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CM/ECF FAQs

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  • I am changing law firms. Do I need a new PACER username and password?

    If your current PACER account is shared among the firm you are leaving, then you must establish a new PACER account. A PACER account may be obtained by registering here: http://www.pacer.gov/reg_pacer.html.

    If your PACER account is not shared among staff at your current firm, it may move with you. You may update the contact information on this website. Log in to Manage My Account with your PACER username and password and update the contact information.

  • Where can I make changes to my ECF account?

    You can make updates to personal information such as address, password, email notification preferences, etc. The process for making changes depends on your court's CM/ECF system.

    For district and bankruptcy courts on the legacy CM/ECF system:

    In CM/ECF, click on Utilities and select Maintain Your CM/ECF account.

    For appellate courts on the legacy CM/ECF system:

    Make updates through the Manage My Appellate Filer Account section of PACER's website.

    For appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts on the next generation (NextGen) CM/ECF system:

    Make updates through the Manage My Account section of PACER's website.

    To find out if your court uses a legacy or NextGen CM/ECF system, go to the court links page on the PACER website.

  • Why do I get a second login screen after I've already logged in to ECF?

    The second login prompt is requesting your PACER username and password, which is required whenever you request a report or document from a case while logged in as an e-filer.

  • Why am I getting an invalid login message?

    Look for a few of these common problems:
     

    • If you have a legacy PACER account, your username should be entered in lowercase letters followed by four numbers. If you have an upgraded PACER account, enter the username you selected that is more than 8 characters.
    • Make sure the proper username and password are being used for the proper database. (PACER login for querying; CM/ECF login for filing, if you have a legacy PACER account).
    • Verify that the recommended browser is being used, which is a current version of either Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
    • Check the location of the website. The training database is located at: https://ecf-train.innb.uscourts.gov, while the live database is at: https://ecf.innb.uscourts.gov (without the train),
    • The browser needs to be set to accept all cookies and must be JavaScript-enabled. 
  • What should we do when an attorney leaves the firm?

    When an attorney leaves a firm, both the attorney and the firm need to consider the implications to the CM/ECF noticing system. For district and bankruptcy courts that use the legacy CM/ECF system, if cases will move with the attorney, he or she should change the email notification setup and submit a change of address to the clerk's office.

    For appellate courts that use the legacy CM/ECF system, the attorney can update his or her address information in the Manage My Appellate Filer Account section of PACER's website. For courts that use the next generation (NextGen) CM/ECF system, this can be done through the Manage My Account section of PACER's website.

  • Can I have the same filing login for all courts I practice in?

    Once your court implements the next generation (NextGen) CM/ECF system, you can use the same login credentials for all courts.

    It is possible to use the same filing login in all appellate courts. Click here to register to file documents electronically with appellate courts. If you have already registered to file and would like to add courts, click here.

    Because each bankruptcy and district court assigns the login for filing privileges in the CM/ECF system, it is not possible to obtain a universal filing login in these court types. However, some courts allow you to request a particular login and password when you register, so you may be able to use the same filer login for many courts.

  • I am an attorney with two PACER accounts (one for CJA/trustee use and one for private work.) How do I make sure I am logged in correctly so that I'm not charged when doing exempt work?

    Use the following guidelines to ensure you can access the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system for free when performing CJA duties:
     

    • First, determine whether the court uses a legacy or upgraded CM/ECF system by going to the Court Links page on the PACER website.
    • When logging in to a court that uses the legacy system, enter an "X-" in front of your username to indicate your exempt status.
    • If you log in with an "X-," PSC will validate whether this is a court in which you are indeed exempt. If you are not exempt in that court, all transactions will be billable.
    • If you need to switch between exempt and non-exempt accounts, you should log out and log in again with or without the X-. When you log in without the X-, your account activity will be billable.
    • When logging in to a court that uses the upgraded CM/ECF system, enter your credentials to log in, and then use the toggle switch to self-select your exempt status.
    • Use the toggle switch to alternate between exempt and non-exempt status.
    • If you do not self-select exempt status, you will be billed for your account activity.

    NOTE: If you are logged in as a CJA attorney, make sure you are only doing CJA work. Exempt usage is closely monitored by the court, and you will be subject to charges if you are not doing exempt work.

  • Why am I receiving the message "You do not have permission to view this document"?

    In district and bankruptcy courts:

    Electronic access to Social Security Administration case documents is limited to parties in the case. In addition, documents from criminal cases filed prior to November 1, 2004, are only available electronically to the parties in the case. Contact the clerk's office for information about viewing copies. Criminal documents filed after November 1, 2004, are available electronically through PACER.

    In appellate courts:

    Viewing certain document types (Social Security and immigration) in an appellate CM/ECF court may be restricted.

  • How long does it take to register as an ECF filer for appellate CM/ECF?

    When you register through the PACER Service Center to become an e-filer, the registration information is forwarded to each circuit in which you registered. The court will review each request, so processing times will vary. You will receive an email confirmation from the PACER Service Center when your registration request is processed to inform you of the court's determination. If there is an emergency situation and you need to file immediately, contact the clerk's office for assistance.

  • Why did I receive a second notice of docket activity (NDA) for my filing?

    The clerk's office reviews attorney filings as part of its quality control procedures. If the deputy clerk finds an error or needs to modify the docket text for the event and the filing, the deputy may make the changes and send a new NDA to the case participants. If you receive a second NDA for a filing and cannot determine the reason for the second notice, please call the office of the clerk from which the notice was sent.

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