> 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/judge-guide/overview.md).

# Overview — Your Inbox

When you sign in, the judge portal opens to your **Inbox** -- the central place where you receive and manage filings that need your attention.

## Sidebar Navigation

The sidebar on the left gives you quick access to:

* **Inbox** -- your main workspace for filings and signed history
* **Profile** -- your account and profile settings

## How Filings Reach You

Clerks route filings to you after their initial review. When a clerk sends a filing your way, it appears in your inbox automatically. The clerk may attach a **routing note** with context or instructions for you.

## Dashboard and Filter Cards

At the top of the page, you will see a welcome message with your name. Below it, three quick-filter cards let you narrow the Inbox at a glance. Click a card to toggle that filter on or off:

* **Priority** -- filings flagged Urgent or High
* **Unread** -- filings you have not opened yet
* **Last 24 hours** -- filings that arrived in the past day

Each card shows a count for how many filings match.

{% hint style="info" %}
**📹 GIF:** The judge portal landing page -- the welcome message and the three quick-filter cards (Priority, Unread, Last 24 hours), clicking a card to filter the inbox and clicking again to clear it.
{% endhint %}

## Your Inbox

The inbox has three tabs:

* **Inbox** -- filings waiting for your review and signature. These have the status "With Judge."
* **Signed** -- filings you have already signed. This tab serves as your history and stays accessible even after the clerk records the filing.
* **Returned** -- filings you returned or denied to the clerk. This is a lasting record of your return/deny actions, each row showing a Returned or Denied badge and the reason.

Each tab shows a count badge so you can see at a glance how many items are in each section.

## What You See for Each Filing

Every row in the Inbox table displays:

* **Case** -- the case title (e.g., "Smith v. Jones") and case number. Unread filings appear bold with a blue dot.
* **Type** -- the lead document type (e.g., Order, Motion)
* **Filed By** -- the name of the filer (attorney or party)
* **Docs** -- the number of documents in the filing
* **Priority** -- shows "Urgent" or "High" badges for elevated-priority filings; otherwise "Normal"
* **Age** -- how long ago the filing arrived
* **Routing note indicator** -- a small message icon appears next to the case name if the clerk included a note. Hover over it to read the note.

In the Signed tab, the columns are Case, Type, Docs, and **Signed** -- showing how long ago you signed the filing.

In the Returned tab, each row shows the case, document type, a Returned or Denied badge, and the reason you gave.

## Search and Filter

You can narrow down filings using the tools in the toolbar:

* **Search** -- type a case title, case number, or filing number to find a specific item
* **Filter** -- open the filter panel to narrow by document type or filer name

Active filters appear as removable pills below the toolbar. Use "Clear all" in the filter panel to reset.

{% hint style="info" %}
**📹 GIF:** Using the search and filter tools in the judge inbox -- typing a case number in the search field, then opening the filter panel to narrow by document type, showing filter pills appearing below the toolbar.
{% endhint %}

## Sorting

In the Inbox tab, you can sort by:

* **Case** -- alphabetical by case title
* **Age** -- newest or oldest first (default: newest first)

Click the column header to toggle sort direction.

## Pagination

If you have more filings than fit on one screen, the inbox table paginates automatically. Use the page controls at the bottom of the table to move between pages. The total count is shown in each tab's badge.

## Opening a Filing

Click any row in the inbox table to open the filing in the review screen, where you can read the documents, edit text if needed, and sign or return the filing.

{% hint style="info" %}
Filings only appear in your inbox if a clerk has routed them to you. If you expect a filing and do not see it, contact your clerk's office.
{% endhint %}


---

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