Administrative Procedure
FOR ELECTRONIC FILING IN THE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
ALABAMA
Revised 2/1/2019
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR ELECTRONIC FILING
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. THE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM........................................................................ 1
A. MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING IN MOST CASES................................................... 1
B. THE ELECTRONIC RECORD ................................................................................................... 1
C. DEFINITIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................... 2
D. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .............................................................................................. 3
E. SYSTEM AVAILABILITY .......................................................................................................... 3
F. SEALED CASES AND DOCUMENTS ..................................................................................... 4
G. REGISTRATION ........................................................................................................................... 4
II. ELECTRONIC FILING AND SERVICE ...................................................................... 5
A. FILING ............................................................................................................................................ 5
B. SERVICE AND NOTICE OF FILINGS ..................................................................................... 7
C. SIGNATURES ................................................................................................................................ 7
D. FEES ................................................................................................................................................ 8
E. ORDERS AND PROPOSED DOCUMENTS............................................................................ 8
F. DOCKET EVENTS ....................................................................................................................... 9
G. CORRECTING DOCKET ENTRIES ......................................................................................... 9
H. TECHNICAL FAILURES ..........................................................................................................10
I. PRIVACY ......................................................................................................................................10
J. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS ................................................................................11
III. PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF FILINGS ............................................. 11
A. DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL .......................................................................11
B. PRO SE FILERS ..........................................................................................................................11
C. SOCIAL SECURITY AND § 2254 CASES .............................................................................11
D. CONVENTIONALLY FILED DOCUMENTS .......................................................................12
IV. PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM ......................................................................... 12
A. PUBLIC ACCESS AT THE COURT ........................................................................................12
B. INTERNET ACCESS..................................................................................................................12
C. CONVENTIONAL AND CERTIFIED COPIES .....................................................................12
D. E-MAIL NOTIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................12
FORMS
FORM A, SAMPLE FORMAT - DECLARATION OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
FORM B, SAMPLE FORMAT - CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
FORM C, SAMPLE FORMAT - NOTICE OF ENDORSEMENT
FORM D, SAMPLE FORMAT - NOTICE OF CONVENTIONAL FILING
I. THE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM
A. MANDATORY ELECTRONIC FILING IN MOST CASES
Fed.R.Civ.P. 5(d)(3), Fed.R.Crim.P. 49 and General L.R. 5(b) authorize electronic filing
in this district. Collectively, these rules provide that electronic filing by represented
parties is mandatory in most cases, subject to certain enumerated exceptions and
judicial directives otherwise in a particular case.
B. THE ELECTRONIC RECORD
The official record of the court shall be the electronic file maintained on the court’s
servers. This includes pleadings, documents and exhibits filed by the parties in
electronic format, as well as documents filed in paper form, scanned, and made a part
of the electronic record. The official record shall also include any conventional
documents or exhibits that have been accepted for filing.
1. The Clerk’s Office shall not maintain a paper court file in any case except as
otherwise provided in these procedures or directed by the court.
2. PACER registration is required for electronic filing of pleadings and other papers.
Registration is available at www.pacer.gov. All questions about PACER
registration should be directed to the PACER Service Center at
[email protected] or (800) 676-6856.
3. Electronic filing through CM/ECF is mandatory for all counsel in all cases, unless
conventional filing is allowed by the court for good cause shown or is authorized
or required by the Local Rules or these procedures. It is the responsibility of
counsel to maintain an electronic mailbox sufficient to receive all orders and other
papers that may be transmitted electronically.
4. Any party not represented by an attorney must file conventionally unless
specifically allowed by the Clerk’s Office or required by court order to file
electronically. For pro se filers who have not been directed to file electronically,
the Clerk’s Office will convert all conventionally-filed pleadings and other
documents to an electronic format, and will maintain that electronic version as the
court’s official record.
5. If pleadings are filed in paper form, it is the filer’s responsibility to ensure that the
paper document can be scanned with a legible image. Whenever possible, such
documents should be black print on white paper, for maximum contrast. The court
may decline and return filings that are not legible.
-1-
C. DEFINITIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS
The following definitions and instructions shall apply to these Procedures for
Electronic Filing:
• The Clerk’s Office or any judge may suspend or modify these procedures in a
specific case, without prior notice, if deemed appropriate in the exercise of
discretion, considering the need for the just, speedy, and inexpensive
determination of every action and proceeding. The court may amend these
procedures at any time without prior notice.
• Unless otherwise provided by these procedures, or unless otherwise authorized
by the assigned judge, all documents submitted for filing in this district must be
filed via electronic filing.
• A document filed electronically constitutes a written paper for purposes of the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and
the Local Rules.
• The term “document” shall include pleadings, motions, exhibits, declarations,
affidavits, memoranda, papers, orders, notices, and any other filing by or to the
court.
• The term “party” shall include counsel of record and a pro se litigant.
• The term “ECF” refers to the court’s Electronic Case Filing system.
• The term “ECF website” refers to the official Internet site of the Southern
District of Alabama.
• An “ECF User” is a person who is registered to use the ECF system.
• “Electronic filing” or “e-filing” means uploading a document directly from the
ECF User’s computer, using the court’s Internet-based system to file that
document in the court’s case file.
• The “E-Mail Address of Record” is the Internet e-mail address of each party to
the case as maintained by the Clerk of Court.
• A “Notice of Electronic Filing” is generated automatically by the ECF system
upon successful completion of an electronic filing. The Notice of Electronic
Filing, when e-mailed to all E-Mail Addresses of Record in the case, constitutes
proof of service.
-2-
• The term “PDF” refers to Portable Document Format. A PDF document may
be opened across a broad range of hardware and software, with layout, format,
links, and images intact.
• Procedures and instructions for using the court’s ECF system consistent with
these policies may be found on the court’s ECF website.
• All hours stated shall be Central time.
D. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The following technical capabilities are required for electronic filing, access and
retrieval of documents in the ECF system. Other specifications are also indicated for
optimum performance.
• A computer running a Windows or a Mac operating system.
• Ability to convert documents from a word processor to PDF format.
• High speed Internet access.
• A compatible Internet browser. ECF has been tested and works correctly with
Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.
• Access to a scanner for imaging non-computerized documents.
• When scanning documents to be filed electronically, ECF Users should
configure their scanners for 400 dpi and black and white, rather than color
scanning. The filing party is responsible for the legibility of the scanned
document. If a scanned document cannot be easily read, the filing party should
contact the Help Desk for instructions before electronically filing it.
• ECF Users may encounter technical difficulty when uploading voluminous
documents to the ECF system as a single entry. If such problems occur, the
filing party should break down the document into smaller segments and file
those segments as multiple sequential entries. Contact the Help Desk for
assistance and instructions.
E. SYSTEM AVAILABILITY
The ECF system is designed to provide service and to be accessible to ECF Users 24
hours a day. Nonetheless, users are strongly encouraged to file documents in advance
of deadlines and during normal business hours. The Clerk’s Office has established a
-3-
Help Desk (251-690-2371) to respond to questions regarding electronic filing. The
Help Desk is staffed on all business days from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is available
to receive voice-mail messages at all other times. If a party misses a filing deadline
due to an inability to file electronically, the party must submit the untimely document,
accompanied by a declaration setting forth the reason(s) for missing the deadline. (A
model declaration may be found in the forms section at Form A.) The document and
declaration must be filed as soon as possible, but in no event later than 12:00 p.m. on
the first business day following the missed filing deadline.
F. SEALED CASES AND DOCUMENTS
1. Cases filed under seal will be maintained in the ECF system.
2. Juvenile criminal matters will be sealed and maintained in the ECF system.
3. Sealed documents are not viewable by case participants or the public, except as
defined in applicable rules, statutes or these procedures, or as ordered by the court.
Sealed documents filed electronically must be served upon other litigants in the
conventional manner, not by transmission of a Notice of Electronic Filing by the
ECF system.
G. REGISTRATION
1. PACER registration is required for electronic filing of pleadings and other papers
in this court. Registration is available at www.pacer.gov.
2. Any attorney who intends to e-file must have his or her own PACER account
because PACER accounts are linked to e-filing accounts. Shared PACER accounts
can no longer be used for electronic filing.
3. Attorneys registered to e-file in this court prior to February 2019 should check their
existing PACER accounts to verify that they have been upgraded. An upgraded
PACER account is necessary for electronic filing in this court. If your existing
PACER account username is at least 8 characters, then it is upgraded. If your
existing PACER account username is 6 characters, then you do not have an
upgraded account and must upgrade it at www.pacer.gov.
4. An attorney with an upgraded PACER account must link any prior e-filing
privileges in this court to that upgraded PACER account by logging in to this court’s
ECF website (https://ecf.alsd.uscourts.gov) using upgraded PACER credentials and
then clicking the appropriate link.
5. Once your upgraded PACER account has been linked to your e-filing account in
this court, you may use your upgraded PACER account credentials to log in to the
ECF system for purposes of electronically filing documents in this court.
-4-
6. An attorney who has not previously established e-filing privileges in this court must
log in to the ECF system using his or her upgraded PACER account credentials and
submit a new e-file request to the court. Once the court processes and approves
that request, the requesting attorney’s electronic filing privileges in this court will
be activated.
7. All issues or concerns relating to PACER login and password information should
be directed to the PACER Service Center at
[email protected] or (800) 676-
6856. Local court personnel cannot obtain or change users’ PACER login and
password information for them.
8. No attorney shall knowingly permit or cause to permit his or her PACER login
credentials to be utilized by anyone other than an authorized agent or employee.
9. Once registered, an attorney shall be responsible for all documents filed in this court
using his or her PACER credentials.
10. An attorney admitted pro hac vice must apply for e-file privileges in this court by
logging in to the ECF system using his or her upgraded PACER account.
II. ELECTRONIC FILING AND SERVICE
A. FILING
1. Electronically filed documents must comply with all formatting requirements,
including Fed.R.Civ.P. 10 and General L.R. 5(a). Such documents are also subject
to applicable page limitations established by court order or by Civil L.R. 7(e).
2. E-mailing a document to the Clerk’s Office or to the assigned judge shall not
constitute “electronic filing” of the document. When a document has been
successfully electronically filed, the ECF system will transmit a Notice of
Electronic Filing to all registered parties’ E-Mail Addresses of Record.
3. Civil Complaints
(a) ECF Users must file their complaints or other case initiating documents in
the ECF system in accordance with the step-by-step instructions set forth
below. Pleadings sent to the Clerk’s Office by e-mail will not be accepted
for filing.
(b) Filing party e-mails case opening information (complaint, civil cover sheet
and complete listing of parties) to
[email protected].
(c) Clerk’s Office opens case with no assignment of judges, and sends e-mail
-5-
with case number to filing party.
(d) Clerk’s Office collects filing fee during online filing, by credit card over the
telephone, or via hand delivery to Clerk’s Office.
(e) Attorney electronically files complaint, etc. The complaint must be filed
the same day that the Clerk’s Office opens the case. New cases are not
deemed filed until the Clerk’s Office has received both the electronically
filed complaint and any required filing fee.
(f) After complaint is electronically filed and fee collected, judges will be
assigned.
4. Summonses in Civil Cases.
(a) The filing party must prepare summonses as appropriate and electronically
file them as attachments to the complaint. The Clerk’s Office will then issue
the summonses by making an entry on the docket, and notify counsel of the
need to print service copies. Form summonses are available on the court’s
website.
(b) A party may not electronically serve a summons and civil complaint, but
instead must effect service of process in accordance with Fed.R.Civ.P. 4.
5. Generally, a document will be deemed timely if electronically filed prior to
midnight on the deadline fixed by court order or applicable rule or statute. In any
case in which time of day is of the essence, however, the assigned judge may order
that a particular document be filed by no later than a time certain.
6. If filing a document requires leave of court, such as an amended complaint, a sur-
reply brief or a document to be filed out of time, the ECF User must attach the
proposed document as an exhibit to the motion. If the court grants the motion, the
ECF User may then be required to file the document electronically as a separate,
freestanding docket entry.
7. The filing of discovery materials and exhibits as authorized by Civil L.R. 5 shall be
by electronic means, unless otherwise authorized by the court.
8. An official transcriber or contract court reporter must electronically file a certified
transcript of proceedings he or she transcribes, or alternatively must submit to the
Clerk’s Office for uploading to the ECF system an electronically formatted
transcript in PDF format. A transcriber or court reporter will not receive payment
until this requirement has been satisfied.
-6-
B. SERVICE AND NOTICE OF FILINGS
1. Sending a document (other than a complaint or summons) to an ECF User by filing
it with the ECF system shall constitute service pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 5(b)(2)(E),
Fed.R.Crim.P. 49(a) and General L.R. 5(d), unless the serving party learns that the
associated Notice of Electronic Filing did not actually reach the person to be served.
2. No certificate of service is required when a paper is served on an ECF User by
electronically filing it with the court’s ECF system, pursuant to General L.R.
5(d)(4).
3. For any opposing party who is not an ECF User (such as a pro se party who has not
been authorized to file electronically), the filing party must serve a paper copy of
any electronically filed document. Conventional service may be achieved by the
means enumerated in Fed.R.Civ.P. 5(b)(2)(A)-(D), (F); or Fed.R.Crim.P. 49(a)(4).
Service may also be effected by other electronic means to which the party to be
served has consented in writing, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 5(b)(2)(E) and
Fed.R.Crim.P. 49(a)(3)(B).
4. Where service is accomplished by any means other than electronic filing with the
court’s ECF system, the serving party must attach a certificate of service, stating
the manner in which service or notice was completed as to each party so entitled.
Sample language for a certificate of service is attached to these procedures as Form
B.
C. SIGNATURES
1. A filing made through an ECF User’s PACER account and authorized by that
person, together with that person’s name on a signature block as described below,
constitutes the person’s signature for all purposes.
2. A document requiring an attorney’s signature and filed electronically shall be
signed in the following manner: “s/(attorney name).” The proper format for an
attorney signature block is as follows:
s/Judith Attorney
Bar Number: 12345
Attorney for (Party)
ABC Law Firm
123 South Street
Mobile, Alabama 36602
Telephone: (251) 123-4567
Fax: (251) 123-4567
E-mail:
[email protected]
-7-
3. Documents that must contain original signatures or that require either verification
or an unsworn declaration under any rule or statute, shall be filed electronically.
The document electronically filed shall indicate a signature (e.g., “s/Jane Doe”), or
the original may be scanned and electronically filed in the ECF system. The filing
ECF User shall retain the hard copy of the document containing the original
signatures for two (2) years after final resolution of the action, including final
disposition of all appeals.
4. Stipulations or other documents requiring signatures of multiple parties shall be
filed electronically by any of the following means: (i) submitting a scanned
document containing all necessary signatures; (ii) representing the express consent
of the other parties on the document; or (iii) filing the document identifying the
parties whose signatures are required and submitting a notice of endorsement by
such other parties no later than three (3) business days after filing. A sample notice
of endorsement is attached to these procedures as Form C.
D. FEES
Any fee required for filing a pleading or paper is payable to the Clerk of Court by
credit/debit card, check, money order, or cash. The Clerk’s Office will document
the receipt of fees on the docket with a text-only entry. The court will not maintain
electronic billing or debit accounts for lawyers or law firms.
E. ORDERS AND PROPOSED DOCUMENTS
1. The assigned judge or the Clerk’s Office shall electronically file all signed orders.
An order signed electronically has the same force and effect as if the judge had
affixed his or her signature to a paper order and it had been entered on the docket
conventionally.
2. The Clerk’s Office will mail a paper copy of any electronically filed order to a party
who is not an ECF User.
3. The assigned judge or the Clerk’s Office, if appropriate, may grant or deny routine
motions via text-only entry upon the docket. In such cases, no PDF document will
issue; rather, the text-only entry will constitute the court’s only order on the matter.
The ECF system will generate and transmit a Notice of Electronic Filing for that
text-only entry.
4. An ECF User submitting a proposed order, proposed jury charges or any other
proposed document required by rule or court order shall file it electronically either
(i) attached to a motion or stipulation as an exhibit, or (ii) submitted separately and
identified as “proposed.” A working copy of each such proposed document must
be submitted by e-mail to the appropriate judge’s chambers in Word format. The
e-mail subject line should include the case number, followed by a short description
-8-
of the document (i.e., 18-543 Proposed Order). The name of the attachment should
be the case number followed by the extension .docx (i.e., 18-543.docx). These
chambers e-mail addresses must not be utilized to communicate with the court
unless otherwise permitted or solicited by the court.
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
5. An ECF User filing a motion for issuance of a writ, warrant, or summons should
advise the judge if a prompt ruling is required, and should attach the proposed writ,
warrant, or summons to the motion in PDF format.
F. DOCKET EVENTS
An ECF User electronically filing a pleading or other document shall be responsible
for designating a docket event title for the document by selecting a category from
the appropriate menu in the ECF system. Questions concerning which docket event
designation is appropriate for a particular filing should be directed to the Clerk’s
Office Help Desk, not the assigned judge’s chambers.
G. CORRECTING DOCKET ENTRIES
1. Once a document has been electronically filed, it becomes part of the case docket
and the official court record. Corrections to the docket may be made only by the
Clerk’s Office, not by ECF Users. The filing party cannot make changes to a
document or docket entry filed in error once the ECF system has accepted a
transaction.
2. Common examples of erroneous docket entries include (i) posting the wrong PDF
file (i.e., a superseded draft or an unrelated document) to a docket entry, (ii)
selecting the wrong docket event category from the menu, or (iii) entering the
wrong case number. Upon discerning a filing error, the filing party should not
attempt to refile the document.
3. As soon as possible after discovering an error, the filing party should contact the
Help Desk and explain why a correction to the filing or docket entry is warranted.
If appropriate, the court or Clerk’s Office may make or modify a docket entry to
-9-
indicate that the document was filed in error. The Clerk’s Office will provide
instructions to the filing party for what remedial actions, if any, are necessary to
correct the error.
H. TECHNICAL FAILURES
1. The Clerk’s Office shall deem the ECF system to be subject to a technical failure
on a given day if the system is unable to accept filings continuously or
intermittently over the course of any period of time greater than one hour. Known
systems outages (and updates concerning restoration of service) will be posted on
the court’s web site, if possible.
2. Technical problems on the filer’s end, such as service outages by the filer’s Internet
Service Provider, or hardware or software trouble, will neither constitute a technical
failure under these procedures nor automatically excuse an untimely filing. A filer
who is unable to file a document electronically because of a technical problem on
the filer’s end must file the document conventionally and/or file a motion for relief
from any applicable deadline.
3. A filing party whose filing is rendered untimely by a technical failure of the ECF
system may seek appropriate relief from the court via motion.
I. PRIVACY
Electronic filing, and remote public access to court filings over the Internet via the ECF
system, implicate significant privacy concerns. Documents filed electronically or
conventionally must comport with Fed.R.Civ.P. 5.2 and Fed.R.Crim.P. 49.1, which
generally require redaction of certain categories of sensitive information (including an
individual’s social-security number, taxpayer-identification number, or date of birth;
the name of an individual known to be a minor; a financial-account number; or the
home address of an individual) in a specified manner, unless otherwise ordered by the
court.
In compliance with the E-Government Act of 2002, a party wishing to file a document
containing sensitive information specified above may file an unredacted document
under seal. This document shall be retained by the court as part of the record. The
court may require a party to file a redacted copy for the public file.
In addition, parties must exercise caution when filing documents that contain the
following:
1. Personal identifying numbers, such as a driver’s license number;
2. Medical records, including treatment and diagnosis records;
3. Employment history;
4. Proprietary or trade secret information; and
-10-
5. Other sensitive data.
Counsel are strongly urged to discuss privacy issues with their clients so that an
informed decision may be made about inclusion, redaction and/or exclusion of sensitive
materials. It is the sole responsibility of counsel and the parties to ensure that
appropriate redaction of sensitive information is performed as to all filings, whether
electronic or conventional. The Clerk’s Office will not independently review each filed
document for redaction compliance.
J. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS
Sharing PACER account credentials with a third-party service provider or designating
that provider as a secondary recipient of a Notice of Electronic Filing or Notice of
Docket Activity will give that entity access to sealed case information and documents,
in violation of court order. ECF Users are therefore urged to use caution in
implementing computer security practices to ensure that sealed documents are not
disclosed to unauthorized persons or entities.
III. PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF FILINGS
A. DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED UNDER SEAL
Unless otherwise ordered by the court, any party wishing to file a sealed document in
a civil or criminal case must comply with General L.R. 5.2, which sets forth detailed
procedures governing the filing of sealed documents.
B. PRO SE FILERS
Unless otherwise ordered by the court, pro se filers may conventionally file paper
originals of complaints, pleadings, motions, affidavits, briefs, and other documents
which must be signed or which require either verification or an unsworn declaration.
The Clerk’s Office will scan these original documents and upload them into the ECF
system. Pro se filers may also register for electronic filing, subject to approval by the
Clerk’s Office in its discretion.
C. SOCIAL SECURITY AND § 2254 CASES
All documents, notices, and orders filed in social security reviews and state habeas
cases shall be filed and noticed electronically, unless otherwise ordered by the court
upon a showing of good cause. Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 5.2(c), non-parties who are
physically present at the Clerk’s Office will have electronic accesss to the full record
in social security cases; however, non-parties seeking remote electronic access to social
security files may view only the docket sheet and court orders, opinions, judgments or
other dispositions.
-11-
D. CONVENTIONALLY FILED DOCUMENTS
These procedures provide for mandatory electronic filing by represented parties in most
cases. There may, however, be circumstances in which conventional filing is either
expressly permitted by these procedures (such as where a technical failure prevents
timely filing) or may be authorized by the Clerk’s Office or the assigned judge upon
appropriate motion (such as where an exhibit consists of a disc containing a video
recording that cannot readily be uploaded to the ECF system). An ECF User filing a
document conventionally must also file electronically a Notice of Conventional Filing.
A sample notice is attached to these procedures as Form D.
IV. PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM
A. PUBLIC ACCESS AT THE COURT
Electronic access to the electronic docket and documents filed in the ECF system is
available to the public at no charge at the Clerk’s Office during regular business hours.
A copy fee for an electronic reproduction is required pursuant to the schedule of fees
issued in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1914.
B. INTERNET ACCESS
Remote electronic access to the ECF system for viewing purposes is limited to
subscribers to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (“PACER”) system. The
Judicial Conference of the United States has determined that a user fee will be charged
for remotely accessing certain detailed case information, such as filed documents,
docket sheets, and reports.
C. CONVENTIONAL AND CERTIFIED COPIES
Conventional copies and certified copies of electronically filed documents may be
purchased at the Clerk’s Office. The fee for copying and certifying will be in
accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 1914.
D. E-MAIL NOTIFICATIONS
ECF Users can receive e-mail notifications of electronic filings of unsealed documents
in any civil or criminal case (even cases in which they are neither a party nor counsel
of record) by making appropriate settings to their user accounts. Contact the Clerk’s
Office Help Desk for instructions.
-12-
FORM A SAM PLE F O R MAT
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
)
)
Plaintiff, ) Case No.
)
vs )
)
Defendant. )
DECLARATION OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
Please take notice that [Plaintiff/Defendant, Name of Party] was unable to file the attached
[Title of Document] in a timely manner due to technical difficulties. The deadline for filing the
[Title of Document] was [Filing Deadline Date]. The reason(s) that I was unable to file the [Title
of Document] in a timely manner and the good faith efforts I made prior to the filing deadline to
both file in a timely manner and to inform the Court and the other parties that I could not do so are
set forth below.
[Statement of reasons and good faith efforts to file and to inform (including dates and times)]
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Respectfully submitted,
s/[Name of Password Registrant]
Federal Bar Number: 12345
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Fax: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
E-mail:
[email protected]
FORM B SAM PLE F O R MAT
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
)
)
Plaintiff, ) Case No.
)
vs )
)
Defendant. )
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on (Date) , I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk
of the Court using the CM/ECF system, which will send notification of such filing to the following:
____________________________________________, and I hereby certify that I have mailed by
United States Postal Service the document to the following non CM/ECF participants at the
following mailing addresses:_______________________________________.
Respectfully submitted,
s/[Name of Password Registrant]
Federal Bar Number: 12345
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Fax: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
E-mail:
[email protected]
FORM C SAM PLE F O R MAT
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
)
)
Plaintiff(s), )
)
vs ) Case No.
)
)
Defendant(s). )
NOTICE OF ENDORSEMENT
Pursuant to the ECF Administrative Procedure, (Pla or Dft)
hereby certifies that my original signature was placed on the following document which was
filed electronically on ______________________________________:
___ Joint Proposed Scheduling Order
___ Stipulation of Dismissal
___ Joint Motion for ______________
___ Other:
Respectfully submitted,
s/[Name of Password Registrant]
Federal Bar Number: 12345
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Fax: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
E-mail:
[email protected]
FORM D SAM PLE F O R MAT
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
)
)
Plaintiff, ) Case No.
)
vs )
)
)
Defendant. )
NOTICE OF CONVENTIONAL FILING
Please take notice that [Plaintiff/Defendant, Name of Party] has conventionally filed the
following document or thing: [Title of Document or Thing]. This [Title of Document or Thing]
has not been filed electronically because [it cannot be converted to an electronic format] [the
electronic file size is too large to accommodate electronic filing] [Plaintiff/Defendant has been
excused by court order from electronically filing it] [Plaintiff/Defendant is unable to file it
electronically because of a technical problem]. A copy of the [Title of Document or Thing] has
been served on all parties by conventional means, as set forth in the attached certificate of service.
Respectfully submitted,
s/[Name of Password Registrant]
Federal Bar Number: 12345
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Fax: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
E-mail:
[email protected]