What if I don’t have Internet access?
What if I don’t have Internet access?
Neither The Florida Bar nor the Supreme Court can help lawyers who are looking to delay compliance with the April 1 deadline mandating electronic filing for all civil trial court cases and for appeals filed with the Supreme Court. Local court clerks also are not authorized to issue exemptions.
According to Rule of Judicial Administration 2.525(d), which deals with exemptions for e-filing, the only attorneys who may continue with paper filing after the deadline are those who qualify for an exemption for mandatory service by email under Rule 2.516(b)(1)(B). (Evidentiary exhibits and non-documental materials are also exempt, and documents over 25 megabytes may be filed on CD-ROM, flash drive, or other digital means.)
Rule 2.516(b)(1)(B) provides: “Service by an attorney on another attorney must be made by email unless excused by the court. Upon motion by an attorney demonstrating that the attorney has no email account and lacks access to the Internet at the attorney’s office, the court may excuse the attorney from the requirements of email service.”
