> 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/filer-guide/settings.md). # Settings The **Settings** link appears in the sidebar for anyone who belongs to an organization -- and for attorneys, paralegals, organization admins, and government filers who don't have one yet, so they can create or join one. It opens a dedicated settings area with four tabs: **Organization**, **Team Members**, **Billing**, and **Preferences**. {% hint style="info" %} Until you have an organization, the Team Members and Billing tabs are grayed out with "Create an organization first." {% endhint %} ## Creating or Joining an Organization If you're not part of an organization yet, the Organization tab shows **Create your organization**: enter an **Organization name** and click **Create organization** -- or join your firm if CottFile finds it. Already in a firm? You can still create or join another one -- it's added as a **second practice** on the same account (see *My Practices* below). An attorney who works at a private firm *and* a public defender's office holds both with one login and one bar number. As you type, matching firms appear below the field (matched by your email domain and by name): * **Join** -- shown when your email domain clearly belongs to that firm. You're added immediately. * **Request to join** -- shown when CottFile can't confirm the firm from your email. A member of the firm is emailed to approve you. While a request is pending, this tab shows a **Request pending** card with a **Withdraw request** button. You can only have one pending request at a time; requests expire after 7 days. ## My Practices If your account belongs to more than one firm, a **My Practices** card lists them, with an **Active** badge on the one you're currently acting under and a **Switch** button on the others. The same switcher lives in the **top bar** (the *Practice* chip next to the portal title) so you can change context from anywhere. Which practice is active decides what you see and use day to day: the dashboard's filing lists, the team page, the firm card, and -- for fee-exempt organizations -- the automatic fee waiver. Every filing is permanently tagged with the practice it was *submitted under*, so switching later never changes who pays for, or who can see, an existing filing. Use **Add another practice** on this card to create a second firm. ## Organization Profile The **Organization Details** card lets you view and edit your organization's details: * **Organization Name** * **Organization Type** (Law Firm, Solo Practice, Government Agency, Legal Aid, Other) * **Address** * **Phone** * **Email** Click **Save Changes** after making edits. {% hint style="info" %} **📹 GIF:** Navigating to Settings in the sidebar, editing the organization name and address on the Organization tab, and clicking Save Changes. {% endhint %} ## Team Members The Team Members page shows everyone in your organization and lets you manage the team. Any attorney, paralegal, or org admin in the firm can add members, revoke invites, and remove members (with the limits noted below). ### Member List Shows each member's name, email, role, and status. Badges flag special situations: **Org Admin**, **(you)**, **suspended**, and -- for paralegals -- which attorneys they file **for**, or *"No attorneys assigned -- cannot file yet."* ### Adding Members Click **Add Member**, enter the person's **email address**, and pick a **role** (Attorney, Paralegal, Pro Se, or Government). What happens depends on the email: * **No account yet** -- an invitation email is sent. It expires in **7 days**, and the person picks their own account type at signup; the invite links them to your firm. * **Existing filer with no firm** -- they're added immediately with the chosen role and emailed a confirmation. * **Existing filer in another firm** -- they receive an **invitation** and choose how to accept it: **Add as second practice** (they keep their current firm and hold both, switchable), **Move** (they leave their current firm; filings already submitted there stay on that firm's record), or **Decline**. ### Pending Invitations Each outstanding invite shows the email, when it was sent, and a **Pending** badge, with a **Revoke** button. ### Join Requests When someone asks to join your firm (from onboarding or Settings), a **Join Requests** card appears here, and org members see an **ACTION NEEDED** banner on the dashboard. Each request shows the person's email, role, bar number, and when they asked, with **Approve** and **Decline** buttons. {% hint style="warning" %} Only approve people you know belong to your firm. Members can see the firm's team, use its saved payment card, and file on behalf of its attorneys. Approving adds them immediately; declining sends them a short notice. Requests expire after 7 days. {% endhint %} The requester is emailed either way. An organization admin who requests to join joins as an **attorney**. ### Editing a Member (Org Admins Only) Org admins see a pencil icon on each member row. The **Edit** dialog covers: * **Name and email** * **Role** -- Attorney, Paralegal, Org Admin, Pro Se, or Government. You can't change your own role -- promote another member to org admin first. * **Bar number** (optional for paralegals) * **Active (can log in and file)** * **Organization admin** -- grants org-admin powers (manage the team, billing, and org card) while keeping their role. **Per practice:** being an admin here grants nothing in a member's other firm. * **Accounting access** -- shows the Reports tab with organization filings, fees, and revenue. Also per practice -- a grant from one firm never opens another firm's books. {% hint style="info" %} For a member who also belongs to **another firm**, account-level details (name, email, role, bar number, active status) can't be edited here -- only their firm that is their *sole* practice may change those. The per-practice switches (admin, accounting) and attorney assignments stay editable. {% endhint %} * **Filing on behalf of** (paralegals) -- select the attorneys this paralegal can file for. ### Removing Members Click remove on a member's row and confirm. They keep their account but are no longer part of **this** organization -- if they belong to another firm, that practice is untouched and becomes their active one. You can't remove yourself, and only an org admin can remove another org admin. {% hint style="info" %} **📹 GIF:** The Team Members page showing the member list and pending invites, clicking "Add Member", entering an email address, choosing a role, and sending the invitation. {% endhint %} ## Billing The Billing page manages the organization's shared payment method. Paralegals and org admins can manage the firm card; the billing contact and failed filings are org-admin only. ### Organization Payment Card Your firm can have a shared credit or debit card on file for filing fees. The card is displayed as a visual card showing the brand, last four digits, and expiration date. * **Add a card** -- If no card is on file, click the placeholder to open the card entry form. Card details are stored securely by the payment processor -- the system never sees your full card number. * **Update the card** -- Click the **Update** button below the card to replace it with a new one. When individual filers submit filings, they can choose the organization card or their personal card during the Fees step. ### Failed Filings (Org Admins) If any filings in your organization have failed payments, they appear in a table below the card: filing number, filer name, amount, and the date the payment failed. Click **Retry All** to attempt payment again on all failed filings at once. After updating the card, you will also be prompted to retry failed payments automatically. {% hint style="info" %} **📹 GIF:** The Billing page showing the visual card display, the failed filings table, clicking "Update" to change the card, then "Retry All" to reattempt payments. {% endhint %} ### Billing Contact (Org Admins) Set a billing contact email address for payment-related notifications. ## Preferences The **Filing Preferences** page currently offers: * **Email Notifications** -- live today. Choose which email notifications you receive and where they are sent -- including a shared firm inbox. See [Tracking Your Filings](/filer-guide/tracking-your-filings.md) for the events covered. Coming soon: * **Default Court** -- a default parish for new filings across your organization. * **Filing Defaults** -- pre-filled case type, document type, and party information for common filing patterns. * **Fee Waivers** -- fee waiver request policies for your organization. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. 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