It's 11 PM. I try to log into the ILPTO's EFS, and I get this message:
But I know I've got the correct URL, so I click on "continue to this website". Whereupon I get this screen:
"This page under construction".
There's no notice of a planned system outage anywhere on the ILPTO's site. So maybe this is an unplanned outage. Or maybe not.
There's also no contingency system for electronic filing, even though licensed practitioners are required by rule to file electronically. There's no tech support either; the ILPTO's idea of tech support is one person who works standard hours in a standard government worker 5-day work week.
Fortunately, I'm not up against a deadline, and can file these papers tomorrow, or Sunday, or whenever the system comes back online. But if I was up against a deadline? I'd fax the materials and tell the ILPTO to process them, and I'd email the materials to certain ILPTO employees. Thus far, the ILPTO has been reasonable in these kinds of situations. But I'd prefer a contingency system for electronic filing. Better availability for tech support would also be helpful.