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S.C. E-Filing Attorney Guide: ARG-26 Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

ARG-26 Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

activein force · 2026-10-02 – presentcompiled-edition

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 1

Reference Guide Contents:

 Initiate a Case as a Defense Attorney in E-Filing............................................................. 1

o Logging In to E-Filing................................................................................................. 1

o Add a New Case........................................................................................................ 2

 Add Documents to the Filing............................................................................................ 9

 Payment and Case Status............................................................................................. 12

Initiate a Case as a Defense Attorney in E-Filing

There are only three Case Subtypes that can be initiated by a defense attorney:

• (700) Death Settlement

• (730) Minor Settlement

• (790) Incap Adult Settlement (Note: “Incap” represents Incapacitated)

Note You must have the plaintiff attorney’s last name and bar number to file.

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

Logging In to E-Filing

1. To access the E-Filing Portal, visit https://efile.sccourts.org/

2. Log in using your User Name and Password from AIS.

3. Click the Notice checkbox to indicate you have read, understand and will comply with the

redaction rules.

4. Click Log In to open the Filer Interface home page.

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 2

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

Add a New Case

1. The Home page appears.

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ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

2. Click the New Case button on the Home screen or click on E-File and choose “New Case” from

the drop-down menu.

3. The County screen appears. Select the County where you will be filing.

4. Click Next.

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 4

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

5. The Case Type screen appears. Select “Common Pleas.”

Please note that initiation of a case by defense counsel can only be done on three Nature of

Actions (NOAs): (700) Death Settlement, (730) Minor Settlement and (790) Incap Adult

Settlement.

(In this example, a “Common Pleas (730) Minor Settlement” will be filed.)

6. The Case Subtype screen appears. Click to select the Case Subtype which in this

example is “(730) Minor Settlement.”

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 5

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

The Case Initiation screen opens for adding a plaintiff and a defendant. The Add a Plaintiff

and Add a Defendant buttons appear greyed out.

7. Click to select the Jury Demand option.

8. Once you mark the Plaintiff(s) or Defendant(s) radio button, the Add a Plaintiff and Add a

Defendant buttons become enabled.

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 6

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

9. To add a plaintiff, mark the Defendant(s) radio button and

10. click the Add a Plaintiff button.

11. The Add a Party: (730) Minor Settlement screen appears.

12. Enter the plaintiff’s name.

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ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

13. When adding the Plaintiff’s Attorney to the case, you are required to (a) enter his/her attorney’s

last name and (b) enter his/her attorney’s bar number and (c) click the Search button.

The Search Attorney form will open, (d) check the selection box for the attorney and (e) click the Save

button.

2025 © South Carolina Judicial Branch 11/2025 8

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

14. The attorney name and bar number will appear in a grid above the Add button and have a

Delete option indicated by the red X. Your screen should appear similar to the one above.

15. Click Next to proceed.

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ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

16. The system returns to the Case Initiation screen. Note the plaintiff’s name (a) appears in the

grid. (b) Click the Add a Defendant button to enter the defendant(s) on the case.

The Add a Party: (730) Minor Settlement screen appears.

17. Enter the defendant’s name.

Note Your name and bar number (a) will automatically populate the screen.

18. Click Next.

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ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

19. The system returns to the Case Initiation Screen. Click Next.

Add Documents to the Filing

1. The Add a Document screen appears.

2. Choose an Action Type of Filing.

Action * “Petition/Filing Fee Required” is required for all three NOA’s: (700)

Note Death Settlement, (730) Minor Settlement and (790) Incap Adult

Settlement.

3. Click Choose File to locate your document.

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

4. Click Add (a) and the document (b) will be placed in the grid.

5. Select the case party or parties that this document is being filed On Behalf of. For multiple

parties, you can select “All My Parties” (b), and all your case parties are added to this filing.

6. Click Add to add the case party name(s).

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

7. In the example, Candice Winters was selected and appears in the grid with a red X next to her

name.

8. Click Next.

ARG-26: Initiating A Case By Defense Attorney

Attorney Reference Guide

Payment and Case Status

1. The Review and Submit Filing screen appears.

2. Select the Payment Method.

3. Select the name of the person on whose behalf the payment is being made. (In this case, it is

Candice Winters.)

4. Click Submit the Filing button.

Provenance

Source: www.sccourts.org
Retrieved: 2026-10-02
Edition: supplied-sc-08-28-arg-26-initiating-a-case-by-defense-attorney-2026-10-02
Content hash: a39bcc60e28656fa8cfc126f64f3e6e8ae33d2328066cde0cec809f0601193ee

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