In an effort to simplify and streamline the manner in which documents and pleadings are filed with the Disciplinary Board, the Board designed and released an online filing system. Among other documents, filings with the Board may include briefs, petitions for reinstatement, joint petitions in support of discipline on consent, motions, and affidavits.
Office of Disciplinary Counsel staff have been using the new system successfully throughout the summer. Now released to all Pennsylvania attorneys, the filing system is housed within a larger Attorney Gateway which is accessible via the “For Attorneys” tab on the Disciplinary Board website. The Attorney Gateway landing page allows users to update contact information, create new filings, and view submitted filings.
When creating a filing, a user will confirm relevant contact information and will select from a series of dropdown menus to label and categorize the submission. The user then will upload the desired files into the web form before submitting the filing. The system currently allows documents up to 500 MB to be uploaded.
After a filing is submitted, it will appear on the user’s dashboard. The user can track the submission through its processing and will notice that the filing will be designated as “Submitted,” “In Review,” “Accepted,” or “Rejected.” While noted as “Submitted,” the user has the ability to modify the pending filing via the dashboard. If a submission is rejected, the user will be contacted by the Prothonotary’s Office.
All submissions made by a user remain listed on the dashboard until the Prothonotary’s Office clears the filing, usually after a case has been formally closed.
A user manual is available online as guidance.