Odyssey E-Filing: Troubleshooting Submission Failures

December 16, 2024 2 minutes read

Odyssey court systems have enhanced security, leading to an increase in submission failures. If your filing is rejected within minutes with a message like “Court Response of Failure, please contact support for assistance,” you’ll need to recreate your PDF. Here’s why:

Common Reasons for Rejection:

Incompatible PDF Software: While many legal professionals use various software for document creation, Odyssey often has trouble processing PDFs not generated by Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word.

Incorrect Page Size: Odyssey requires all filed documents to have pages that are exactly 8.5″ x 11″. If any page is larger, the court’s electronic stamp will be too small to read, and the system will automatically reject your submission.

Important Note: This has nothing to do with the overall file size in megabytes. It’s specifically about the dimensions of each individual page within the PDF. Ensure your pages are the correct size before submitting.

Poor Document Resolution: To ensure your documents are accepted by Odyssey, scan them at a resolution of 300 dpi. Higher resolutions may cause your submission to be automatically rejected.

Recommendations:

  • Scan in black and white or grayscale.
  • Consult your scanner’s manual to adjust the dpi setting.

Poor Image Quality: Ensure all images in your documents are clear and legible.

Recommendations:

  • Scan images at 300 dpi.
  • Use black and white scanning if permitted by your court.
  • Make sure images fit within the 8.5″ x 11″ page size. Rotate landscape images 90 degrees to fit if necessary.

Hyperlinks: Odyssey systems often have difficulty processing hyperlinks within PDF documents. To prevent submission errors, remove any clickable links, such as website addresses or email addresses, from your filings.

Fillable Forms not Flattened: If you’re submitting a form you’ve filled out electronically, make sure to “flatten” the PDF before uploading it. Flattening a PDF ensures the form is viewable on any device and prevents accidental or intentional editing. This process also removes hidden data that can sometimes cause problems with Odyssey’s e-filing system.

Use of Non-standard Fonts: To ensure your documents display correctly and are accepted by the court’s system, use standard, commonly used fonts. Avoid decorative or symbol-based fonts like Zapfdingbats, Wingdings, and Symbols, as these can cause compatibility issues.

PDF Security: Odyssey cannot process PDFs that have password protection, security restrictions, or that are saved in the PDF/A format. Before uploading your document, make sure to remove any security features.