- 1). Contact the clerk's office in the court house for your jurisdiction and ask with what area of the court you need to be involved for your needs (e.g., probate, divorce). You may also use the website for your jurisdiction, as many court houses have official websites (a complete list is available from the National Center for State Courts at ncsconline.org).
- 2). Determine what you want the court to do (e.g., have a hearing, dismiss charges). Ask the clerk for the form or forms that accompany that task. The clerk will tell you what documents need to accompany the forms (e.g., the copy of an original will) and the specific way they need to be handled.
- 3). Fill out the documents and obtain all necessary related papers.
- 4). Send copies of the documents to all involved parties by regular mail along with a certificate of service that verifies you sent the document. If required, have involved parties served by a representative of the court.
- 5). Bring two copies of the documents and related paperwork back to the county clerk. Ask that one copy be filed and have the clerk stamp the other with a file stamp so that you have proof the documents were properly filed with the clerk. If desired, and if your jurisdiction and section of court permits, you also have the option of using the court house's website to e-file documents.
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