By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor On many desks in the Warren County Circuit Clerk’s office, stacks of folders and papers take up a large chunk of space. Those soon will be going away. The circuit clerk’s office is preparing to move to an electronic filing system, a move that is designed to enhance access and efficiency. The electronic conversion will result in less paper handled by clerks and free up storage space in the office. The eFiling system was introduced in 2011 with dozens of courts having already made the switch, including Montgomery, St. Charles and Franklin counties. All courts across the state are expected to make the move to electronic filing by the end of 2016. “We are very excited to adopt the electronic filing system this year,” Circuit Clerk Brenda Eggering said. “In making the change, we can offer attorneys extended hours of access to cases, providing them greater flexibility, reduce their costs and the courts for printing, copying and mailing, and better serve attorneys and their clients alike.” By converting to the eFiling system, nearly all cases will be received, processed and managed electronically, according to Eggering. Attorneys will be able to check the status of cases or submit filings without making trips to the courthouse. Case documents will be stored electronically at the clerk’s office and can be viewed through Case.net, an automated case management system, by attorneys who are registered and subscribe to the eFiling system.  The public will continue to have access to court documents through a computer located in the lobby of the clerk’s office. Eggering said the public will be able to view any judgements made in any case in the circuit. In preparing for the move, Eggering noted that clerks have been scanning files into the new system for months. Each file that is scanned must be verified to ensure all pages related to a case have been uploaded correctly. This week, three people from the state will assist the local clerks on the work flow process to help them have a better grasp of the new system. The move to eFiling is expected to save quite a bit of money. Eggering said Butler County, which is about the same size as Warren County, saved approximately $10,000 in postage and paper expenses in its first year.  “We are excited about being part of this growing initiative,” Eggering said. “But as with any change in computer systems, we have a learning curve to overcome as we transition from paper to electronic case documents. We ask for everyone’s patience as we become ‘paperless’ and learn more about our new way of doing business.”