E-Filing in Federal Court

October 10th, 2007


CASE MANAGEMENT/ELECTRONIC CASE FILES (CM/ECF) 
Nationwide implementation of the federal judiciary’s Case Management and Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system is nearly completed in thedistrict and bankruptcy courts and is advancing in the appellate courts. CM/ECF not only replaces the courts’ old electronic docketing and case management systems, but also provides courts the option to have case file documents in electronic format, and to accept filings over the Internet.

CM/ECF systems are now in use in 98% of the federal courts: 93 district courts, 93 bankruptcy courts, the Court of International Trade, the Court of Federal Claims, the Court of Appeals for the 6th, 8th, and 10th Circuits, and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the 6th, 8th, and 10th Circuits. Most of these courts are accepting electronic filings. Over 30 million cases are on CM/ECF systems, and more than 300,000 attorneys and others have filed documents over the Internet. Under current plans, most of the courts that are not yet using CM/ECF will begin usage by the end of 2007. Each court goes through an implementation process that takes about 10 months.

Attorneys practicing in courts offering the electronic filing capability are able to file documents directly with the court over the Internet. The CM/ECF system uses standard computer hardware, an Internet connection and a browser, and accepts documents in Portable Document Format (PDF). The system is easy to use – filers prepare a document using conventional word processing software, then save it as a PDF file. After logging onto the court’s web site with a court-issued password, the filer enters basic information relating to the case and document being filed, attaches the document, and submits it to the court. A notice verifying court receipt of the filing is generated automatically. Other parties in the case then automatically receive e-mail notification of the filing.

CM/ECF also provides courts the ability to make their documents available to the public over the Internet. The Judicial Conference has adopted a set of recommendations relating to privacy and public access to electronic case files. As part of the process to develop these recommendations, public comment was sought on a number of possible approaches. The Judicial Conference’s Committee on Court Administration and Case Management is overseeing implementation of the recommendations.

There are no added fees for filing documents over the Internet using CM/ECF; existing document filing fees do apply. Electronic access to court data is available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) program. Litigants receive one free copy of documents filed electronically in their cases, which they can save or print for their files. Additional copies are available to attorneys and the general public for viewing or downloading at eight cents per page, with a maximum cost per document of $2.40. Neither the free copy nor the maximum cost per document applies to transcripts filed with the court. Directed by Congress to fund electronic access through user fees, the judiciary has set the fee at the lowest possible level sufficient to recoup program costs.

The national roll-out of the CM/ECF system for bankruptcy courts started in early 2001. The CM/ECF system for district courts began to roll out nationally in May 2002. Implementation of the CM/ECF system for appellate courts began in 2005.

For more information, please contact: Barbara Kimble, Office of Judges Programs (202) 502-1862

To register for CM/ECF, please contact your court.

Relevant websites:

http://www.uscourts.gov/cmecf/cmecf.html
http://www.privacy.uscourts.gov/
http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/
Courts Currently Operational on CM/ECF
  *Courts Accepting Electronic Filing

District Courts Bankruptcy Courts
Alabama Middle*
Alabama Northern*
Alabama Southern*
Alaska*
Arizona*
Arkansas Eastern*
Arkansas Western*
California Central*
California Eastern*
California Northern*
California Southern
Colorado*
Connecticut*
Delaware*
District of Columbia*
Florida Middle*
Florida Northern*
Florida Southern*
Georgia Middle*
Georgia Northern*
Georgia Southern
Guam
Hawaii*
Idaho*
Illinois Central*
Illinois Northern*
Illinois Southern*
Indiana Southern*
Indiana Northern*
Iowa Northern*
Iowa Southern*
Kansas*
Kentucky Eastern*
Kentucky Western*
Louisiana Eastern*
Louisiana Middle*
Louisiana Western*
Maryland*
Maine*
Massachusetts*
Michigan Eastern*
Michigan Western*
Minnesota*
Mississippi Northern*
Mississippi Southern*
Missouri Eastern*
Missouri Western*
Montana*
Nebraska*
Nevada*
New Hampshire*
New Jersey*
New Mexico
New York Eastern*
New York Northern*
New York Southern*
New York Western*
North Carolina Eastern*
North Carolina Middle*  
North Carolina Western*
North Dakota*
Northern Mariana Islands*
Ohio Northern*
Ohio Southern*
Oklahoma Eastern
Oklahoma Northern*
Oklahoma Western*
Oregon*
Pennsylvania Eastern*
Pennsylvania Middle*
Pennsylvania Western*
Puerto Rico*
Rhode Island*
South Carolina*
South Dakota*
Tennessee Eastern*
Tennessee Middle*
Tennessee Western*
Texas Eastern*
Texas Northern*
Texas Southern*
Texas Western*  
Utah*
Vermont*
Virgin Islands*
Virginia Eastern*
Virginia Western*
Washington Eastern*
Washington Western*
West Virginia Northern*
West Virginia Southern*
Wisconsin Eastern*
Wyoming*
Court of Int’l Trade*
Court of Federal Claims*		 Alabama Middle*
Alabama Northern*
Alabama Southern*
Alaska*
Arizona*
Arkansas Eastern*
Arkansas Western*
California Central*
California Eastern*
California Northern*
California Southern*
Colorado*
Connecticut*
Delaware*
District of Columbia*
Florida Middle*
Florida Northern*
Florida Southern*
Georgia Middle*
Georgia Northern*
Georgia Southern*
Guam*
Hawaii*
Idaho*
Illinois Central*
Illinois Northern*
Illinois Southern*
Indiana Northern*
Indiana Southern*
Iowa Northern*
Iowa Southern*
Kansas*
Kentucky Eastern*
Kentucky Western*
Louisiana Eastern*
Louisiana Middle*
Louisiana Western*
Maine*
Maryland*
Massachusetts*
Michigan Eastern*
Michigan Western*
Minnesota*
Mississippi Northern*
Mississippi Southern*
Missouri Eastern*
Missouri Western*
Montana*
Appellate Courts

6th Circuit
8th Circuit*
10th Circuit

Nebraska*
Nevada*
New Hampshire*
New Jersey*
New Mexico*
New York Eastern*
New York Northern*
New York Southern*
New York Western*
North Carolina Eastern*
North Carolina Middle*
North Carolina Western*
North Dakota*
Ohio Northern*
Ohio Southern*
Oklahoma Eastern*
Oklahoma Northern*
Oklahoma Western*
Oregon*
Pennsylvania Eastern*
Pennsylvania Middle
Pennsylvania Western*
Puerto Rico*
Rhode Island*
South Carolina*
South Dakota*
Tennessee Eastern*
Tennessee Middle*
Tennessee Western*
Texas Eastern*
Texas Northern*
Texas Southern*
Texas Western*
Utah*
Vermont*
Virgin Islands*
Virginia Eastern*
Virginia Western*
Washington Eastern*
Washington Western*
West Virginia Northern*
West Virginia Southern*
Wisconsin Eastern*
Wisconsin Western*
Wyoming*
Bankruptcy Appellate Panels

6th Circuit
8th Circuit*
10th Circuit

Courts Currently in the Process of Implementing CM/ECF

District Courts Appellate Courts Bankruptcy Appellate Panels
Wisconsin Western
Bankruptcy Courts

Northern Mariana Islands

 1st Circuit
2nd Circuit
 3rd Circuit
 4th Circuit
5th Circuit
7th Circuit
9th Circuit
11th Circuit
D.C. Circuit		 1st Circuit
9th Circuit
Posted by eric
Filed in Court Reporting & Stenography

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