How the Judiciary E-filling System Works

Due to COVID 19, the need for social distancing, and the hope of improving the efficiency of courts in Nairobi, the Kenya Judiciary launched the E-filling system earlier this month. The Chief Justice David Maraga mentioned that this was the fulfilment of a long-standing dream to incorporate technology into the judiciary system. He also added that with the system, the judiciary hopes to be more efficient, faster, more user friendly, and more accountable of the cases it handles.

Understanding the E-filling system

The system is an online portal that allows law firms, advocates, and other applicable individuals to start and finish filing court cases without having to visit the court premises or banks physically. The system has four main components namely:

E-case registration
E-payment
E-case search
E-calendar

E-SERVICE

To use this system efficiently, you will need the following:

A valid and working email address
The case documents for example affidavits, annexures, etc., in PDF format with proper labels.
Applicable amount of money in your MPESA to pay any court charges.
Fast and steady internet connection.
ID numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers of the parties you represent.

How to Access the E-filling System

To access and use the e-filling system, you need to create an account. Here are the steps to follow:

Go to your computer browser and type in efilling.court.go.ke
This will take you to a user interface window, which requires you to choose what kind of user you are. The options are either law firm, organization, or individual.
Once you have chosen, enter the requested details, which include the name of the law firm, email address, mobile number, etc.
Now enter the desired password and click on ‘submit’. The portal will send a confirmation message to your email address for activation purposes.
With a successful account creation, you can now file cases and make court payments at the convenience of your office.

How to File a Case on the E-filling System

Log into your account using your username and chosen password.
Click on the ‘File new case’ button and then enter the court station, court division, case category and type, then click on ‘Proceed’.
The next window will prompt you to enter the case party details. These include party type, their name, nationality, gender, and contact details.
Now give a brief and clear summary of the case.
Select and upload the documents needed for the e-filling process. Once you have successfully provided all documents and details, the system will automatically generate the owed fees.
Review everything before completing and submitting the case registration.

Making the e-payment

The system will generate a court fee payment advice followed by a list of payment instructions.
You should make all payments against the PRN No- Customer Reference number.
Once the Kenya Commercial Bank receives the due payment, they will send a message of confirmation and the system will generate a case number.