CHICAGO (AP) – Advocates and attorneys say Cook County’s new electronic filing system is confusing and may create barriers for low-income residents in the Chicago area.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the county launched the e-filing system July 1 by an Illinois Supreme Court order. The system is meant to increase court access and enable those without an attorney in civil cases to submit legal documents online instead of going to a courthouse.
But many paralegals and attorneys worry the system isn’t user-friendly for people filing motions on their own. Advocates also say the system’s requirement to have an email address and an electronic form of payment makes the process difficult for low-income registrants.
Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown says she’s working with the system’s vendor to make the platform more intuitive.
