Rule 14.03 - Filing and Service of Documents and Court Notices(a)Availability of E-Filing System. Registered Users may electronically transmit documents for filing or service through the E-Filing System 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except when the system is unavailable due to breakdown or scheduled maintenance.(b)Filed Upon Transmittal. A document that is electronically filed is deemed to have been filed by the court administrator on the date and time of its transmittal to the court through the E-Filing System, and except for proposed orders, the filing shall be stamped with this date and time if it is subsequently accepted by the court administrator. Acceptance of electronic filings is governed by Rule 5.04(c) of the Rules of Civil Procedure, except that Rule 5.04(c)(4) shall not apply to criminal, civil commitment, juvenile protection, or juvenile delinquency cases, or to medical records in any type of case. If the filing is not subsequently accepted by the court administrator, no date stamp shall be applied, and the E-Filing System shall notify the filer that the filing was not accepted. Upon receipt of a document electronically transmitted for filing by a Registered User, the E-Filing System shall confirm to the Registered User, through an automatically generated notification to the Registered User's designated e-mail address, that the transmission of the document was completed and the date and time of the document's receipt. Absent confirmation of receipt, there is no presumption that the document was successfully transmitted to the court. The Registered User is solely responsible for verifying that the court received all electronically transmitted documents.(c)Effective Time of Filing. Any document electronically transmitted to the court through the E-Filing System for filing by 11:59 p.m. local Minnesota time shall be deemed filed on that date, so long as the document is not subsequently rejected for filing by the court administrator for a reason authorized by Rule 5.04 of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Filing by facsimile transmission, where authorized, is effective at the time the transmission is received by the court.(d)Service by Registered Users. Unless personal service is otherwise required by statute, these rules, other rules of court, or an order of the court, a Registered User shall serve all documents required or permitted to be served upon another party or person in the following manner: (1)Service on Registered Users. Except as otherwise permitted in subpart (3) below, where the party or person to be served is a Registered User, who has either electronically filed a document in the case or designated an email address for receiving electronic service in the E-Filing system for the case and the Court has accepted the initial filing in the case, service shall be accomplished through the E-Filing System by utilizing the electronic service function of the E-Filing System.(2)Service on Other Parties or Participants. Where the party or participant to be served is not a Registered User or has not either designated an email address for receiving electronic service in the E-Filing system for the case or electronically filed a document in the case but has agreed to service by electronic means outside the E-Filing System (such as by email or other electronic means), service may be made in the agreed upon manner. The presiding judge or judicial officer may also order that service on the non-Registered User be made by electronic means outside of the E-Filing System. Where service by electronic means is not required or permitted, another method of service authorized under applicable rules or law must be used.(3)Service of Discovery Material. Unless required by court order, electronic service of discovery material through the E-Filing System shall be voluntary, and discovery material may be served in any manner authorized by the court rules, as agreed by the parties, or as ordered by the court. For purposes of this rule, discovery material includes but is not limited to: (i) disclosures under Minn. R. Civ. P. 26, expert disclosures and reports, depositions and interrogatories, requests for documents, requests for admission, answers and responses thereto, and any other material as designated by the presiding judge or judicial officer; and (ii) discovery requests and responses as defined in any applicable court rules, and(iii) any other material as designated by the presiding judge or judicial officer.(e)Effective Date of Service. Service is complete upon completion of the electronic transmission of the document to the E-Filing System notwithstanding whether the document is subsequently rejected for filing by the court administrator. Service by facsimile transmission, where authorized, is complete upon the completion of the facsimile transmission. Service using other agreed upon electronic means pursuant to Rule 14.03(d)(2) is complete upon transmission of the document using that electronic means.(f)Court Notices. Unless otherwise required by statute, these rules, other rules of court, or an order of the court, the court may transmit any document or notice in the following manner:(1) to a Registered User through the E-Filing System. Notice is effective upon transmission of the document or notice to the E-Filing System by the court. The court may also transmit notices outside the E-Filing System as provided in Rule 14.02(a) or other applicable rules.(2) to any Party or Participant who is not a Registered User through any electronic means agreed to by the Party or Participant, or as ordered by the court, or as permitted by any other rule. Notice is effective upon transmission of the document or notice using that electronic means.(g)Document Requirements and Format. Unless otherwise authorized by these rules or court order, all documents filed electronically shall conform to the document technical and size requirements as established by the state court administrator in the Minnesota District Court Registered User Guide for Electronic Filing. The Guide shall be posted on the judicial branch website (www.mncourts.gov).(h) Non-conforming Documents. Where it is not feasible for a Registered User to convert a document to an authorized electronic form by scanning, imaging, or other means, or where a document cannot reasonably be transmitted through the E-Filing System in conformance with the document's technical and size requirements as established by the state court administrator, the court may allow the Registered User to file the document conventionally. A motion to file a non-conforming document must be filed electronically. If the court grants the Registered User's motion to file a non-conforming document, the Registered User shall file and serve the non-conforming document conventionally.Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.03
Amended effective 7/1/2015; amended effective 9/1/2018; amended effective 1/1/2021; amended effective 11/22/2023.Advisory Committee Comment-2018 Amendments
Rule 14.03(d) is amended in 2018 to address issues relating to service using the e-filing system of the courts.
Advisory Committee Comment-2023 Amendments
Rule 14.03 is modified in 2023 to reflect broader use of remote court proceedings and participation by self-represented litigants who may not be Registered Users of the E-Filing System. The rule permits, for example, court notices and orders to be served via email or other electronic means if the receiving party agrees, and that such service is effective upon transmission.