EDDS Family User Guide for Clerks

Introduction
How to Submit Documents via EDDS
How to Review Documents Submitted via EDDS (Clerk)
After Document Is Reviewed and Processed
Retrieving a Processed Document

Introduction

The Electronic Document Delivery System (EDDS) was developed to ensure access to New York's courts for approved proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic. EDDS provides secure and efficient electronic delivery of documents, eliminating the need for physical contact at the courthouse. EDDS serves as a "virtual post office" for attorneys, litigants, presentment agencies, probation departments, treatment service providers and other interested parties to submit documents to the court.

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Benefits of Electronic Document Delivery System (EDDS)

Provides a secure method to electronically transmit documents
Enforces strict controls over document visibility
Includes comprehensive built-in virus checking
Tracks the sending/receiving of documents for audit purposes
Retains all documents in statewide content management system

Family Courts will continue to use current secure applications that are in place for certain case types including the LUC data-share for NYC abuse and neglect petitions, the Family Offense Advocate Assisted Program, and E-Share for original child support cases. The EDDS provides an optional additional tool for the Family Courts to receive essential documents.

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Preparing Your Documents for Uploading to EDDS

Your PDF document must comply with the following criteria:

PDF/A
Text Searchable (OCR)
1-inch margins
Resolution of 200 dots per inch

Flattened (if multi-layered)
NOT password-protected or encrypted
NOT contain any objects
NOT have long file name

EDDS requires that all submitted documents conform to PDF/A specifications. EDDS will not accept documents that contain open action tags or JavaScript. Documents may not be accepted if the above specifications are not met.

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Service

Document submission via EDDS does not constitute service of the document upon any other party. If service is required, you must serve by some other electronic means, including email or facsimile, and upload a Proof of Service document (i.e., Affidavit, Affirmation or Acknowledgement) with your submission.

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Filing

Document submission via EDDS does not constitute filing, but you can request that your document is accepted for filing by checking the Filing box on the Enter Your Information screen [read How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 3: Enter Your Information]. After reviewing the document, the Court determines if the document meets established filing requirements and is suitable for filing, and you will get an email notifying you of whether your document is accepted for filing or not [read How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 10-A: Email Confirming Acceptance and/or Filing of Documents and Step 10-B: Email Returning Documents for Correction].

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Essential Proceedings Authorized for EDDS Submission

Commencing a new case by electronically submitting documents via EDDS is restricted to the following essential proceeding types [read How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 5: Select Case Type].

Child Protective (NN, NA, AS, B, L, K) proceedings
Presentment agencies, attorneys and pro-se litigants can submit documents for new petitions, pre-petitions, requests for extensions of supervision, placement modifications, orders to show cause, 1028 applications, and other emergency applications. * In NYC, most original Abuse and Neglect petitions will continue to come through the LUC data-share.
Juvenile Delinquency (D, E, S) proceedings
Submitters may include presentment agencies such as Corporation Counsel or county attorneys, other agencies such as DSS or OCFS, and attorneys or self-represented litigants.
Emergency Family Offense (O) proceedings
The DIY Family Offense Advocate Assisted Petition Program will continue to be used for emergency proceedings when an advocate is working with the litigant. If there is no advocated involved, an attorney or self-represented litigant may use EDDS.
Other Essential Matters
Orders to Show Cause and stipulations may be submitted on various Family Court case types that are deemed to be of an essential and emergency nature.

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Motions Authorized for EDDS Submission in Non-Essential Proceedings

In certain jurisdictions, electronically submitting motion documents via EDDS is authorized in non-essential proceedings, but is restricted to existing cases only [read How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 5: Select Case Type].

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Authorized Document Types for EDDS Submission

Pre-petitions
Petitions
Motions
Orders to Show Cause (OTSC)
Stipulations
Notice of Entry
Notice of Appeal

If you are unsure whether your documents are authorized for submission via EDDS, contact the applicable Court or Judicial District Office to confirm before submitting. To find court contact information, use the Court Locator on the Unified Court System's public web page, choose the county and court type from the drop-down menus, and then click the Find the Court button.

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How to Submit Documents

The following step-by-step instructions are to guide document submitters in Family Court cases (i.e., attorneys, litigants, presentment agencies, probation departments, treatment service providers, etc.) on how to electronically submit documents via EDDS.

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Step 1: Welcome

Visit the Electronic Document Delivery System submission webpage and click on the Family Court link to enter the site.

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Step 2: Getting Started

After reading the instructions, click the Next button to begin your submission.

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Step 3: Enter Your Information

Enter your name and contact information, case information, and briefly explain why you are submitting the document(s). You must complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*). You can enter "Unknown" or "Not Applicable" in the Case Number and Case Title fields if this is a new proceeding. Check the Filing box if you want the document(s) filed by the court. Then, click the Next button to continue.

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Step 4: Select a Court

Scroll through the list to select the county where you want to submit your document(s). Click the Next button to continue.

Step 5: Select Case Type

Select the case type from the drop-down list. Click the Next button to continue.

If submitting documents to commence an approved essential proceeding, select the applicable case type [read Essential Proceedings Authorized for EDDS Submission].
If submitting motion documents in an existing case that is not an approved essential proceeding, select "Non-Essential Case – Motions" as the case type [read Motions Authorized for EDDS and Submission in Non-Essential Proceedings].

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Step 6: Attach PDF Documents for Uploading

Select the Document Type you are submitting from the drop-down list and click the Browse… button to upload your PDF file. You may also enter a Document Description. If you have more than five documents to submit, click the Add More Documents button. Click the Next button to continue.

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Step 7: Review Your Information

Review the information you entered. Click the Change My Information link to correct your contact information. Click the Cancel button and start over to change any other information. Click the Send Documents button to finish the submission.

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Step 8: Thank You

Click the Print button to print this screen. You can also click the Send Another Document button to begin a new submission.
NOTE: You may need to reference your Document ID in future communications with the court. It is strongly recommended that you print this screen by clicking the Print button and/or make a note of your Document ID before exiting the screen.

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Step 9: Automated Receipt Confirmation Email

Once you have successfully submitted your documents, you will get an automated email confirming receipt by the court [see example below]. After reviewing your submission, the court may either accept your documents [read Step 10-A: Email Confirming Acceptance and/or Filing of Documents] or return them for correction if a problem is identified [read Step 10-B: Email Returning Documents for Correction]. If you checked the Filing box on the Enter Your Information screen [read Step 3: Enter Your Information], the court will also determine if your submission meets established filing requirements and will process your documents for filing if appropriate.

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Step 10-A: Email Confirming Acceptance and/or Filing of Documents

If your documents are accepted by the court, you will receive a second email, which will include important information about your submission and directions regarding how to proceed with your case [see example below]. If you do not receive a second email from the court, you may contact the court using the email address found in the email confirming receipt of your submission [read Step 9: Automated Receipt Confirmation Email], but do not use this email address to send documents to the court. It is for correspondence purposes only.

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Step 10-B: Email Returning Documents for Correction

If your documents are returned for correction by the court, you will receive a second email, which will include important information about your submission and directions regarding how to proceed with your case [see example below]. If you do not receive a second email from the court, you may contact the court using the email address found in the email confirming receipt of your submission [read Step 9: Automated Receipt Confirmation Email], but do not use this email address to send documents to the court. It is for correspondence purposes only.

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How to Review Submitted Documents (Clerk)

You can review and process documents submitted via EDDS in the court's EDDS To-Do List as listed below.

Step 1: NYSCEF Home Page

Go to the NYSCEF website and click the EDDS Court Processing link.

Step 2: Login

On the NYSCEF Login page, enter your User Name and Password and click the Login button.

Step 3: Welcome

Click the EDDS To-Do List link in the Clerks menu

Step 4: To-Do-List (select user group)

Select the applicable user group in the User Group drop-down list. [NOTE: Most family courts have only one user group called Intake (EDDS).] Click the Find To-Do Items button to display a list of submissions to the court via EDDS.

Step 5: To-Do List (submissions list)

The submissions list is displayed below the selection options. Click the Approve Document link in the To-Do Item column to begin processing the submission.

Step 6: To-Do Item – Process Document (review documents)

To view a document, click the document name link (e.g., MOTION, PETITION, STIPULATION, ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE, etc.) in the Document column, and the PDF document opens in a new browser window. After reviewing the documents, click the Process All Documents button to process all documents associated with the submission, or click the Return All Documents button to return all documents associated with the submission. Verify that the case number is correct. If not, enter the correct number in the Case Number field. Note the assigned Document ID for entry in UCMS and to search NYSCEF for the documents after they are processed. Check the Stamp box to apply a file stamp to a document if desired. NOTE: Save the PDF files to your computer. Attach them to the corresponding docket in UCMS. Then, delete the PDF files from your computer to prevent unauthorized access to confidential information that may be contained in documents.

**AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCEDURE***
If processing the documents, go to Steps 7-A, 7-B and 7-C.
If returning the documents, go to Steps 8-A, 8-B and 8-C

Steps for Processing Documents:

Step 7-A: To-Do Item – Process Document (comments)

Add Internal Note is not applicable for EDDS submissions and should be left blank. Add Comment to Case is an optional field used only to add comments to email sent to the document submitter when the document is processed [see How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 10-A: Email Confirming Acceptance and/or Filing of Documents]. If a comment is entered, leave the Email Comment to Sender box checked and the Public Comment radio button selected. (The Internal Comment radio button is not used for EDDS submissions and should not be selected.) Comments for processed documents may include confirmation that the document was processed and accepted for filing and/or additional information and instructions regarding further court proceedings [see example below]. Proceed to Step 7-B: To-Do Item – Process Document (process all documents). NOTE: Comments for documents that are returned are not entered here. They are entered on the Return Document screen [see Step 8-B: Return Document]

Step 7-B: To-Do Item – Process Document (process all documents)

Click the Process All Listed Documents button to process all documents associated to the submission. Proceed to Step 7-C: To-Do Item Complete.

Step 7-C: To-Do Item Complete

After the document is processed, confirmation displays on the To-Do Item Complete screen. Document processing is now complete.

Steps for Returning Documents:

Step 8-A: To-Do Item – Process Document (return all documents)

Click the Return All Listed Documents button to return all the documents associated to the submission for correction. Proceed to Step 8-B: Return Document.

Step 8-B: Return Document

Enter a reason why the documents are being returned in the Reason for Return field, which is included in the automated email sent to the document submitter [see How to Submit Documents via EDDS - Step 10-B: Email Returning Documents for Correction]. Click the Return All Listed Documents button. Proceed to Step 8-C: Return Document Confirmation.

Step 8-C: Return Document Confirmation

After the document is returned, confirmation displays on the Return Document Confirmation screen. Document return is now complete.

After the Document Is Reviewed and Processed

Complete the following tasks in UCMS-Family after the document review is completed:

For essential proceeding submissions:

Docket the case if necessary
Attach the downloaded PDF document to the appropriate UCMS docket
Enter the EDDS Document ID in the appropriate remarks field for future reference
Delete the downloaded PDF document from your computer
Schedule the first appearance and send out notification to the parties
Proceed as normally

For motion submissions in existing cases:

Enter the motion in UCMS
Attach the downloaded PDF document to the appropriate UCMS docket
Enter the EDDS Document ID in the appropriate remarks field for future reference
Delete the downloaded PDF document from your computer
Schedule an appearance and send out notification to the parties if required
Proceed as normally

Retrieving a Processed Document

You can retrieve processed EDDS documents using either the EDDS Search link (see Steps 1-A to 1-C) or the EDDS Containers link (see Steps 2-A to 2-D) on the NYSCEF home page as follows:

Step 1-A: NYSCEF Home Page

To search by Document ID, click the EDDS Search link in the Cases menu.

Step 1-B: Document Search

Enter the Document ID [see How to Review Documents Submitted via EDDS, Step 6: To-Do Item (review documents)]. Click the Search button.

Step 1-C: Search Results

To view a document, click the document name link (e.g., MOTION, PETITION, STIPULATION, ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE, etc.) in the Document Type column, and the PDF document opens in a new browser window. If a filed stamp was not already applied on the Process Document page [see How to Review Documents Submitted via EDDS, Step 6: To-Do Item (review documents)], you may check the Stamp box and click the Stamp Documents button to apply a file stamp to a document if desired.