The courier service industry in New Jersey especially has noticed a marked decline in recent years. There are a number of factors that have caused this, most notably e-filing, but despite the dip it is apparent that courier service is still here for a while to come.
The use of e-filing has become even more prominent within the past several years, particularly with the introduction of the JEFIS system. E-filing was designed to streamline court processes as well as reduce the postal fees and paper expenditures related to filing court documents. Currently the District Courts and Bankruptcy Court all utilize e-filing on a regular basis for all cases while the Special District Court utilizes the JEFIS system for cases with DC docket numbers. In July 2010 the JEFIS system was expanded to include foreclosures to accommodate the 200% increase in filings since 2005, although not all foreclosure firms are mandated to use the JEFIS system.
The system does not come with any fees and while this is all great news to attorneys and other legal professionals, those in the courier service industry have felt its impact in a different way. JEFIS even allows court notices to be delivered electronically to attorneys, even further reducing the need for messenger service.
So where does this leave courier service within New Jersey?
There are still many divisions which do not utilize this service and the fact is the electronic filing systems only provide a return if there is a high enough volume to justify the court’s expenditures and expectations. Numbers of these electronic systems across the country have started off with a bang only to fail when they did not receive the volume they expected. Mandatory e-filing may be the only way to ensure this system succeeds.
Until that time, a number of attorneys are reluctant to change their practices and would prefer to continue with courier service and the previous ways of filing. While the first year of the introduction of an e-filing system tends to be slightly tumultuous and capabilities of the support staff for JEFIS may not be adequate for a firm’s needs, courier service is dependable – particularly DGR’s New Jersey courier service! (LINK) The customer support and level of personal connection connected with messenger service will continue to be a boon to the courier service industry in New Jersey as the e-filing system continues to expand in the coming years.
