openEFM is
an Open Source, electronic filing manager. It acts as gateway
between a court's Case Management System (CMS) and any other
party wishing to file documents electronically. Filings are stored
in the EFM until court staff approve the filing. Once approved
the information can be passed on to the court's local CMS.
openEFM is designed to work with LegalXML, the industry standard
for transporting information regarding court filings and court
documents. openEFM is also intended to work with any CMS system.
Why choose openEFM?
- openEFM is efficient; instantaneous, simultaneous access to electronically filed court documents. Participants may file from Counterclaims’ Public Access Server, or from any Service Provider located throughout the world. openEFM eliminates the time required for mailing or personal delivery of pleadings and other documents.
- openEFM is comprehensive; using LegalXML, it can integrate with any pre-existing case management system the court may already be using.
- openEFM is cost effective; leading to the ultimate reduction or elimination of handling and storing paper case files in courts, lawyers’ offices, and official archives.
- openEFM is customizable; allowing courts to adapt the software to their unique needs without recreating a new API (Application Program Interface) for each new filer or vendor who uses their system.
- openEFM is secure; using a SSL (Secure Socket Layer) connection, all information sent between the EFM and any court system is encrypted using the latest Internet standards.
Main Features of openEFM include:
Acceptance of Electronic Filings: Allows attorneys, pro se litigants or agencies to file documents directly with the court
Adherence to industry standards: openEFM adheres to all current industry standards including COSCA/NACM Joint Technology Committee and LegalXML.
Filing Management: Gives the court the ability to manage all electronically filed documents as they enter the EFM, approved filings are then accepted into the CMS.
Account Management: Allows court to manage all filers using their system.
Filing Service Provider Management: Manages multiple Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs).
Electronic Payment Processing: Allows filers to pay using any standard method of payment via Verisign, PayPal, ACH, etc.
Open Source Code: openEFM is delivered with the code, allowing for the system to be upgraded or modified to fit any future needs the court may have.
Security: openEFM can offer a greater level of security than any proprietary solution. Because it is Open Source, more external source code review takes place versus traditional proprietary code.
Components Include-
- A Web interface for submission of court filings using HTTP over SSL (HTTPS)
- A SOAP over HTTPS interface for submission of court filings.
- A security manager that handles authentication using SSL and HTTP cookies.
- A skeleton for a Query/Response interface.
- A LegalXML validator that validates filing against any DTD derived from the Court Filing DTD. Administrators can customize validation using simple XPath queries.
- An audit logger that records events to a log file.
- An ID Dispenser that generates Universally Unique Identifiers (UUIDs) and time stamps for each filing
- A Web interface for clerk review. If the clerk accepts the filing, it is sent to the CMS interface.
- A sample client that demonstrates how an EFSP can submit a filing using SOAP
