The Court also encourages you to utilize Court E-File Forms located on the E-File Home page. These forms are pre-formatted and have been edited to include digital and electronic signature fields.

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What forms of payment are acceptable?

Payments may be made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa credit or debit cards.
Cards must be in the name of the registered user.
Use of the Ohio Direction Debit Card (Ohio EBT) is prohibited.

Third party credit or debit cards will not be accepted without an E-Firm account (attorneys only) or prior approval from the E-File Department.

Attorneys and Law Offices may sign up for an E-Firm account by contacting the E-File Help Desk (216) 443-8948.

There is a convenience fee to use a credit or debit card, charged by Point and Pay, LLC.
The convenience fee is non-refundable outside of the same business day.
The fees are determined as follows:

Use of the E-File System constitutes the registered user’s consent to charge the credit or debit card provided. The filing fee and accompanying convenience fee will be confirmed at the time of submission and charged at the time of acceptance.

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Can lawyers and law offices use a shared firm credit card to pay for E-Filings?

Yes. Sign up for an E-Firm account with the E-File Department. An E-Firm account is an attorney-managed list of authorized card users. It can be updated 24 hours a day and is accessed from your E-File User Settings.

Initial setup is quick, just call the E-File Department at (216) 443-8948.

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Can I E-File a request to have my address redacted from the Court’s public docket?

No. Filings submitted including any request to redact address or private information must be made in person at the Court. The E-File Department will automatically reject any requests to redact private information, along with any filings submitted with it.

For more information about the Courts redaction policy, review the Redaction topic from the Topics pages.

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Are there certain hours of the day when I can E-File?

You may login to your account and submit filings at any time. However, filings will not be reviewed by the Court outside of the regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, excepting legal holidays.

Any document submitted after 4:15 p.m. shall be deemed to have been submitted at 8:30 a.m. on the next Court business day. Any document filed on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday shall be deemed to have been submitted at 8:30 a.m. on the next Court business day.

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How do I know if my submitted files were received by the Court?

After you submit a filing, the E-File System will display a confirmation page on your screen. This page serves as proof of receipt of your submission. It is NOT evidence of a docketed filing with the Court. It merely indicates that your submission is received and ready for further intial review by the E-File Department. The page also contains the date and time your filing was received, and a confirmation number you can use to help track your filing. It is recommended you print this page for your records.

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Can I withdraw my filings that have been received by the court?

Once a document is submitted through the E-File System, it cannot be edited or changed. However, prior to acceptance by the E-File Department, it can be canceled using the “Cancel this Filing” button (found by clicking on the confirmation number on your E-File user home page, under My Filings).

If the filing has already been accepted and docketed, users may, in some instances, correct the filing through a Motion to Correct or a Motion to Amend. Additional costs for publication in the Legal News may be required.

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How do I know why my filing was rejected?

Filings rejected by the Court always include a rejection reason in the email sent to you and can, in most cases, be corrected and re-submitted to the Court through the E-File System.

Rejected filings must be corrected and resubmitted to the Court within 72 hours from the time the rejection email was sent to your account address. If you miss this correction deadline, you must resubmit your filing as a new filing.

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Do I have to pay additional costs for correcting a document that has been rejected?

No. Documents rejected by the Court have not been accepted for filing and therefore have no cost charged to your credit card.

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Can I change my hearing date?

If you cannot make a scheduled hearing date, you must contact the Court immediately upon receipt of your Notice of Hearing.

Please call (216) 443-8970 during regular Court business hours.

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Where do I park for my hearing?

The Cuyahoga County Probate Court is located at 1 West Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

The Huntington Park Garage is located at 1020 W. 3rd Street behind the Courthouse with entrances on West Lakeside and West 3rd Street. On a limited basis, parking meters are available near the Courthouse.

It is recommended you arrive at least 45 to 60 minutes before scheduled hearings and Court proceedings.

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My attorney no longer represents me and I want to use my E-File System Pro Se account, what do I do?

Filings will be rejected when submitted to the Court’s E-File System by Pro Se account users who have an attorney on record with the Court.

Future filings under the Pro Se account will be accepted for review only after a formal dismissal, resignation, or withdrawal has been filed with the Court as follows:

• A notice of dismissal filed in person at the Court indicating the attorney of record no longer represents you
• A notice of resignation filed by your attorney
• A notice of withdrawal filed by your attorney

All dismissals, resignations, and withdrawals will be reviewed by a Magistrate and may need a hearing before Pro Se users can make future filings through the Court’s E-File System. When a hearing is necessary, the Court will notify all interested parties of the location, date, and time.

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My source documents have been scanned and uploaded; do I need to keep the originals?

Yes, the Court may require you to produce at Court original source documents for further review or for copying.

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My E-File case and filings are finished, and the case is closed, do I need to keep my source documents?

Yes, you must keep your source documents for one year after the date your case was closed, and through any appeal period.

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I’ve been appointed Commissioner on a Release of Assets estate case.  Can I E-File my report?

Yes. Submit all records of receipts and disbursements, including any documents requested at your hearing by the magistrate, as ONE FILE (PDF format). Include your signed Report as the first page.

Unsigned Reports will be automatically rejected.

The Court encourages you to utilize the pre-formatted Commissioner’s Report for E-File submissions. 

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What are the general steps after I E-File my Commissioner’s Report?

In most instances, the E-Filed report is processed as follows:

• A confirmation email is sent once the report is received by the E-File Department.
• All filings are then forwarded to a magistrate or Judge for review.
• Users are encouraged to check the Court’s online case docket within 5-7 business days after submission, to check if the final order approving the report has been docketed.
• (If deemed necessary by the magistrate, additional instructions and hearings may be scheduled.  A notice of hearing will be sent to the Commissioner at that time. Documents requested by the magistrate or Judge for subsequent hearings may be E-Filed on the case as Supplemental Documents—choose “Supp Doc” for your docket code selection.)

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Is there a Help Desk for more assistance?

Email the E-File Department: probate_efile@cuyahogacounty.us

Call the E-File Department Help Desk: (216) 443-8948 in Room 123, First Floor, of the Probate Courthouse.

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Updated 5/22/2018