> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cottfile.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cottfile.com/clerk-guide/accepting-and-rejecting.md). # Accepting and Rejecting Once you have reviewed the documents and verified the filing information, you make a decision: accept, reject, partially accept, or send to a judge. ## Accepting a Filing 1. **Configure stamps** before accepting. In the document viewer, add stamps to each document as needed (see [Reviewing a Filing -- Stamps](/clerk-guide/reviewing-a-filing.md#document-viewer)). Lock each stamp in place when you are satisfied with its position. You can add multiple stamps to the same document. 2. **Decide any pending fee waiver** (see [Fee Waivers and Deferrals](#fee-waivers-and-deferrals) below). Acceptance is blocked while a waiver request is undecided. 3. Click the **Accept** button (or press **Alt + A**). 4. The Accept dialog opens, showing: * A summary of the filing (case and filer). * A fee / ledger breakdown (hidden for criminal filings). * An **Assign Filing To** party selector -- choose the party all docket entries are booked against. * For new cases, a **Filing Date** field for the case record. * A summary of which documents will be stamped and with which stamp types. 5. Click **Accept** to confirm. When you confirm, a progress overlay walks through each step: reviewing data, **processing payment** (charging the filer's card), then stamping and recording. Note that **the card is charged first** -- if the charge fails, nothing is stamped or recorded (see [Payment Failed](#payment-failed-and-payment-collected)). On success: * The filing status changes to **Accepted**. * All pending documents are marked as accepted. * Court stamps are burned into accepted documents using the positions you configured. * The filing is recorded with the court -- a case is created (for new-case filings) or docket entries are added (for existing-case filings). * The filer receives an in-app notification and email confirmation, including any **Note to filer** you wrote. * The queue item moves to the **Accepted** sub-tab under **Processed**. {% hint style="info" %} **๐Ÿ“น GIF:** Accepting a filing -- clicking the Accept button, the Accept dialog showing the filing summary and stamp preview, clicking Accept, the progress overlay stepping through payment and recording, and the filing appearing under the Processed tab's Accepted sub-tab. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} At a parish not connected to a case management system, the Accept dialog looks slightly different -- see [Standalone Parishes](/clerk-guide/standalone-parishes.md). {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} If stamping fails for a document, the filing is still accepted. You will receive a system notification alerting you to the unstamped document so you can address it manually. {% endhint %} ## Partial Accept If some documents pass review but others do not: 1. In the review panel, set each document's status individually -- **Accepted** or **Rejected**. 2. Click **Accept** (the button reads **Partial** once any document is rejected). The filing status is set to **Partial Accept**. 3. The filer is notified that their filing was partially accepted and told which documents were rejected. Partially accepted filings are still recorded. The rejected documents are excluded from the case record. ## Rejecting a Filing 1. Click the **Reject** button (or press **Alt + R**). 2. The Reject dialog opens. Fill in the required fields: * **Reason code** (required) -- Select the primary reason: * Incomplete Filing * Incorrect Form * Missing Signature * Incorrect Fee * Wrong Court * Duplicate Filing * Defective Service * Other * **Notes** (optional) -- Provide additional detail for the filer. * **Cure deadline** (optional) -- Set a date by which the filer should refile. 3. Click **Reject Filing**. When you confirm: * The filing status changes to **Rejected**. No charge is made. * All pending documents are marked as rejected. * The filer receives an in-app notification and email with the reason, notes, cure deadline, and any **Note to filer** you wrote. * The queue item moves to the **Rejected** sub-tab under **Processed**. Rejection is final for that filing -- it never returns to your queue. The filer uses **Edit & Resubmit** to create a **new** filing, pre-filled from the rejected one and linked back to it, which arrives in your queue as a fresh submission. {% hint style="warning" %} **Reject is disabled once payment has been collected** on a filing. The tooltip explains: "Payment has already been collected. Accept the filing to record it, or refund the charge in ValPay before rejecting." {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **๐Ÿ“น GIF:** Rejecting a filing -- clicking the Reject button, selecting "Incomplete Filing" as the reason, typing notes, setting a cure deadline date, and clicking Reject Filing. {% endhint %} ## Fee Waivers and Deferrals The waiver panel in the Fees step is always available, whether or not the filer asked for a waiver. Its buttons: | Button | When it appears | What it does | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Defer Court Costs** | Filings on existing civil cases only | Draws the court costs from the deposit already held on the case. The $6 e-filing fee and 3.05% convenience fee are still charged, and any deposits on the filing are still collected. A banner confirms: "Court costs waived -- drawn from the advance deposit on the case" / "The e-filing and convenience fees still apply." | | **Defer All Fees** | Always (reads **Approve Waiver** when the filer requested a waiver) | Waives everything -- the filer pays $0. | | **Deny** | Only when the filer requested a waiver | Denies the request. The filer is emailed ("Fee Waiver Denied"), along with any **Note to filer** you wrote, and the original fees apply. | | **Revoke Waiver** | After an approval | Clears the waiver decision so fees apply again. Revoking is not a denial -- it simply undoes the decision. | **Defer All Fees is disabled when the filing carries a deposit.** The tooltip explains: "This filing carries an advance deposit, which cannot be deferred. Use Defer Court Costs instead -- it defers the court's charges and still collects the deposit." Banners you may see on the waiver panel: * **Action needed** / "Filer requested a fee waiver" -- a decision is required. * "Fee waiver approved -- all fees waived" or "Fee waiver denied" -- the decision made. * A charge-to-deposit request: "Filer asked to charge this to the case deposit -- If the balance on the case covers it, approve 'Defer Court Costs' below\..." * A green fee-exempt banner: "Fee-exempt organization -- \[Organization]" / "All fees are waived automatically on every filing from this organization; no approval is needed. If you believe this organization should not be fee-exempt, contact the Cott Systems team." {% hint style="warning" %} **Acceptance is blocked until a requested waiver is decided.** The message reads: "The filer requested a fee waiver. Approve or deny it before accepting -- accepting now would charge the filer while the waiver is still undecided." {% endhint %} Waivers from government filers and fee-exempt organizations are approved automatically at submission -- no action needed from you. All waiver decisions are audit-logged with the clerk who made them. ## Sending to a Judge Some filings need judicial review or a signature before or after acceptance (proposed orders, sealed filings, matters requiring judicial discretion). In the review panel's **Actions** step, choose the mode: ### E-Filing Mode: Send to Judge 1. Click **Send to Judge**. 2. Pick the recipient -- the search reads "Choose a judge or judge staff...". Judges appear as "Hon. First Last"; judicial staff as "First Last -- Judge Staff". 3. Set a **Priority** (Low, Normal, High, Urgent). 4. Set the **due date** -- this is required, and the Send button stays disabled until you set one. A **Today** shortcut fills in today's date. 5. Optionally click **Add message** and write a note ("Optional message to judge..."). 6. Send. A confirmation appears, e.g., "Sent to Hon. Smith". The judge signs the filing, returns it, or denies it -- it then comes back to your **Returned by Judge** tab. The filer is never notified at any judge step; only your final accept or reject reaches them. ### Routing After Accepting You can also send an already accepted (or partially accepted) filing to a judge -- typically for a proposed order. The filing shows as **Accepted ยท awaiting judge**. This is why accepting a new case keeps you on the review page: so you can route it immediately. ### Sending a Signed Filing Back If a signed filing needs the judge again, the panel header reads **Send back to judge**. Signatures build up -- sending a filing back never removes the signature already on it. ### Paper Mode: Email to Judge For judges who work outside the system, switch to **Paper** mode and use **Email to Judge**: enter the judge's email and an optional message, then click **Email**. The status changes to **Emailed to Judge**, with a confirmation showing who was emailed and when. Follow up with **Send to Printer** if the judge needs paper copies. {% hint style="info" %} **๐Ÿ“น GIF:** Sending a filing to a judge -- clicking Send to Judge, choosing "Hon. Smith" from the recipient search, setting priority to High, clicking the Today shortcut for the due date, adding a message, and sending. {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} Only send to a judge when the matter genuinely requires judicial authority. Routine deficiencies (wrong form, missing signature) should be rejected directly so the filer can fix and resubmit quickly. {% endhint %} ## Filings Returned by a Judge A filing a judge has signed, returned, or denied lands in your **Returned by Judge** tab. You can accept it directly from there -- no extra routing step. If the filing was already accepted and charged, accepting the signed version does **not** charge the filer again; the footer button reads **Record signed version**. ## Payment Failed and Payment Collected The filer's card is charged at the moment you accept. If the charge is declined: * The filing moves to **Payment Failed**. Nothing was stamped or recorded. * On review, a banner shows **Payment failed** with the decline reason, and explains: "Nothing was recorded with the court, and no stamps have been applied..." along with the filer's deadline: "They have until \[date] to resolve it." * The filer is emailed and pays from their **Payments due** page. The 48-hour deadline is informational -- the filing stays in Payment Failed indefinitely. Once the window has closed, the banner changes to "The payment window closed \[date]..." and offers a **Reject filing** button. Once the filer pays: * The filing returns to your queue as Under Review with a **Payment collected** banner ("Payment collected -- $X on \[date]"): "Accepting this filing will not charge the filer again. Fees are locked because the charge has already been collected." * Accept as normal -- acceptance now stamps and records without charging. ## After Your Decision * **Accepting a new case** keeps you on the review page, so you can send the filing to a judge if needed. * **Accepting a filing on an existing case** returns you to the queue. * **Rejecting** returns you to the queue. The queue does **not** auto-advance to the next filing -- press **Alt + N** when you want the next one. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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