Vt. eFiling: eService with eFile & Serve

eSERVICE WITH eFILE AND

SERVE

EFSP v1 Feb 2026

Contents

NOTE ABOUT SYSTEM NAME UPDATES................................ ................................ ................................ . 3

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE IN eFILE AND SERVE................................ ............................ 3

CREATING A SERVICE CONTACT AND ADDING TO THE PUBLIC LIST................................ .......................... 4

USING SERVICE CONTACTS WHEN FILING................................ ................................ ................................ 5

ENSURING SELECTION OF A VALID SERVICE CONTACT................................ ................................ .......... 8

CHECKING THE STATUS OF SERVICE................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 9

USING FIRM SERVICE CONTACTS................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 10

USING “SERVE” ONLY................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 11

ADDING A SERVICE CONTACT: OTHER METHODS................................ ................................ ............... 11

FROM THE FILER’S FILING HISTORY................................ ................................ ................................ 11

THROUGH THE “FILE INTO EXISTING CASE” FUNCTION................................ ................................ ... 12

EDITING, REMOVING, AND REPLACING SERVICE CONTACTS................................ ............................... 12

TO EDIT AN EXISTING SERVICE CONTACT................................ ................................ ........................... 13

TO DELETE AN EXISTING CONTACT................................ ................................ ................................ . 13

TO REPLACE ONE SERVICE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER................................ ................................ .... 14

SERVICE ON NON-FILERS................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 14

AGREEMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE SERVICE................................ ................................ ..................... 15

HELP AND SUPPORT................................ ................................ ................................ .............................. 15

eSERVICE FAQs................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 16

NOTE ABOUT SYSTEM NAME UPDATES

The Vermont Judiciary’s electronic case management and electronic filing systems have

recently been rebranded by the vendor that produces them (Tyler Technologies), resulting in

some updates to the labels by which those systems are known. For the court’s case

management system, the name “Odyssey” has been replaced by “Enterprise Justice” or “EJ” for

short. For the electronic filing system, the name “Odyssey File & Serve (EFS”) has been

replaced by “eFile & Serve” (EFS), with our specific Vermont version also being referred to as

“eFileVT.”

It is understood that many internal and external users may still refer to these systems as

Odyssey, and that is perfectly acceptable for purposes of communication to the court and

among court users. This notice is being provided to offer context as to why the court’s updated

instructional materials and announcements will no longer reference the “Odyssey” systems. If

there are any questions or concerns about these changes please feel free to reach out to

itsupport@vtcourts.gov.

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE IN eFILE AND SERVE

eFile & Serve’s Serve feature offers an efficient integrated method for electronically serving

copies of documents on opposing parties, as well as providing courtesy copies to other

recipients simultaneously with submission to the Court. The Vermont Rules for Electronic

Filing generally require eFilers to complete service through the Serve function unless specific

exceptions apply. To comply with the rules, all eFilers must create a service contact

associated with their account upon registration and must add that service contact to the

Public List of service contacts.

This guide provides specific instructions related to electronic service. It is not intended as a

comprehensive guide to the eFiling system. More detailed guides and other resources are

available in the Help section of eFile and Serve here:

https://odysseyfileandservecloud.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

There is also a Vermont Electronic Filing policy and procedure guide as well as division-specific

user guides on the Judiciary website for filing into various case types at:

https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/about-vermont-judiciary/electronic-access/electronic-filing

CREATING A SERVICE CONTACT AND ADDING TO THE PUBLIC LIST

A Service Contact is a person for whom an email address and other identifying information has

been entered into the eFiling system as a designated recipient of service on case filings from other

parties through the eFiling system.1

Upon registering in eFile and Serve (EFS) all eFilers are required to create a Service Contact and

add it to the Public List2, which is a searchable listing of service contacts for system users that

those users have created and made publicly available for other users to select for service.

To complete these steps:

 From the left side menu, select “Service Contacts” (for firm users) or “My Service

Contacts” (individual users). The Service Contacts page is displayed.

 Click “Add contact.” The Service Contacts Page for adding a new contact is

displayed. Complete the required fields to add the new service contact and make sure

to check the box in the lower right labeled “Add to Public List.” This is the step that will

add the service contact to the Public List.

Click “Save ” to save the new service contact.

V.R.E.F. 2(k)

V.R.E.F 4(b)(3)

NOTE: eFilers may create additional service contacts in their individual or firm accounts that are

not added to the Public List, as long as they have one valid service contact available on the

Public List.

Users should NOT create or save service contacts for opposing parties/counsel but should only

add opposing service recipients from the Public List.

USING SERVICE CONTACTS WHEN FILING

When completing a new or subsequent case filing the filer must ensure that “eFile and Serve”

is selected as the filing type for each filing code selected. “eFile and Serve” is the default filing

type for all subsequent filings into existing cases. For new case filings, however, “eFile” only is

the default, so the filer would have to change that manually in order to use eService on a new

case.

NOTE: Where a rule or statute requires personal service for initiating an action, service must

still be made by the applicable method and cannot be done through the eFiling system.

After completing and saving the filings section, you will have an opportunity to add Courtesy

Copy recipients. Add as many additional email addresses as you like to receive courtesy copies

of the filing.

Please note:

 This is NOT the same as service for opposing parties/counsel. Courtesy copy recipients

are not tracked in the system and proof of service cannot be confirmed. Courtesy

copies are usually used for delivery to one’s own clients. Associates or others aside from

opposing parties or counsel.

 Do not use the courtesy copy function to send copies to the Court or to any court staff

or to a judge. The court will automatically receive the filing after it is submitted and

accepted into the system.

 Click the “Service” box in the lower right to proceed to the Service

Contacts section. If there are existing Service Contacts on the case, they will be

displayed and will be checked by default as receiving service on the filing.

 If all parties needing to be served already have service contacts attached and all are

checked off as receiving service, no further actions are needed. Proceed to the Fees

section.

 To add a new service contact for an opposing party/attorney from the Public List, click

the “Add” dropdown on the upper right and select “Public List.”

 Next, click inside the “Associated Parties” box to select the party for whom the

service contact will be added. All current case parties will be listed there, and

there is also an option for “Other-No party association” (for a service contact who

needs to receive service on the case but is not specifically associated with any

party).

 To search for a service contact on the Public List, enter at least one search term

(first name, last name, email address or firm name) and click Search.

 All relevant results will return. Select the correct service contact by checking the box

next to it and then click save in the lower right.

NOTE: If you cannot find the service contact you are seeking it is possible that it is

entered with a different spelling or format than you expect, so try different variations.

NOTE: If you cannot find the service contact you are seeking it is possible that it is

entered with a different spelling or format than you expect, so try different variations.

*If you do not see an available service contact for an opposing party, do NOT create one

for them. You will have to serve the filing through alternative means.3 Note that self-represented litigants are not mandated to eFile and many will not have elected to receive

service this way.

ENSURING SELECTION OF A VALID SERVICE CONTACT

The Public List currently contains numerous duplicate service contacts that were a result of an

automated conversion process and of other filers sometimes adding erroneous service contacts

for others. Filers should take care to select a valid and correct service contact for the recipient.

Checking for the correct email address, if known, is effective, and a good way to verify the

validity of a service contact is, after adding it, click on the 3 little dots in the upper right corner

as shown below and click “edit service contact.”

This will show information about it including by whom it was created (generally you want to use

a service contact that was created by the recipient themselves or by someone at their same

firm or organization).

3 VREF 11(e)

After submitting the filing and getting a Submitted Filing Notification email, the filer will then

receive an Accepted Filing Notification email when the court staff have accepted the filing into

the Court’s case management system. This is the point at which service is sent electronically

to the selected service contacts on the filing; in other words, service recipients will not

receive the filing immediately when it is submitted. Both the filer and the recipients of service

will receive Notification of Service emails containing a link, valid for 30 days, to the served

document(s).

CHECKING THE STATUS OF SERVICE

A filer may check the status of service from their filing history, accessible via the icon along the

left side menu.

After receiving notification that the filing was accepted and service was sent, open the filing

history to find the envelope in question. You can sort your envelopes by date order or use the

various available filtering options:

After locating the correct envelope, click the “Actions” dropdown and select “envelope details.”

The envelope details will display.

Scroll down to the “Service Details” section and find the recipient for whom you want to check

service status. Click the arrow to the right of their name to expand and view the service

information about them.

USING FIRM SERVICE CONTACTS

Filers may maintain additional firm or individual service contacts for themselves and their own

organization that may or may not also be on the Public List (as long as they have one valid

service contact publicly available). These may be used to add a service contact for oneself or

another person within one’s own firm/organization to cases for service. This may be useful if an

eFiler wants to receive service at a different email or have different administrative copy emails

included for different case types.

To add a service contact for oneself/ one’s client during a filing, in the service contacts section

click the “Actions” dropdown next to the appropriate party and select “Add from Firm Service

Contacts.”

A list of existing contacts within the firm will be displayed. Select the desired service contact

and click “close” to add it to the case.

USING “SERVE” ONLY

eFilers may serve documents on one another without filing with the court by selecting “Serve”

rather than “eFile” or “eFile and Serve” as the filing type on their envelope. This can be used for

things like interrogatories and other discovery that does not get filed into the court case. Please

note: although a record of serve-only envelopes is maintained in the eFiling system, nothing is

entered or viewable on the court’s official case record regarding them.

ADDING A SERVICE CONTACT: OTHER METHODS

Service Contacts may be also added to a case (for service on potential future filings) without

submitting or serving a filing. This can be done in 2 ways:

FROM THE FILER’S FILING HISTORY

For if a filer has previously submitted an envelope on the case.

Select View Service Contacts:

Service contacts may then be selected via the “Add” dropdown on the right side.

*Do NOT select “Add New Service Contact” here to create a service contact for an opposing

party. Service contacts should only be added from Firm Service Contacts (for oneself/one’s

organization) or from the Public List (for opposing parties). If the intended recipient of

service does not have an available service contact on the Public List then they must be served

through alternative means.

THROUGH THE “FILE INTO EXISTING CASE” FUNCTION

You do not need to go all the way through submitting here- this function also allows case look

up for this purpose.

After selecting “File into Existing Case” from the home screen and searching by either name or

case number to find the case, select “View Service Contacts” from the “Actions” dropdown and

follow the same steps as in “A” above.

EDITING, REMOVING, AND REPLACING SERVICE CONTACTS

Existing service contacts may be modified, deleted or replaced by selecting “My Service

Contacts” (individual) or “Service Contacts” (firm users) from the left side menu on the home

screen.

A list of current service contacts will display.

TO EDIT AN EXISTING SERVICE CONTACT

Click on the small pencil icon to the right of the service contact email address. Make necessary

edits and then click “save changes.” If this service contact is already added to the public list, the

updates will apply there. If the service contact was not previously on the Public List and you

want to add it now, click “Make this Contact Public” before saving.

TO DELETE AN EXISTING CONTACT

Select the small trashcan icon. The user will have to confirm the action by clicking “Delete.” If

the service contact is currently attached to any cases, that information will also be displayed.

TO REPLACE ONE SERVICE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER

Select the “Replace” icon with the small bidirectional arrows.

If the service contact is currently attached to any cases, a warning will be displayed. The user

can select another Existing Service Contact from the dropdown list of available Service

Contacts, or can create a new Firm Service Contact by clicking “Replace with a New Service

Contact.” This is particularly useful if one attorney is taking over another’s entire caseload, or if

service on all of the attorney’s cases should now be directed elsewhere.

SERVICE ON NON-FILERS

Filers must attest on each filing, through completion of a required submission agreement

checkbox that they have met their service obligations4 by either:

Serving all parties requiring service through their service contacts in eFile and Serve.

When all parties requiring service are served through the eFiling system, no separate certificate

of service needs to be filed.

Or

Serving one or more parties through alternative means allowed under applicable rules and

attaching (as an attachment to a lead document) a Certificate of Service document with the

filing that details the time, nature and contents of the service.

This method will be required for eFilers serving documents upon non-eFilers or those who have

not created a publicly available Service Contact.

AGREEMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE SERVICE

The Vermont Rules of Electronic Filing allow parties to agree to serve one another through

alternative means5 (other than through the eFiling system) for the duration of a case, provided

that the agreement is written and is filed electronically with the court. Certificates of Service

are still required for filings being served under such agreements.

HELP AND SUPPORT

In addition to the Tyler help resources and the Vermont filer guides referenced and linked in

the introduction to this guide, Vermont has a dedicated eFiling support desk for user support.

Please contact efilesupport@vtcourts.gov any Vermont-specific procedural questions regarding

electronic service.

VREF 11(g)

VREF 11(d)(2)

eSERVICE FAQs

Q: I put opposing counsel’s email address in the “courtesy copy” field in my filing. Is this

the same as eService?

No. Courtesy copies are not the same as eService and filers are discouraged from

using this feature. Using the courtesy copy feature is not compliant for eService and

courtesy copy emails are not tracked or guaranteed and receipt is not verifiable.

Q: Doesn’t the system automatically send me a notification anyway whenever something

is filed in my case?

No. The notifications you receive from the court (e.g., when an order is issued or a

hearing is scheduled) come from a different source and are based on a different

process from filing and service notifications in EFS. It remains the filer’s obligation

to serve copies of filed documents on opposing parties; the eService feature in EFS

is designed to make this simple.

Q: What is the difference between eFiling only, eFiling and serving and service only filing

types?

 E-file Only: your filing is only being e-filed to the court.

 E-file and Serve): your filing will be e-filed to the court as well as being served

electronically to those on the service contact list.

 Serve Only: your filing will only be electronically served to those on the service contact

list.

Q: Do I have to file into a case to add a service contact?

No. While you have the option to add the service contact when you search for

the case, the preferred method is to select service contacts from the public

contacts list at the time of filing.

Q: How do I view service contacts attached to an existing case?

To view service contacts in a case you have filed into:

 In your filing history, click on the Actions button next to the case in question

 From the drop down, select View service contacts.

This will allow you to see service contacts that have already been attached to a case.

To view service contacts on a case you have not filed into:

 Click on File into Existing Case

 Search for the case

 When the case is showing, click on the actions dropdown menu to the right

 Click on view service contacts.

Q: How do you view the list of cases a service contact is attached to?

 Open your list of service contacts from the “Service contacts” or “My Service Contacts”

section.

 Find the service contact for whom you want to view the attached cases.

 Click the 'Actions' button to the right of the contact’s name.

 Click 'View Attached Case List'. List will display.

Q: What is an Administrative Copy recipient in a Service Contact?

Adding additional recipient email addresses in the administrative contact field

allows those recipients to also receive copies of the same documents that are sent to

the service contact.

Q: How do I add an administrative copy to a Service Contact?

To add an administrative copy to a service contact please follow the steps below:

 Click the Actions button in the upper right-hand corner and select Firm service contacts

 Select the service contact to which you want to attach the administrative copy email

 Another box will populate with the service contact information, enter the

administrative email address under the Administrative Copy field. Click Save

Changes on the lower right-hand side of the screen

Please Note: You may enter multiple email address in the administrative copy field,

you will just need to separate the email addresses with a comma.

Q: Do the service contacts receive a Filed Stamped copy of the document that I filed?

In order for individuals to be served with a document, the envelope must be an eFile & Serve or Serve Only filing. If the envelope includes service then the service

contacts will receive a link to document that was filed.

The contact’s email address must be attached to the service contacts section of the

filing in order to receive the notification.

Q: According to the court docket I see a filing was done on a particular case. Why didn’t

we receive notification of that filing from opposing counsel?

There are a few reasons why this could have occurred:

1. If the filing party did not add eService to the filing, then you will not be

e-Served with the document. These filings are referred to as E-Filed

Only.

2. You were deselected as a contact for this filing.

3. You were added to the service contact list AFTER the filing was submitted.