- I am already registered in the Virgin Islands Supreme Court Electronic Filing (VISCEFS) system. Do I still need to register for the Virgin Islands Judiciary Electronic Filing System (VIJEFS)?
Effective August 31, 2020, the Virgin Islands Supreme Court and the Virgin Islands Superior Court will use same operating system-the Virgin Islands Judicial Electronic Filing System (VIJEFS). All User IDs and profiles that existed on the VISCEFS prior to that date have been transferred to the new VIJEFS, all that is needed is a new password. Therefore, when you first log in, rather than choosing “Register as an E-Filer” put in your existing VISCEFS User ID and choose “Forgot Password”. The VIJEFS system will send you an email with a link to your account in the VIJEFS. You will then choose a new password and you will be able to use the VIJEFS.
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- I am a transactional attorney and I never appear in court. Why am I required to register?
Electronic filing is now mandatory not just in cases before the Virgin Islands courts, but also in all Virgin Islands Bar Association matters before the Virgin Islands Supreme Court. Beginning in 2016, all active members of the Virgin Islands Bar Association, whether regularly or specially admitted or admitted pro hac vice and whether or not in good standing are required to electronically file an Annual Registration Statement and file updates whenever the information in the ARS changes. Moreover, effective November 2, 2011, all requests for a certificate of good standing, motions for extension of time to complete continuing legal education requirements, and similar bar governance documents must be electronically filed through VIJEFS.
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- Can I watch a copy of the training that was given before the VIJEFS went live? If so, where can it be found?
Here is a link to a training featuring a review of the Virgin Islands Electronic Filing Rules, and a demonstration of how to register, how to electronically file a document in an existing case, how to begin a new case, and how to electronically serve parties.
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- What types of credit cards are accepted by the VIJEFS?
We accept all major credit cards, American Express, Visa and Master Card All payments by credit card will have a service fee of 4.5% on all payments.
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- What types of cases are we allowed to file on the VIJEFS?
As of August 31, 2020, all V.I. Superior Court probate and civil cases are required to be filed through the VIJEFS. All matters before the V.I. Supreme Court are filed through the VIJEFS.
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- Can I request an exemption from electronic filing?
You can request an exemption from electronic filing for purposes of a particular document, an entire case or for all cases by filing a motion pursuant to V.I.E-FILE R. 4(c).
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- What can I do if I need to correct a filing?
Once your filing has been docketed, your filing cannot be changed without approval of the Clerk of court. See V.I.E-FILE R. 5(c).
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- Will the new system use the same case number format? My Virgin Islands Supreme Court Case number is S. Ct. Civ. No. 2019-0160, and my Virgin Islands Superior Court case number is ST-19-CR-1630.
Will the new system use the same case number format? For example, what if my Virgin Islands Supreme Court Case number is S. Ct. Civ. No. 2019-0160, and my Virgin Islands Superior Court case number is ST-19-CR-1630.
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- How can I make my filing confidential?
V.I.E-File.R. 12 identifies confidential documents and discusses how to file. When you file, the VIJEFS will require you to explain why the document is confidential. You must cite the applicable statute, court rule or court order.
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- Can I e-file at any time?
The VIJEFS accepts electronic filings 24 hours per day, including holidays and weekends, except when undergoing maintenance or repair. A document is timely filed if it is submitted to the VIJEFS at or before 11:59 PM Atlantic Standard Time on the date the filing is due.
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- I got a confirmation that my document was filed. Why can’t I see it on the docket?
Once you submit the filing, you will receive a confirmation that it was received by the Clerk’s Office. The filing will not appear on the docket until the Clerk’s Office accepts the filing. At that time, you will receive a second confirmation indicating that the filing was accepted or rejected. If it was rejected, it will not appear on the docket.
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- Can you explain the “Legal Organization” concept in the Virgin Islands Judicial Electronic Filing System?
First a brief background: The Virgin Islands Supreme Court Electronic Filing System only allowed a member of the Virgin Islands Bar Association to register as a filing user for all purposes. Non-members could only register in an active case in which they were representing themselves. Additionally, only the attorney’s user ID was authorized to file a document in the case in which the attorney filed a notice of appearance. Therefore, if an attorney wanted a secretary to file a document on his or her behalf, that attorney would have to share his or her user ID and password and essentially “become” the attorney. The previous Virgin Islands Rules of Appellate Procedure 40 reflected this practice by allowing attorneys to authorize other individuals to use their IDs and passwords.
Based on concerns about VIJEFS security and for convenience of the users, the “Legal Organization” option in the VIJEFS changes the above process by allowing non-attorneys and associated attorneys to file documents on the case attorney’s behalf. Now, if attorneys wish to authorize another individual to file on their behalf, the other individual must register and associate with that attorney under the “Legal Organization”. Attorneys are now no longer authorized to share their user IDs and passwords. The Virgin Islands Electronic Filing Rules allow staff to register through a Legal Organization and e-file documents on behalf of an attorney.
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- Is a Legal Organization Necessary?
Legal Organizations are not necessary, even for law firms. However, attorneys are prohibited from sharing their passwords and user ID with any other person. See V.I.E-FILE R. 4(b)(2). Therefore, if an attorney wishes to authorize any other another person to file a document on his or her behalf that person must be registered through a legal organization.
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- How do you set up a Legal Organization?
Fill in the Legal Organization Form, available here. We will add the legal organization to the VIJEFS and the system will email the designated legal administrator. Once you have been informed that your legal organization has been added, log in to your account. Go to the User Information page and look for “Add Legal Organization” below the “Address” and the “Comments” sections. Enter the Search Criteria in the Legal Organization Search window (which is at least the first three letters of the name of the legal organization) and click Search. If the legal organization is not returned in the search, you will be able to add the organization through the User Administration screen once your E-file account is approved.
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- What does the Legal Administrator of the Legal Organization do?
The Legal Administrator performs all the administrative functions of the organization's use of the VIJEFS. For example, when an attorney adds a legal organization to his or her profile, it is the organization’s legal administrator – not the VIJEFS – that approves that designation. In order to fully set out the functions of an administrator, please consult the Electronic Filing Manual. Additionally, here is a link to a video that also demonstrates the administration of a Legal Organization in the VIJEFS.
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- Once Users are associated with the organization, will notifications of filings be sent to everyone?
Members of the legal organization can subscribe to a case. The subscribers will receive the notifications.
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