The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria will begin to roll out its new Case Management System (CMS) Portal in the criminal jurisdiction from this week.

This new, online CMS Portal will replace the existing eDocs, Courtlink and EFAS systems. It will be the single point for managing criminal cases and accessing essential information from the Court for key external parties, including prosecuting agencies and legal practitioners. 

What changes are being made?

The CMS Portal will allow users working within the criminal jurisdiction to:

• initiate electronic cases and file documents
• access digitised case records and case details
• access downloadable court orders and automated notifications
• access the listings diary for selection of Court dates.

The implementation of the CMS Portal in the criminal jurisdiction aims to:

• enable a modern, efficient, user-friendly, and streamlined system
• offer an online self-service experience that supports the needs of courts and their users
• improve efficiency for users of Victoria’s busiest court
• respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

How can prosecuting agencies get CMS ready?

Prosecution agencies will need to use the new CMS Portal for all matters from 10 March 2026. Agencies should ensure that accounts are set up for prosecutors, informants and administrative staff. If you already have access to the CMS Portal in the civil jurisdiction, your account will automatically be able to access the criminal jurisdiction from 10 March. 

Users should also make themselves familiar with the CMS Portal via the training resources made available on the Court’s website. These training demonstrations cover the following functions in the CMS Portal:

• viewing hearings and filing appearances
• requesting case access and managing cases
• filing adjournment requests
• navigating the CMS Portal
• filing an application on an existing case
• adding a document to an existing case
• filing a charge-sheet and summons
• registering an infringement offence.

What does the new CMS Portal mean for prosecuting agencies?

The CMS Portal is intended to facilitate greater efficiency in the way that documents are filed and proceedings are managed for prosecution agencies and the law firms supporting them. 

The implementation of a single portal for all records will be a significant improvement over the disjointed systems currently in use. Additionally, many prescribed forms under the Magistrates’ Court Criminal Procedure Rules 2019 will become fillable forms on the system, allowing for easier preparation of paperwork. 

The process for filing charges and summons to initiate criminal proceedings has also been turned into a fillable form, marking a significant change from the existing practice. We are assured by the Court that prosecution agencies and law firms will continue to be able to file charge sheets on behalf of an informant.