Sometimes, the court sends users a single-PDF packet containing several legal documents. The court may require users to separate these documents into separate PDFs that should be uploaded into a new case as distinct Lead Documents. The following text should explain how to accomplish this:
You may have a packet that, for example, contains 15 pages. Any pages in the packet that do not require the user to fill in information do not normally have to be uploaded, unless expressed by the courts.
You must first organize the legal documents into grouping. A group of documents can mean one or more pages in that file. If pages one to four (1 - 4) of the 15-page example PDF file mentioned above comprise one legal document, then those pages will comprise one group that will be split off into a separate PDF that will be uploaded as a Lead Document.
If you do not own a copy of Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word (which can be used to split PDF files into separate documents), the iLovePDF PDF editing website has a useful Split PDF File tool that can be used for this purpose for free.
When you are prepared to upload your split documents, select the appropriate Filing Code for each document. Use the title of the original single-PDF document as the Filing Code for the initial document, then use the titles of each separate document (or something close to it) as their Filing Codes.
- For example, if the original court-issues PDF was a Petition for Dissolution (or Divorce) packet, then the Filing Code for the primary Lead Document would be Petition for Dissolution. The rest of the documents in the packet should have their own names that correspond to other Filing Codes. If you do not see appropriate Filing Codes for each document at the website, contact the clerks at the court you are filing into for more information.
After this, upload each file as a separate Lead Document, then continue with your filing.