Need to initiate a new case? This guide provides general instructions on how to initiate a new case in the Los Angeles Civil division. While we’ll illustrate the process using an example of an Unlawful Detainer case type, the steps outlined are broadly relevant.

If you would like instructions on how to initiate a new case in a different Los Angeles Superior Court division, you may select one of the following options:

Complex Civil Family Probate Small Claims

Initiate a New Case

From the Dashboard, click Initiate a New Case

1. Select Court & Case Type – Choose the court location and case type to file your new case.

1. Court and Case Type – Choose the court location and case type.
2. Additional Case Data – These fields vary based on case type.
   • Incident Zip and Court – You may refer to LASC’s Filing Court Locator if you need to know the specific Courthouse to select for their Zip Code and Case type.
   • Jurisdictional Amount – Select the appropriate Jurisdictional Amount from the drop down for your Civil case
   • Demand Amount – Attorneys may add a Demand Amount in Limited Civil cases
3. Premise Address – Enter a Premise Address if applicable
4. Check Boxes – Select any applicable check boxes
5. Optional Case Data – Specific case types may have additional case data that is required for a case initiation

2. Add Documents – Define, select, and upload the documents that make up your filing.

1. Document Type – The court requires the Complaint be the lead document, so select and upload that first. Only after that, will you see the document types of Summons and Civil Case Cover Sheet to select as subsequent document types. The court would like the Civil Case Cover Sheet and Civil Case Cover Sheet Addendum to be submitted together in one PDF.
    
   Civil Document Name List (04/19/2021)
2. Document Description – After you have selected a document type, you will typically have a “Document Description” field. In this field, you should enter the exact and complete title of the document you are filing.
3. Click to Upload – Click the link to add your document. Our system will automatically convert most native file formats (i.e. Word, WordPerfect, JPG, PNG, GIF, TIF) into the Court’s preferred Adobe PDF format upon upload. Direct uploads of Word documents (.doc or .docx) are limited to specific document types that courts explicitly require in Word format, such as certain proposed orders.
4. Edit – Click the “Edit” button to edit a description, delete a document, or replace a document.

3. New Case Parties – Enter the required parties.

Each case type you choose has required parties that must be defined. You must list all the parties listed in your complaint, and they need to match the document’s spelling AND case 100% to increase your chances of the filing clerk accepting your submission.

Note – If your party name is something more than a First, Middle, and Last name, switch the TYPE field from Individual to Business.

1. Filers may select a Guardian Ad Litem, Incompetent Person, and/or Minor party sub role. (Check as many as applicable)
2. Address Unknown, International Address, and Save to Address Book check boxes:
   • Address Unknown: Check this box if a party’s address is unknown. However, it should be noted that the filing clerk may possibly reject the filing and request the filer enter one.
   • International Address: Check this box for a drop down with a list of countries to select. Additionally, checking this box makes the State and Zip Code fields no longer required; only the Counrty field.
   • Save to Address Book: Check this box to save the new party information to the account’s address book. Learn more…
3. Fee Exemption – if your party wants to submit a waiver of fees for the case, you will need to make sure to select Fee Waiver or Government Entity in the Fee Exemption drop down. Then you may return to section 2 above and add your Request to Waive Fees form.
4. Interpreter – Select the language for any Interpreter needed.
5. Representing Attorney(s) – Select any Representing Attorney from the menu, or click the Add Another Attorney link to add them.
6. Add Party / Copy Last Party Click either link at the bottom of this section to add additional parties.

4. Filing Party – Choose the party or parties you are filing on behalf of. If using a keyboard, select parties with the enter key instead of the spacebar.

5. Service Contacts – Add or select service contacts to perform electronic service. Service contacts provided by the court are annotated with and may not be edited.

1. eServe – To manage electronic service (e-service) recipients, simply select or deselect any listed contacts. If no contacts are currently available or if you need to add more, click the “Add Service Contact” link (Letter D). Please note that you can only edit or delete service contacts that you have personally added.
    
   If you do not want the opposing party (or any party) to view a document marked as “Confidential,” do not use electronic service for those parties. Electronically serving a party unequivocally means that you, the filer, are giving them access to that document.
2. Mail Service – Filers have the option to send accepted documents to any service contact via Certified and First Class Mail.
3. Name – You can add or edit a Mail Service address. However, the address will only be visible if a Mail Service type is selected in the preceding column; otherwise, only the contact’s name will be displayed.
4. Add Service Contact – Filers may click the”Add Service Contact” link to add new contacts to a filing.
5. Return Address – Make sure the “Return Address” listed is correct for any returned Mail Service.

Learn More About Service Contacts     Learn More About Mail Service

6. Filing Fees – Select a payment method to pay estimated fees.

Fees Breakdown

A. Court Document Fees – If any of your Document Types have fees associated with them, the first row(s) will list the document with its associated fees. If this amount looks incorrect, filers will want to choose a different document type above.

B. Los Angeles County Court Transaction Fee – The Los Angeles Superior Court currently charges filers $2.25 for each accepted filing.

C. EFM Convenience Fee – The Los Angeles Superior Court’s E-Filing Manager software provider, currently charges filers $3.50 for each accepted filing. This is the software the courts use to receive, review, and process filings that each e-filing service provider is integrated with.

D. Provider Service Fee – This is the fee your chosen provider (EFSP) charges for each accepted filing. Please refer to your EFSP for more information regarding their fees.

E. Payment Service Fee – The Payment Processor currently charges 3% the total fees for using a credit card or $1 for using an ACH payment type for each accepted filing.

Confirm Fees

F. Select Payment Account – Choose your payment type. Filers who select an ACH payment type will also need to select a credit card on file as backup. If you do not see your payment type, click the Add New Payment Method link below (Letter H).

G. Confirm Fee Calculation – Click the Confirm Fee Calculation link to see the estimated fees. The filing fees auto-populate from the court based on the Document Type(s) selected and the Additional Information entered. If the fees seem incorrect, you may need to change one of these types above.

H. Add New Payment Method – If you do not see your payment type in Letter F or wish to add a new one, click this link to add it.

Fee Waivers on a Case

Filers requesting to waive fees or exempt government filers will want to confirm the fees display as $0.00 before submitting or the system will charge you the Grand Total.

Learn How To Initiate a New Case in LASC Civil With a Request To Waive Court Fees

7. Review & Submit – Finalize your filing, review, and submit.

1. Filing for an Attorney – Select an attorney from the menu or click the “Add Attorney” link to add one.
2. Client Matter / Reference No. – Enter your firm’s Client Matter Number in the specified field if applicable. To send courtesy copies of this filing via email to clients or other relevant parties, enter their email address(es) in the designated area. Please be aware that these email recipients are not considered officially served, and both this feature and the Client Matter Number are for your internal records only.
3. If your court has the option to leave the clerk a memo, enter any sort of note here in the Note to Clerk box.
4. Review your entire filing for accuracy, Then check the box to acknowledge you have verified your filing information.

Submit Your Filing

Click the Submit Filing button. Clicking this button, sends your filing directly to filing clerk’s queue at the Court for review. Once all documents are successfully sent to them, the Court will return an envelope number with the date and time they received the full submission. This will be the date and time for the file stamp in your accepted filing. Any filing the Court receives weekdays after 11:59PM, on the weekend, or Court Holiday receives an accepted file stamp of the next Court business day.

On the Filing Status Screen, you will now see your filing is listed as pending. You may return to this screen at any time to see the current status for it and any other filing. Depending on the Court, it can take as little as a minute to review the submission to a few hours to a full business day. If it takes longer than that, the Court may have a backlog they are working through. If you are ever concerned about the status of a submission, the best thing to do is contact the Court directly and provide them with the Envelope Number on your filing.

Pre-authorization of Fees

Please be aware that upon submitting your filing, the court will initiate a pre-authorization on your payment card for the estimated filing fees. This pre-authorization is only finalized when your filing is accepted. If the court rejects your submission, the pre-authorization will not be settled and should automatically be removed from your account within 3 to 10 business days following the rejection date. The exact timeframe for this removal depends on your bank’s policies.

Learn More About the Pre-Authorization of Fees Learn More About Pre-Authorizations and Debit Cards