The world has entered a digital age and some professionals are having a hard time keeping up with it. Some of these people include lawyers who are still getting used to electronically filing motions and other documents. Every state in the United States has already made their courthouses make the switch to digital or are in the process of implementing an electronic filing system for law firms to use as well. It will probably take a few more years for all counties to implement electronic filing systems even after their states have made the switch. While your law firm may be able to get away with doing everything by paper, for now, chances are things will change in the next few years. Here are some reasons why your law firm should make the switch now.
It Saves Time
Time is precious in any profession and especially in the law where there are such strict deadlines for almost everything that you have to do. Electronic filing improves efficiency significantly and can save a lot of space as well. An added benefit is that you don’t have to worry about leaving documents at the office as long as you have a secure connection to the internet where you can access your files. The courts are also able to do their work quicker and more efficiently. You also won’t have to wait for physical copies of documents if they are updated electronically instead. There will be hours of time saved due to your staff not having to physically go into the courthouse and file things in person.
It’s More Secure
You don’t have to worry about losing paperwork as much with an e-filing system for your law firm. Anyone with a driver’s license can check out documents from the court. It’s impossible to track if someone has modified the document that was being viewed and it can sometimes be difficult to know if there are even the same number of pages in it. Digital files are much more difficult to modify without leaving a trace. Even so, there are programs that audit these files to make sure that they have not been tampered with. The addition of the exact timestamps for the files is also an added benefit.
More Accessible
When the courthouse closes, chances are your access to a lot of documents would too if it weren’t for e-filing in the legal system. You are able to access documents and court records at any time no matter what day of the week it is. You can do this from the home, your office, or even on the go. In addition, multiple people are able to access these documents at a time which can keep everyone up to date on what is going on in the case which can keep the case moving. Your clients will also appreciate the fact that they will be able to receive documents faster as well if they sign up for certain court services.