R.I. Sup. Ct. R. Art. X, R. 1

(a) Title. These rules shall be known as the Supreme Court Rules

Governing Electronic Filing.

(b) Purpose, Scope and Applicability. These rules establish procedures governing

the electronic filing of all documents to and from all of the courts within the Rhode

Island Judiciary (Judiciary). Upon implementation of electronic filing in each of the

courts, electronic filing of all documents shall be mandatory for all parties except

for incarcerated individuals or where a waiver is granted in accordance with Rule

3(c) herein. Self-represented litigants and other third parties may electronically file

documents in accordance with Rule 3(b) herein but are not required to do so. These

rules shall be construed liberally to promote the administration of justice by all of

the courts within the Judiciary.

(c) Definitions:

(1) Case Initiating Document(s). The first document(s) filed in a case.

(2) Case Management System (CMS). An electronic document repository database

maintained and managed by the Judiciary and administered by the respective courts

to track information used to manage the courts’ caseload, such as case numbers,

party names and identifiers, attorneys for parties, titles of all documents filed in a

case and all scheduled events in a case.

(3) Conventional Service. Service accomplished by traditional, non-electronic

means such as by mail or in person in accordance with the respective procedural

rules of the courts within the Judiciary.

(4) Electronic Case Information. Any document, information, data, or other item

created, collected, received, or maintained by a court in connection with a particular

case that is readable through the use of an electronic device. This definition does not

encompass data maintained by or for a judicial officer or court pertaining to a particular case or party, such as personal notes and communications, memoranda,

drafts, or other working papers; or information gathered, maintained, or stored by a

government agency or other entity to which the court has access but which is not

entered into the docket of the case.

(5) Electronic Document. The electronic form of pleadings, notices, motions, orders, exhibits, briefs, judgments, writs of execution, and other papers filed with a

court.

(6) Electronic Filing. The electronic transmission of a document in electronic form

to or from a court/clerk through the Judiciary’s electronic filing system or scanned

and filed into the Judiciary’s CMS at the clerk’s office. An electronic filing does not

encompass the submission or transmission of documents to or from the court through

other electronic means such as e-mail, facsimile, or computer discs.

(7) Electronic Filing System (EFS). An approved Judiciary-wide system for the

filing and service of pleadings, motions and other documents or information via electronic means such as the Internet, a court-authorized remote service provider or

through other remote means to and from the Judiciary’s CMS.

(8) Electronic Service. The electronic transmission of a document or information

to a party or a party’s attorney under these rules. Electronic service does not include

service of process or a summons to gain jurisdiction over persons or property.

(9) eNotification Message. An electronic message generated by the CMS and sent

to all attorneys in a given case to denote the entry of a docketable event or the scheduling of a hearing. An eNotification message is informational only and does not constitute official notice from the court, is not entered into the court record, and shall

not be relied upon by recipients for any official purpose.

(10) Non-public Document. A document which is required to be filed with a court

and made available to opposing parties in the case but contains a significant amount

of personal identifying information or contains information that is designated as non-public state or federal law, court rule, court order or case law resulting in the document being designated as non-public in its entirety.

(11) Personal Identifying Information. Information of a non-public nature which

can be used to identify an individual but can be redacted within the document.

(12) Registered User. An individual or entity with an assigned username and pass-

word authorized by the Judiciary to access and utilize the EFS.

(13) Rhode Island Judiciary Rules of Practice Governing Public Access to Electronic Case Information. Rules governing the terms and conditions of access to Electronic Documents maintained in the Judiciary’s CMS. This document shall be available on the Judiciary’s website at www.courts.ri.gov.

(14) Rhode Island Judiciary User Guide for Electronic Filing. A document published by the Judiciary and updated from time to time which provides instruction and

guidance as to the proper use of the EFS. This document shall be available on the

Judiciary’s website at www.courts.ri.gov.

(15) Sealed Document. A document that is required by court order, rule or statute

to be submitted under the strictest levels of privacy with access allowed only to the

court and/or upon approval of the court.

(16) Usage Agreement. An agreement that establishes the obligations and responsibilities of the Registered User and provides guidelines for use of the EFS.

(d) Technical Requirements. It is the responsibility of the Registered User to maintain an electronic mailbox sufficient to receive electronic transmissions of notices,

orders, eNotification messages, and other documents. Additional technical guidelines and requirements for usage of the EFS shall be maintained by the Judiciary and

published and/or amended from time to time.

(e) Forms. Any forms that have been developed to aid in the implementation of

the EFS shall be located on the Judiciary’s website at www.courts.ri.gov under

Forms.