Yes! You can use AI to fill out Form EJT-003, Request to Opt Out of Mandatory Expedited Jury Trial Procedures

Filers often mistype the case number or use a generic court address instead of the specific branch where the case is being heard. An incorrect case number can cause the document to be misfiled or rejected entirely, leading to significant delays and potentially causing a missed deadline. To avoid this, always double-check the case number against other official court documents and verify the exact street address and branch name of the courthouse on the court's website.

People frequently make errors in the top section, such as an attorney writing their own name in the 'ATTORNEY FOR (name)' field instead of their client's name. Similarly, parties representing themselves may be unsure what to enter in the attorney fields. These mistakes can cause confusion and processing delays. Always ensure the 'ATTORNEY FOR' field lists the party you represent, and if representing yourself, clearly state 'Party Without Attorney' or 'Pro Se'.

A critical and common procedural error is filing this form with the court without properly serving a copy on all other parties in the case. The instructions explicitly require filing a Proof of Service (e.g., form POS-040) along with this request. Failure to do so will render the request invalid and likely result in its denial by the court, wasting valuable time and effort.

The form must be filed at least 45 days before the first trial date, a deadline that is often missed. Filers then compound the error by failing to provide a compelling, detailed reason for the delay in item 3. Simply being busy or forgetting is not considered 'good cause,' and the court will likely deny a late request that lacks a strong, well-documented justification for the tardiness.

Several grounds for opting out require more than just a checkmark, but filers often provide incomplete information. For instance, they may check box 2a(5) but forget to identify the individual and professional license, or check box 2b for 'Good cause' without providing a clear and persuasive written explanation. An incomplete justification makes the request deficient and easy for the court to deny. If the original is a non-fillable PDF, AI tools like Instafill.ai can convert it to a fillable version, making it easier to complete all required fields.

A party might check a box in section 2 that does not accurately reflect the circumstances of the case, either misunderstanding the legal standard or hoping it won't be challenged. This makes the request vulnerable to an objection from the opposing party and scrutiny from the judge. It is crucial to select only grounds that are factually and legally supportable, as making a false statement is done under penalty of perjury.

When providing additional information for items 2b or 3 on a separate page, filers often forget to follow the specific labeling instructions. The form requires attachments to be clearly marked at the top with 'EJT-003, item 2b' or 'EJT-003, item 3.' Failing to do so can lead to the attachment being overlooked, misplaced, or disregarded by the court clerk and judge, significantly weakening the request.

The declaration 'under penalty of perjury' is legally invalid without a proper signature, the date of signing, and the printed name of the signatory. Filers frequently forget one of these three crucial elements, especially when rushing to file. An unsigned or undated form will be rejected by the court, nullifying the entire request and requiring a corrected submission.

The Plaintiff and Defendant names in the case caption must be spelled out exactly as they appear on the original complaint and other official court documents. Using abbreviations, nicknames, or slightly different spellings can create filing errors and confusion in the court's record-keeping system. AI-powered form-filling tools like Instafill.ai can help prevent this by storing party information and automatically populating it consistently and correctly on every form for a specific case.