Glossary
Key terms used throughout Cott E-Filing.
Bar Number
A unique identifier assigned to an attorney by the state bar association. Required during account registration for attorneys. Used to link filings to the correct attorney record in the CMS.
Case Type
A classification for the kind of case being filed (e.g., Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate). Each court configures its own set of case types, and the available document types and fee schedules depend on the case type you select.
Court Stamp
A digital stamp applied to accepted PDF documents by the system. Includes the court name, filing date, recording number, and clerk name. Replaces the physical ink stamp used in paper filing.
Cure Deadline
The date by which a filer must correct and resubmit a rejected filing. Set by the clerk at the time of rejection. If the deadline passes without resubmission, the filer may need to file a new case.
Deficiency Notice
A notification sent to the filer when a filing is rejected or partially accepted. Contains the rejection reason code, clerk notes explaining what needs to be fixed, and the cure deadline (if applicable).
Docket Entry
A record in the case management system documenting an event in a case. When a filing is accepted, the system creates docket entries for each accepted document using the appropriate event codes.
Document Type
A classification for a specific document within a filing (e.g., Petition, Motion, Order, Exhibit). Each document type maps to a CMS event code that determines how it is recorded in the docket.
Envelope
The complete package of documents submitted together in a single filing. An envelope contains one or more documents, one of which must be marked as the lead document. The 35 MB size limit applies to the entire envelope.
E-Service
Electronic service of documents on parties in a case. When a document is filed and accepted, opposing parties who have registered for electronic service receive a notification with access to the served document.
Fee Waiver
A request to waive filing fees, typically available to filers who cannot afford them. Fee waiver requests are reviewed by the court. If approved, the filing proceeds without payment. If denied, the filer must pay the standard fees.
Filing
A submission of one or more documents to the court through the e-filing system. Each filing has a unique filing number (e.g., EF-EBR-2026-0042), a status, and belongs to a specific court and case.
Lead Document
The primary document in a filing. Every filing must have exactly one lead document. It determines the main docket entry and is displayed first during clerk review.
Party
A person or organization involved in a case (e.g., plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent). At least one party is required per filing. Parties are synced to the CMS party registry when a filing is accepted.
Pro Se
A person who represents themselves in court without an attorney. Pro se filers register with a system-generated PIN instead of a bar number and may have access to simplified filing guidance.
Queue
A column on the clerk's Kanban board representing a stage in the review process. Courts configure their own queues (e.g., "New Filings", "In Progress", "Ready for Review"). Filings move forward through queues and cannot move backward.
Routing Rule
An automated rule that determines which queue a filing enters when submitted. Rules can be based on case type, document type, filer type, or fee status. When no rule matches, the system falls back to round-robin assignment.
Verdict CMS
The court's case management system. When a filing is accepted, the system records it in Verdict CMS by creating or updating the case record, syncing parties, creating docket entries, and tracking financial records.
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