Electronic filing of civil documents

Electronic Data Interchange is a system-based exchange of documents. It removes the need for lawyers to personally file some civil documents with the Magistrates’ Court.

The EDI program allows authorised lawyers to electronically:

• file civil complaints
• file default judgments 
• issue warrants to seize property 
• issue summonses for oral examination.

By moving from a paper based exchange to an electronic process, lawyers benefit from increased processing speed and reduced physical contact with the Court.

See the civil matters section for information about the civil process in the Magistrates’ Court.  

Three suppliers provide EDI for the Magistrates’ Court:

• Litigation Guardian - Tailored Computer Systems.
• InfoTrack
• CITEC confirm

Registration information for each supplier can be found on their websites. EDI users must be employed by or be a registered Australian lawyer.

Registration information for each supplier can be found on their websites. EDI users must be employed by or be a registered Australian lawyer.

EDI at the Magistrates’ Court

A lawyer enters document details into their office computer using one of the provider’s systems. The data is electronically transferred to the Magistrates’ Court’s case management system (Courtlink) for validation.

If a transfer is successful, an email outlining the exchanged information will be provided to the lawyer. For example, a court case number and date of filing.

Once a transaction is confirmed, electronically held information is transferred by the lawyer’s computer onto formatted forms. The formatted forms are set out in accordance with the Magistrates’ Court General Civil Procedure Rules 2020 and are valid for service on the other party.

Lawyers are reminded that, pursuant to Order 4 of the Rules, the proper venue of the Court must be specified.

If the proper venue is not specified, the document may be rejected or the proceeding may be transferred to the proper venue of the Court, as determined by a registrar from the information contained in the filed document.

If an exchange is unsuccessful, an error message is emailed outlining what prevented the transfer.

Any court fees and transaction costs are electronically withdrawn from an account nominated by the registered legal firm or service provider.

See the fees and costs page for civil fees and EDI transaction costs.

For more information on the EDI program please contact the Court's EDI Service Team at mcvtechnology@courts.vic.gov.au