documents submitted to the wrong court, and missing signatures on pleadings. I would advise users to always double check their filings. Filers using Peach Court should pay attention to the details/notes on the side panel of their screens. That area usually provides tips on how/what to do. Users should review the e-filing guide/tips posted on our website (www.cobbsuperiorcourtclerk. com ). State: Submitting Summons as Miscellaneous. The Summons and Civil Case Initiation Form is automatically generated when the filers enter the parties. Don’t submit the Plaintiff’s and/or Defendant’s Portion of Proposed Pre-Trial Orders as a “Proposed Order” when it’s just the Plaintiff or Defendant’s Portion. These should be filed under the document type “Pleadings” so that they receive a filed in stamp. The only time the Consolidated Pre-Trial Orders are not filed in, is when both parties have signed. The Order would be filed-in upon Judge’s signature. Incorrect case number – the case number on the pleading doesn’t match what the filer selected. Verify all information prior to submitting. Attorney signatures are missing completely or only have S/ with no name after. We must have at- torney’s signature on the pleading, if they use S/, then they need to type or handwrite the actual name. All pleadings should not be scanned in one PDF (i.e. Motion, Brief in Support, Affidavit). Each should be submitted in separate PDFs in or- der for each to be file-stamped in. On the Garnishments, the amounts listed on the Summons do not match the amount on the Affida- vit. Verify all information prior to submitting. Answers to Garnishments being submitted in a separate PDF un- der the document type “Answer”, which will receive a filed in stamp. The Answers are not filed in, until submitted by the Garnishee. The Answers can be attached to the Affidavit of Garnishment. 7) Although e-filing can save the court money, are there added expenses, and if so what are they? Sup: I am not aware of any added expenses for the court at this point. State: As of January 1st, Cobb County State Court Clerk’s Office has gone paperless only on cases initiated on or after January 1st. Files initiated prior to 2019 still have to be handled as a paper fil- ing. We have three colored print- ers solely dedicated to printing the e-filed pleadings in color. The cartridges for these printers are very costly as well as copy paper. 8) If attorneys have questions about e-filing, what is the best way to get them answered or who should they contact? Sup: Attorneys that have ques- tions concerning e-filing have a few options for getting assistance. They can contact the Clerk’s Of- fice directly or Peach Court which has online chat/support, as well as customer support personnel avail- able via phone. State: The attorneys can call our office and we will try to assist the attorneys the best we can. If it’s something we’re unsure of, we will contact PeachCourt to get the answers. This also helps us learn how we can better assist other cus- tomers in the future. We also will refer the customer to call Peach- Court directly, if we are not able to provide enough information or direction. The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association THE ATLANTA LAWYER 15