Rule 1.1.Registration Required.

Last amended October 28, 2019 · Last verified July 3, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1.1 requires most attorneys handling a case in Hawaii's electronic court system to register as electronic filers and file every document online.

Full Text of Rule 1.1

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As provided by Rule 4 of the Hawai‘i Electronic Filing and Service Rules, unless exempted by the court, each attorney representing a party to a case maintained in the Judiciary Information Management System (JIMS) shall register as a Judiciary Electronic Filing and Service System (JEFS) User and shall file all documents electronically. An unrepresented party may register as a JEFS User for the case in which the unrepresented party is an individual party.

Amendment History

Added October 31, 2019, effective nunc pro tunc October 28, 2019

Plain-English Summary

Rule 1.1 makes electronic filing mandatory for most attorneys. Under Rule 4 of the Hawai‘i Electronic Filing and Service Rules, an attorney representing a party in a case kept in the Judiciary Information Management System (JIMS) must register as a Judiciary Electronic Filing and Service System (JEFS) User, unless the court exempts that attorney, and must file every document in that case electronically.

The rule also opens the door to self-represented litigants. A party without a lawyer who is an individual, rather than a company or organization, may register as a JEFS User for their own case, giving that person the option, though not the obligation, to file electronically too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who must register as a JEFS User under Rule 1.1?

Every attorney representing a party in a case maintained in the Judiciary Information Management System must register as a JEFS User and file documents electronically, unless the court exempts them.

Can a person without a lawyer file electronically in Hawaii?

Yes. An unrepresented party who is an individual may register as a JEFS User for their own case, though Rule 1.1 does not require it.

Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the official Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure (Haw. R. Civ. P. 1.1). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-11; Haw. Const. art. VI, § 7). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 3, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: JEFS registration requirementmandatory electronic filingJudiciary Electronic Filing and Service SystemJIMS case registration