Not every court allows both lead documents and attachment documents. If the court you are sending your filings to has both lead and attachment document fields, this article will help you decide whether to upload your documents as a lead document or an attachment document.
If your court does not have both lead and attachment document fields, each of your documents will probably need to be uploaded as separate lead documents. Please Note: If you need more help with this topic after reading this article, please contact the court you are sending your filings to.
Sections of this article (click to go directly to a section of this article):
Example of a court that allows both lead and attachment documents
Example of a court that only allows lead documents
How do I add more than one lead document/filing?
Attachment documents
Example of a court that allows both lead and attachment documents
Example of a court that only allows lead documents
Lead documents
In general, if there is a filing code that matches the document you need to file, your document should be filed as a lead document. Only lead documents get a file stamp. Each document that requires a file stamp must be uploaded as a separate lead document with its own filing code.
How do I add more than one lead document/filing?
Each lead document is uploaded as a separate filing. To add more than one filing, complete all the required fields for your first filing, then click the blue Save Changes button in the bottom right corner of the Filings section. The Add Another Filing button will appear at the bottom of the Filings section. Click it to add another filing. For more information, including pictures, read this article.
Attachment documents
Attachment documents usually support the lead document. They are uploaded as part of the same filing as the lead document. You can upload a document as an attachment if:
- There are no filing codes that match the document you want to add as an attachment, and
- The document you want to add as an attachment supports the lead document you have uploaded, and
- The document you want to add as an attachment does NOT need a file stamp.
Some examples of things that might be uploaded as attachment documents if there are no matching filing codes are exhibits, cover sheets, or standing orders.
Please Note: Not all courts allow attachment documents. If there is no filing code that matches the document you need to upload, and the court you are sending your filings to does not allow attachment documents, you may need to merge your supporting document with your lead document into one PDF file to send it to the court. Check your court's rules or contact the court if you need more information.