Small Claims Electronic filing (e-Filing) is the process of transmitting documents to the Court through an electronic medium, rather than in paper format. The Small Claims e-Filing system allows for the filing of Small Claims documents online.
The following Small Claims documents are available for electronic filing:
- Statement of Claim
- Reply to Statement of Claim
- Proof of Service of Statement of Claim
- Proof of Service of Reply to Statement of Claim
- Application for Default Judgment
- Summons to a Payment Hearing
- Proof of Service of Summons to a Payment Hearing
- Application for Summary Judgment
- Judgment
- Notice of Withdrawal
- Notice of Satisfaction
- Application to a Judge
- Residential Tenancy/Restitution Order Judgment
- Judgment Registration Form
All other documents must be filed by mail or in person at the courthouse.
How to e-File?
E-Filing is EASY! To file a document, follow these simple steps:
Just as if you filed in person, your document can be filed with the Court in the jurisdiction you select. You will be asked questions in a step-by-step format during the filing process. Each step is designed to assist you in accurately completing and submitting the necessary documents. Incomplete or inaccurate information may result in the delay or rejection of your claim. You will be notified via email of the status of your document. You will receive these status updates via the email address on file with the Office of the High Sheriff. This email address would have been supplied when registering for your Judgment Enforcement Registry account. An electronically filed document will be reviewed by court staff within one business day.
Documents filed through this system are available for viewing and/or editing. You may view a document at any time. You can only edit a document if it is in progress or has been rejected by the Court. A document filed electronically has the same legal effect as the original document. Filing a document electronically does not alter or extend any filing deadline. A document received electronically after the close of business is considered to have been filed on the next business day. The fees for filing electronically are the same as filing via mail or in person. To use this website, you must be able to pay for all fees with a valid credit card.
Payment by Credit Card
Filing a document which has a filing fee via the Small Claims e-Filing system is a two-step process. However, the second step usually involves no action on the part of the e-Filing user.
Step 1: After you complete the step-by-step process and have reviewed your document, you are asked to enter the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s ePayment Broker system. This is the same system used for collecting fees on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Motor Vehicle Registration website. This system will collect your credit card information and perform a validity check and pre-authorized debit. No money is charged on your credit card at this time. A pre-authorized debit places a hold of the amount equal to the document filling fee. For example, your document costs $100 to file, your credit card balance is $0, and your available credit card limit is $5000. After the pre-authorized debit, your credit card balance is $0 and your available limit is $4900. The hold placed on this $100 lasts 3-5 business days or until your document is accepted by the Court.
Step 2: If your document is accepted by the Court, your credit card is charged the applicable filing fee. In the example above, your credit card balance is now $100 and your credit card limit is $4900. If the 3-5 day pre-authorization period has expired prior to your document being accepted by the court, you will receive an email requesting that you access the e-Filing website and re-enter your credit card information. Some reasons for why pre-authorization might expire prior to acceptance by the Court include:
- Document filed leading into a holiday weekend.
- Court closures due to natural or man made occurrences.
If your claim is rejected, the Court will not charge your credit card. The pre-authorized debit will expire on its own after 3-5 business days. You will receive a rejection notice via email explaining why your document has been rejected. You may then edit and resubmit.
To enter the Small Claims e-Filing website, please click the link below.