Mass. Int. R. Elec. Fil'g 7

As amended through October 3, 2024
Rule 7 - Service of Electronically Filed Documents
(a)All Documents Filed Must Be Served. Except as otherwise provided in the Massachusetts Court Rules and Orders, or as otherwise ordered by the Pilot Court, all electronically filed documents must be served on all other parties. Any document filed through the e-filing system must include a Certificate of Service. Subject to the Pilot Court standing order, the Certificate of Service may appear as a part of the document being filed or may be filed as a separate document.
(b)Electronic Service Accomplished Through the Electronic Filing Service Provider; Conventional Service Required for Non-Registered Participants. All Users in a case may be served electronically through the e-filing system. The User submitting the document for filing through the e-filing system is responsible for serving a paper copy of the document by regular mail or hand delivery to all parties who are Non-Registered Participants, in accordance with the Massachusetts Court Rules and Orders. The filing User must include with the Certificate of Service submitted electronically a list of the names of all parties requiring service that will be served electronically by the e-filing system, and a list of the names and addresses of aU parties requiring conventional service.

Example:
Certificate of Service
I hereby certify that on (date) I filed the attached document(s) through the Electronic Filing Service Provider (Provider) for electronic service to the following registered Users: (list of names). I hereby certify that on (date), copies to non-registered users were sent by conventional mailing in accordance with the rules: (list of names and addresses).
/s/ John A. Smith

(c)Conventional Service Required If Electronic Service Notification Is Undeliverable. If an electronic service notice transmitted to a User's e-mail account is rejected or returned as undeliverable, the Provider will generate notice to the filing User who submitted the document. If a filing User receives notice that electronic service on any party was undeliverable, the filing User shall then serve the document on that User by conventional methods. The filing User shall submit an additional Certificate of Service to the ECF to reflect that conventional service has occurred.
(d)Electronic Notification Shall Signal Completion of Electronic Service; Calculating Time To Respond. Electronic service shall be deemed complete at the time of transmission to the e-mail account of the Service Contact. For the purpose of computing time to respond to documents received by electronic service, any document served on a day or at a time when the court is not open for business shall be deemed served at the time of the next opening of the court for business. Whenever a User has the right or is required to do some act within a prescribed period after the completion of electronic service of a notice or other documents upon him/her and the notice or document is served upon him/her by electronic means, three days shall be added to the prescribed period.

Mass. Int. R. Elec. Fil'g 7

Added February 25, 2015, effective 3/1/2015.