File in a District (Trial) Court

The Minnesota Judicial Branch will upgrade the district court electronic filing and service system, eFile and eServe (eFS), on Nov. 4.

The upgraded system will have a more intuitive user interface and better performance, which means fewer clicks, tabbing, and scrolling. It also will have an auto-save feature, so eFilers will not have to "save changes" after each section.

Other important information:

New web address: eFilers will need to use a new web address to access the upgraded system. Login information will remain the same. The new web address will be posted to the Minnesota Judicial Branch website on Nov. 4.
Dual availability: Both the current and upgraded eFS applications will be available through Nov. 21, which will give eFilers time to finish filings and recreate templates in the upgraded version.

To help eFilers get up to speed with the upgraded eFS, the Minnesota Judicial Branch will hold four one-hour live training sessions (click link to register for training):

The Odyssey File and Serve website is compatible with the most recent versions of the following web browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. It is not compatible with smartphones and tablets.

Electronic filing and service is required in all 87 Minnesota counties.

Mandatory use of the electronic eFile and eServe (eFS) System

The use of eFS is mandatory for attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem, in all court cases filed in all 87 Minnesota counties.

Voluntary use of eFS

All filers who are not required by court rule to use eFS, such as self-represented litigants, may choose to use eFS in all Minnesota counties. Once a filer has filed a document through the eFS System into a case, the filer must continue to use the eFS System to file documents for the rest of that case.

If a self-represented filer does not choose to use eFS, they can file on paper by going to the courthouse or by mailing their filings to the courthouse. You can find the addresses to the courthouses on our Find Courts page.

Only parties to a case or attorneys representing parties in a case should register in eFS. For example, advocates should not register in eFS to eFile on behalf of a self-represented litigant.

Additional eFiling information

Both electronic and paper filings are subject to the appropriate filing fee. However, the use of eFS poses a minimal cost for registered users. Besides the browser, all that is needed is a current email address and a valid credit or debit card for filing fees. VISA, MasterCard, and Discover are accepted. American Express is not.

eFiling for criminal and juvenile delinquency cases

Charging documents (criminal complaints, citations, and tab charges) are not filed through eFS. The same is true for juvenile delinquency petitions and citations. See Minn. R. Crim. Pro. 1.06, subd. 2; and Minn. R. Juv. Del. P. 6.03, subd. 2.

More information on eFiling charging documents in these cases is available on the Government Partners, Criminal Justice System Resources page.

File in a District (Trial) Court