Quick Link to COURTS on-line

History of COURTS
What is COURTS on-line?
Who can apply for this access?
How can my company apply?
What are the requirements for participation?
What are the benefits?
COURTS on-line application forms 
COURTS on-line preview
COURTS on-line release 4.0 Upgrade - latest news
Questions and Contact Info? 

 HISTORY OF THE COURTS on-line system
New Jersey was one of the first states in the nation to have a fully automated workers’ compensation case management and litigation system.  This was made possible with the implementation of the COURTS system, which was deployed in four phases, beginning in 1999.

COURTS 1.0 - Replaced prior mainframe system for DWC employees
COURTS 2.0- COURTS on-line for attorneys and carriers
COURTS 3.0- Electronic Filing program introduced
COURTS 4.0- Replaced the existing COURTS (employees) and COURTS on-line systems (attorneys / carriers) , added numerous new features along with expansion of e-filing options. System deployed June 2012. 


 WHAT IS COURTS ON-LINE? 

COURTS on-line, is a secure Internet website that provides authorized subscribers access  to the Division's  database from the comfort of their homes or offices. Subscribers are able to view detailed information relating to their firm's cases and hearing lists. Authorized subscribers can also use the system to e-file legal pleadings. For more details, please see the subscriber benefit section.

 WHO CAN APPLY FOR THIS ACCESS?

• Law Firms currently registered with the Division

• Insurance Carriers and approved Self-Insurers (self-administered), registered with the Division

• Court Reporting Firms currently under contract with the Division

• Physicians that appear before the WC Court

 HOW CAN MY COMPANY APPLY?
If your firm is interested in participating in this program, please complete a COURTS on-line Internet Access Application form. This form consists of two parts - the Designation of a Contact Person form and Subscriber Applications form.

Before the Division can process the application, we will need for your firm to designate a contact person, an individual with a managerial title. This can be done by completing the Designation of a Contact Person form. It will be the contact person’s  responsibility to approve the list of users for your firm, advise us on the electronic filing access level for every subscriber, notify us whenever there is a change to this list and receive notices from the Division regarding e-gov program updates.

The Subscriber application forms need to be completed and signed by each applicant as well as the contact person.  Please note that if the contact person wishes to access the program as well,  he or she will also have to complete a subscriber application.

 HOW CAN I ADD, DELETE OR CHANGE USER INFORMATION ON MY FIRM'S  ACCOUNT?
If your company is already participating in COURTS on-line but you would like to add a new subscriber, please complete a COURTS on-line Subscriber Application Form.

If you would like to remove a subscriber, or change information (name, e-mail address, e-filing access level) for an existing subscriber, the firm's COURTS on-line Contact Person must complete a COURTS on-line Subscriber Change Form.

 REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION:
Subscribers to COURTS on-line need to keep in mind that the minimum requirements for using the COURTS on-line site are the following:

 A valid and unique e-mail address: each individual subscriber must have his or her own unique valid e-mail address belonging solely to that individual. The Division will use this e-mail address to communicate with you. 

To make sure that e-mail messages from the Division of Workers’ Compensation are delivered properly to your inbox, you should add the following domain names to your e-mail safe list: "dol.nj.gov" and “oit.nj.gov”.
 

 Employer Approval: the subscriber must be designated as an authorized participant by their employer.

 Internet Browser and Settings:

• BROWSER: Internet Explorer (version 7.0 or later) or Firefox.You must be able to download documents from the Internet and also view pop-up windows (disable pop-up blocker for the site).

• INTERNET CONNECTION: We recommend broadband (cable or DSL) to avoid response time problems.

• PC SETTINGS:  If you have to scroll left-right to see the full page or document templates, you may need to adjust your screen resolution. To modify your screen resolution (also called desktop area), right-click from your main desktop and then select Screen Resolution. You can adjust the setting on this screen.

 Other Software: You must have a PDF Reader installed. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available as a free download from www.adobe.com. You must also be able to view JPEG and TIFF image files in a multi-page format (like Windows Photo Viewer or similar).

 BENEFITS TO SUBSCRIBERS:
Insurance Carrier/Law Firm access
Court Reporting Firm access
WC Forensic Experts (Physicians) access

Carriers/Law Firms:
Instant access to virtually all pending case data including, but not limited to the following:

• Dates pleadings were received and processed by the Division.

• Names and attorneys of all parties involved in a particular case

• Listing of all proceeding dates and results

• Lien information (TDI, Medicaid, child support, etc.)

• Related case information

• The ability to view judicial calendars for any given day or look up data for single cases. 

• Ability to download and print your firm’s hearing calendar.

• On-line access to a petitioner’s prior judgments, dismissals and pending case data. Currently, in order to obtain this information, one has to write to the Division and wait for staff to manually retrieve the data, a process that can take up to several weeks.

• For law firms also participating in the electronic filing program - the ability to electronically file certain legal pleadings and receive notice of electronically filed legal pleadings through the COURTS on-line website.  See the COURTS on-line Electronic Filing webpage for additional details.

• For those carriers participating in the electronic filing program - the ability to e-file Applications for Informal Hearings and the ability to receive notice of e-filed documents through the COURTS on-line website. You can view, sort and print the documents. Participation in this program also enables you to electronically designate respondent counsel to handle cases on behalf of your company.  See the COURTS on-line Electronic Filing webpage for additional details.

• Security:  Individual subscribers will only have access to the cases that belong to his or her law firm or insurance carrier, thus ensuring the confidentiality of case data. Additionally, all data stored in our system is fully encrypted.

Court Reporting Firms

• The ability to download and print Judicial calendars for any given day.

• Access to case status information (open/closed) and  Decision Details (date, award, type of decision and fees awarded).

• Security:  Individual subscribers will only have the ability to view information on the cases that have been assigned to their firm, thus ensuring the confidentiality of case data.

Workers' Compensation Physicians

• Physicians will be able to conduct a search by petitioner's claim petition number to obtain information about the status of a pending case (open/closed) and if closed, the date of closure and the insurance Carrier contact information.

 COURTS ON-LINE PREVIEW:
The COURTS on-line preview goes into detail about the various screens and functionalities of the program.  Please review this at your convenience to learn more about the program.

 QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact:

For further information about the COURTS on-line Electronic Filing program, please visit the Electronic Filing page.