First time users should read
the following carefully before filing an action.
A more detailed step
by step user guide is also
available.
If you are not a first time user
and you do not wish to read the following, go to
logon.
Authority
Authority Applications and other
documents may be filed or lodged electronically with the
Court in accordance with the Federal
Court Rules. An application may consist of a form
or forms accompanied by supporting documentation.
Document Acceptance
All documents sent electronically must
be sent using the Court's home page. All documents sent
electronically must be capable of being printed with the
content and in the form in which they were created. The
sender must keep paper copies of all documents sent electronically.
A document or application is not accepted
or filed with the Court until it is received, checked
for completeness and accuracy and stamped by the Court.
Documents received after 4:30 pm (local registry time)
will not be considered to have been received until the
start of business on the following working day.
A document is not accepted or filed
simply because a filing
fee has been paid or
waived.
NB There may be delays between the
time information is sent electronically and the time it
is received.
Forms
The forms which must be used in the
Court are set out in the First Schedule of the Federal
Court Rules, the Federal Court (Corporations Law) Rules
2000 and the Native Title (Federal Court) Regulations.
Forms cannot be completed on-line. Forms need to be downloaded
and saved on your computer or to disk and completed off-line.
All forms may be downloaded in PDF
(Portable Document Format) and RTF (Rich Text Format)
from the filing,
forms and fees area of this site. Included are guides
to completing the most commonly used forms, an alphabetical
index to all forms, the types of documents or service
for which forms are used and the fees (if any) incurred.
Fees
The Federal Court of Australia
Regulations require a fee to be paid when certain documents
are lodged or filed with the Court. In specific circumstances
fees may be exempted or waived. An application
form for an exemption or waiver of fees is provided
on the fees page.
Formats
Documents to be filed or lodged
electronically must be in Rich Text Format (RTF), Portable
Document Format (PDF), Tagged Image Format (TIF), Graphical
Information Format (GIF), Joint Photographic Experts Group
(JPG) or .doc in any version of Microsoft Word.
Signed Documents
Where a document must be signed, a
facsimile of the signature may be affixed on the document
by electronic means. Alternatively, an image of the signed
document may be submitted. Access to a scanner will be
required to convert documents to an image format such
as TIF, GIF or JPG.
Affidavits may only be filed electronically
by sending an image of the document in an appropriate
format.
File Size
A single document filed with
the Court (zipped or unzipped) may not be submitted for
filing electronically if it is more than 100 pages when
printed (including any annexure or attachment).
Suitability of Documents
For Electronic Filing complex
documents such as maps (where photo-reduction results
in poor image quality or loss of scale) or images where
colour is a critical component of the case (eg, in some
intellectual property cases) may not be suitable for electronic
filing.
Return of Documents
Once a document is accepted and
filed with the Court, the Registry will provide the person
submitting the document with one stamped copy of the document
to the address specified on the cover sheet (email, postal
or held for collection).
Note that the documents are returned
electronically in PDF format. If you do not have Adobe
Acrobat Reader which is required to read PDF documents,
the free plug in software can be downloaded from the Adobe
website.
Copies of Documents
In most cases, you will need stamped
copies of each document for service on the other party
or parties.
If you have asked that documents be
returned to an email address, you can print copies of
the stamped documents for service.
If you have asked that documents be
returned by facsimile transmission, you can make copies
of the stamped documents for service.
If you have asked that documents be
returned by post or be available for collection from the
registry, you will need to specify the number of copies
of each document you want the registry to make. The first
copy is provided by the Court free of charge. Any additional
copies are charged at $ 1.00 per page. In addition there
is a $3 service fee.
Payment
Payment may only be made using
the following credit cards: VISA or MasterCard.
Security
The Court's electronic filing
facility uses encryption (SSL technology) to ensure personal
details are secure. You must have Internet Explorer version
4.0 or above or Netscape Navigator version 4.0 or above
to use this facility. If you need to download this software
please click below.
