Starting a new case means you are filing a new matter with the court you are filing into. To start a new case typically requires filing a case initiating document with the court, like a Petition or a Complaint.
New cases do not have Case Numbers (also called Cause Numbers or Docket Numbers). Instead, a system-assigned Envelope Number will serve as the identifier for your first filing until the court assigns a Case Number to the matter after they accept it.
For more information on how to start a new case and on the differences between a Draft Number, Envelope Number, and a Case Number, please refer to the following help articles.
Existing cases are legal matters that are already established at a court. These cases already have prior filings and have Case/Cause/Docket Numbers already assigned to them.
For more information on how to file into an existing case, please refer to the following help articles.
- How To File Into an Existing Case
- How to File Into an Existing Case from the Filing History
- I am Unsure What My Case Number is. How Can I File Into My Existing Case?
