Courts: electronic filing and service of documents.

Existing law authorizes a trial court to adopt local rules permitting electronic filing and service of documents, subject to rules adopted by the Judicial Council and other specified conditions. Existing law also authorizes the court, in any action in which a party has agreed to accept electronic service, or in which the court has ordered electronic service, as specified, to electronically serve any document issued by the court that is not required to be personally served, in the same manner that parties electronically serve documents. This bill would authorize the Orange County Superior Court, until July 1, 2014, to establish a pilot project to require parties to eligible civil actions, as specified, to electronically file and serve documents, subject to rules adopted by the Judicial Council and other specified conditions. The bill would require the Judicial Council to conduct an evaluation of any pilot project established pursuant to that provision and report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2013, on the results of the evaluation. The bill would also require the Judicial Council to adopt uniform rules to permit mandatory electronic filing and service of documents in eligible civil actions on or before July 1, 2014. The bill would authorize a superior court to require mandatory electronic filing, as specified, upon the adoption of those uniform rules by the Judicial Council.