Preparing documents for eFiling

Introduction

This information relates to proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Court) and has been provided to assist court users to prepare documents for eFiling via the Commonwealth Courts Portal (CCP).

Documents must be prepared to meet the requirements of the applicable court rules.

Types of files that can be eFiled

For eFiling the following type of document must be filed.

• .PDF - Portable Document Format

Font size, colour and type

General requirements for documents in Family Law are set out in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 – Rule 2.14.General requirements for documents in General Federal Law are set out in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 – Rule 2.01.

Use black font colour where possible. Avoid low contrast or coloured fonts such as blue and red.

Documents created using standard font types such as Arial, Times New Roman or Verdana are preferred. Where possible, avoid narrow, condensed, script or Gothic fonts.

Portable Document Format (PDFs)

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is a universal file format that preserves the fonts, images, graphics and layout of any source document regardless of the application and platform used to create it.

Scanned documents

Combining multiple documents and annexures into a single PDF can be done without the need to print everything and scan it together. Electronically converted PDFs are also generally much smaller in size than a scan.

Where possible, documents that only exist in paper format should be scanned and lodged with the Court. All other documents can be electronically converted from the original file by saving them as a PDF. Furthermore, individual documents can be quickly combined as PDFs using software such as Adobe Acrobat, avoiding any need to print out documents to combine them.

When scanning documents such as signed affidavits, the electronic size of the file created, regardless of the number of pages is dependent upon the resolution of the scanning. Scanning to a higher resolution will increase the size of the document. A big file will slow the upload speed in eFiling.

Documents do not have to be at the highest resolution so long as the information is clear. Resolution between 200 and 300 dpi is usually sufficient.

Ensure that there is sufficient contrast between the text and the background when scanning. The scan should be done in black and white, avoid greyscale or colour unless required.

Avoid scanning coloured paper where possible.

Large documents

In Family Law, Part 2.5 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 applies to the filing of documents including electronic filing. In General Federal Law, Division 2.2 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 applies to the filing of documents including electronic filing.

Document size

There is a size limitation for documents eFiled via CCP. This size restriction is 30Mb.

If you have a document over the size restriction, there are several suggested options to reduce the size of the document.

Adobe Acrobat v7.0 or higher allows you to open your PDF document and compress it to become smaller in size.

There are also a number of websites that provide information and tools on how to compress a PDF.

Requirements for eFiling under the rules

Requirements for eFiling can be found in the following rules:

• Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 – Rule 2.23.
• Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 – Rule 2.08.

Please also check for any current Practice Directions in the Rules and Regulations section of the Court’s website.

I’m adhering to the above rules but my document/submission for filing is still unable to be eFiled. What can I do?

If your document is within the requirements or you have been granted leave to file a document or other submission (e.g. an annexure containing cctv recordings) that is larger than 30MB, please contact the Court to obtain guidance on how to file your documents.

Suggested checklist before lodging a document

• Check font size, colour and type are consistent with the Court’s suggestions.
• Remove any hidden text and accept all track changes.
• Deactivate any security settings in a document including password protection, encryption or feature restrictions.

Glossary

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