Alaska courts now treat after-hours protective order eFilings as filed next business day

The Alaska Court System revised its temporary electronic filing rules Oct. 6, adding petitions for civil protective orders to the filings that count as filed the next business day when they are submitted online outside a court's regular business hours. Before the change, that rule applied only to eviction filings, known as forcible entry and detainer complaints, under a version of the rules effective Oct. 1, 2025.

Administrative Director Stacey Marz signed the revision of Administrative Bulletin No. 92 under authority the Alaska Supreme Court gave her office to adopt provisional eFiling rules. The court system expects more changes as eFiling reaches all courts and case types.

Self-represented litigants must file through the online system, called TrueFiling, once it is in place at a court location, unless one of five exemptions applies. A filer is exempt if incarcerated, has a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, lacks safe access to a computer, internet or email, cannot get needed help to eFile, or faces a language barrier or limited English proficiency.

No proof is required. The revision adds that some courts may require form TF-820, the Notice of TrueFiling Exemption and Email Use, with a filer's first exempt filing. The form tells the court and other parties about the exemption and whether the filer agrees to receive court documents by email. Exempt filers may file only by mail or in person, not by email.

All attorneys registered with the Alaska Bar must use TrueFiling. Child in Need of Aid cases were scheduled to move to mandatory electronic filing on Aug. 17, Alaska News reported July 21. Probate cases, including adoption, estates, guardianship and conservatorship, are planned to move by the end of 2026.

A new section says that once eFiling becomes mandatory in child-in-need-of-aid and delinquency cases, filers should serve filings as court rules require until service through TrueFiling becomes available. The revision also allows cross-motions and motions with multiple related requests in one document, and requires a subpoena and its supporting documents to be filed together as a single document.

A document submitted before 11:59 pm Alaska time counts as filed that day.