8/1/2018
HOW TO OPEN A NEW CIVIL CASE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Before the Case is Opened …………………………………………….. 2
II. Obtaining a Case Number ……………………………………………… 4
III. Complaint with In Forma Pauperis Motion .....………………………... 8
IV. Filing a New Complaint ………………………………………………. 10
V. Filing a Notice of Removal …………………….………………………17
VI. Double Fee Payments/Refunds ……………………………………... 23
If you have any questions, please contact either the Cedar Rapids Clerk’s Office
at 319-286-2300 or the Sioux City Clerk’s Office at 712-233-3900. You can also
send an email to:
[email protected]
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I. BEFORE THE CASE IS OPENED:
Documents needed at the time of filing:
Completed Civil Cover Sheet (located on the Northern District of Iowa
website).
Complaint
Exhibits
Notice of Removal and related documents required under LR 81 (located on
the Northern District of Iowa website).
Log onto the Northern District of Iowa CM/ECF website with your login and
password. If you do not have a login or password, please see the
Information for Attorneys section on the Northern District of Iowa website for
admission and registration information. If you do not remember your
password or the password you have is not working, please contact the
Clerk’s Office in Cedar Rapids at 319-286-2300 or Sioux City at 712-233-
3900.
Please consult the divisional map and table on page 3 to ensure the case is
opened in the correct division.
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DIVISIONAL MAP BY COUNTY FOR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT
COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA
COUNTY LIST BY CM/ECF OFFICE SELECTION:
EASTERN EASTERN
WESTERN CENTRAL CEDAR RAPIDS
WATERLOO DUBUQUE
Buena Vista Butler Black Hawk Allamakee Benton
Cherokee Calhoun Bremer Clayton Cedar
Clay Carroll Buchanan Dubuque Grundy
Crawford Cerro Gordo Chickasaw Jackson Hardin
Dickinson Emmet Delaware Iowa
Ida Franklin Fayette Jones
Lyon Hamilton Floyd Linn
Monona Hancock Howard Tama
O’Brien Humboldt Mitchell
Osceola Kossuth Winneshiek
Plymouth Palo Alto
Sac Pocahontas
Sioux Webster
Woodbury Winnebago
Worth
Wright
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II. OBTAINING A CASE NUMBER:
1. On the Civil Events page, select Open a CaseCivil Case - Unassigned
2. Open Unassigned Civil Case:
Select the correct division in the drop down box according to the
county listed on your Civil Cover Sheet and the division map and table
(page 3).
Case type: Default is cv, do not change. If you do not have any related
case information to add, you can click Next.
Lead case number: Do not enter any information in this box.
Association type: Default is consolidated, do not change.
Other court name: If you are removing the case from state court,
please enter the state court name.
Other court number: Enter case number for other court case.
JPML number: Leave this box blank.
Related cases checkbox: If there is a related Northern District of Iowa
case, check this box and click Next. If no related Northern District of
Iowa case, leave this box unchecked and click Next.
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3. If you checked the related cases box, enter the related case number and
click the Find This Case box that will pop up. Case number will populate,
click Next. If there are multiple cases, check the box More related cases and
click Next and enter the next case number. Repeat process until all related
cases numbers have been entered. Click Next when complete.
4. Use the drop down boxes to select the proper values from your Civil
Cover Sheet. Click Next when your selections are complete.
Remember to select
the correct county
5. Enter your party information, and click search. If a new party is needed,
click on create new party.
Use both upper and lower case letters, do not use all capital letters.
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Leave out the period “.” after business names or initials (i.e. ABC
Company, Inc or Bob S Smith).
Party type defaults to defendant, make sure you chose the correct
party type.
Click add party once party information is entered.
Click on the green plus sign next to Attorney to add attorney(s) to
party.
Enter attorney name and click search.
Highlight matching attorney name and click Select Attorney to add
attorney to case or click Create New Attorney and enter attorney
information.
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Do not add any attorney(s) that will be filing a Pro Hac Vice Motion.
Pending Pro Hac Vice attorneys should not be included in the
signature block of any filings if a Motion for Pro Hac Vice has not been
granted yet. Unless you are filing a Notice of Removal, do not add
attorney(s) for the opposing party, they must file their own appearance.
If filing a Notice of Removal, add attorney(s) for all parties.
6. After you have entered all the party/attorney information, click Create
Case. Click Yes to case will be created pop-up box.
7. Your case number will appear on the screen. Please add this case
number to all of your documents.
9. If you are ready to begin your filing with a Complaint or Notice of Removal,
click on Docket Lead Event? from this screen. If filing a Complaint with an In
Forma Pauperis Motion, go to page 8, Complaint with fee payment, page 10
and Notice of Removal, page 17.
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III. COMPLAINT WITH IN FORMA PAUPERIS:
**Obtain a case number as instructed in Section II before proceeding.
1. If you are filing a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, this will get
filed as the first document in the case. Select CivilMotions and
Related FilingsProceed In Forma Paupers.
Click Next and enter the civil case number on the next screen, click
Next.
Select the party filing the document, click Next.
The Motion for IFP should be attached as the main document. Attach
the Complaint, any exhibits or supporting documents, and the Civil
Cover Sheet as separate attachments.
IFP Motion
Click Next after attaching all of your documents.
Click Next after reading the financial statement note.
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2. From the drop down box, select any applicable option. If none of the drop
down options are applicable, do not choose anything. Text box can be used
to type in any other additional information, it can also be left blank. Click Next
when done.
3. Review the text of your filing to make sure all the necessary attachments are
included and your text is correct. If you need to make any changes, you can
use the back arrow button on your browser or start the filing over by clicking
Civil at the top of the CMECF screen.
Click Next to commit your filing to the docket.
The Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) should appear on your screen.
The NEF shows the time, date, document number and any other email
addresses that electronic notification was sent to.
If you realize you have made an error concerning your filing, please do
not refile. Contact the Clerk’s office immediately. If after business
hours and the Clerk’s Office is closed, you can email us at
[email protected] and we will make any corrections or
contact you the next business day.
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IV. COMPLAINT WITH FEE PAYMENT:
**Obtain a case number as instructed in Section II before proceeding.
1. If you clicked on the Docket Lead Event from the case number
assignment screen, you will see the following screen:
** You can also get to this screen by going to CivilInitial Pleadings
and ServiceComplaints and Other Initiating Documents
New civil cases will most commonly use the Complaint (SchedRpt)
option. The Complaint (Dismissal Ddln) is for civil cases (excluding
2255 actions) that will rely on a briefing schedule to decide the case.
Example cases that would require the Complaint (Dismissal Ddln)
would be Social Security cases and 1983 Prisoner Civil Rights cases.
The Notice of Removal event will be used for removing state court
matters and the Motion to Vacate event for new 28:2255 actions.
Make your selection and click Next.
2. Enter your civil case number and click Next.
3. Select party/parties that are initiating the case and click Next.
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*To select more than one party, press and hold the ctrl key and click on the
names to highlight the choices you need.
4. Select party/parties action is being filed against and click Next.
5. Attach your Complaint as the main document. The Civil Cover Sheet and
any Exhibits should be attached as separate attachments. Click Next after
all of your documents have been attached.
Complaint
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6. If your Complaint includes a jury demand please type with Jury Demand in
the text box and click Next. If no jury demand, click Next to skip this step.
7. If you are not an attorney for the United States of America, select the
No button and click Next.
8. Click Next to acknowledge fee amount.
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9. The payment processing screen will appear. If you need to make any
changes to your filing, use the Return to your originating application link at
the top of the page. Do not use your browser’s back button.
Enter or verify that your credit card information is correct and click
Continue with Plastic Card Payment.
10. Payment Authorization screen will appear. Use the Edit this information link
to make any corrections or the Return to your originating application link to
go back to CMECF.
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Enter and confirm email address for receipt.
Check the box to authorize payment.
Click Submit Payment to commit payment. Once payment is submitted,
you cannot go back in your filing, do no use your browser’s back
button. If you have any corrections, please contact the Clerk’s Office.
If you commit the payment in error, or a double payment does occur,
see Section VI for further instructions.
11. Scheduling Report or Dismissal Deadline will automatically populate. Click
Next to acknowledge the date and proceed.
12. If your Complaint has a jury demand, please select the JURY flag and click
Next.
13. Review your filing, you can insert any adiditonal text if needed into the text
box and click Next.
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14. Click Next to commit your filing to the docket.
15. Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) will generate for your records.
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16. The Clerk’s Office will quality check your filing within one business day. If
everything is correct with your filing, the Clerk’s Office will issue a summons
with new case packet on the docket and set any applicable deadlines for the
case.
If you realize you have made an error concerning your filing, please do not
refile. Contact the Clerk’s office immediately. If after business hours and the
Clerk’s Office is closed, you can email us at
[email protected] and
we will make any corrections or contact you the next business day.
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V. NOTICE OF REMOVAL:
**Obtain a case number as instructed in Section II before proceeding.
1. If you clicked on the Docket Lead Event from the case number assignment
screen, you will see the following screen:
You can also get to this screen by going to CivilInitial Pleadings
and ServiceComplaints and Other Initiating Documents
Click to highlight Notice of Removal and click Next.
2. Enter the case number from your case opening and click Next.
3. Select the party removing the case and click Next.
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4. Select the party the removal is against and click Next.
5. Attach your Notice of Removal, Civil Cover Sheet and related documents
and click Next.
Notice of Removal
6. Enter name of other court and case number and Y/N for IFP question, click
Next.
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7. Click Next to acknowledge fee amount.
8. Payment processing screen will appear. If you need to make any changes
to your filing, use the Return to your originating application link at the top of
the page. Do not use your browser’s back button.
Enter or verify that your credit card information is correct and click
Continue with Plastic Card Payment.
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9. Payment Authorization screen with appear. Use the Edit this information link
to make any corrections or the Return to your originating application link to
go back to CMECF.
Enter and confirm email address for receipt.
Check box to authorize payment.
Click Submit Payment to commit payment. Once payment is submitted
you cannot go back in your filing, do no use your browser’s back
button. If you have any corrections, please contact the Clerk’s Office.
If you commit the payment in error, or a double payment does occur,
see Section VI for further instructions.
10. If your removal includes a jury demand, type with Jury Demand in the text
box and click Next. If no jury demand in removal, click Next to skip this step.
11. Click Next to acknowledge the Scheduling Report statement.
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12. Scheduling Report Deadline will automatically populate, click Next.
13. Click Next.
14. Check the text for your filing and if everything is correct click Next to commit
your filing to the docket.
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15. The Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) will generate for your records.
16. The Clerk’s Office will quality check your filing within one business day. If
everything is correct with your filing, the Clerk’s Office will issue a summons
with new case packet on the docket and set any applicable deadlines for the
case.
If you realize you have made an error concerning your filing, please do not
refile. Contact the Clerk’s office immediately. If after business hours and the
Clerk’s Office is closed, you can email us at
[email protected] and
we will make any corrections or contact you the next business day.
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VI. DOUBLE FEE PAYMENTS/REFUNDS:
If a double fee payment occurs or you made an error with your payment, please
follow the following steps:
On your firm's letterhead addressed to the Clerk of Court, please include
the following information:
1. Summary of why you are requesting the refund (duplicate payment, paid in
error, etc).
2. Date of payment
2. Name on the credit card
3. Type of credit card used (VISA, MasterCard)
4. Last 4 digits of the credit card number
5. Receipt number
6. Case number
7. Dollar amount
The letter can be emailed to:
[email protected]
OR mailed or faxed to:
U.S. District Courthouse
Attn: Clerk's Office
111 7th Ave SE, Box 12
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-2101
Fax: 319-286-2301
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