UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
)
) No. 24-mc-00001
IN THE MATTER OF: )
) GENERAL ORDER /
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS TO THE ) ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
COURT BY PRO SE LITIGANTS
) 2024-35
)
)
GENERAL ORDER
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court determined that a system allowing filings
submitted by electronic means and according to certain specifications should be permitted for pro
se litigants on an ongoing basis. The Court now ORDERS that the Clerk shall continue to accept
documents filed by pro se litigants electronically that comply with the following procedures:
• Documents must be submitted through the Court's Electronic Document Submission
website at https://tools.insd.uscourts.gov/filings_form/ (hereinafter "the web portal").
• That web portal will require filers to provide certain identifying information including
the filer's name, address, and telephone number.
• Documents submitted through the web portal must be signed in electronic format
(s/Name) or signed by hand and scanned.
• Documents to be filed must be uploaded through the web portal in PDF format. Links to
documents created in Google Drive, DocuSign, or similar applications will not be
accepted. No image or web files (e.g., .png, .jpg, .tiff, .html, etc.) will be accepted.
• The document will be deemed "filed" upon upload through the web portal, and the date
of submission will be considered the filing date for any document received through the
web portal and later filed into CM/ECF.
• The filing party should not submit a duplicate paper copy of the document to the Clerk's
Office except in the event of a technical issue.
• In the event of a technical issue, the filing party should submit the proposed filing by
mail or in person at the Clerk's Office. Any emailed filings sent to any
@insd.uscourts.gov email address will be disregarded.
• Comments, questions, or other messages made in the web form may not receive a
response from court staff. Noncompliant documents will be disregarded by the Clerk's
Office without further notification.
• Filing by electronic means is designed to broaden access to the Court for pro se litigants
and is for case filings only. Under no circumstances may any party email a Judge, the
Clerk's Office, or Court staff directly without prior authorization. Any such emails may
be disregarded.
• The Clerk may permit counsel to file documents via the electronic document
submission web portal with prior approval from the Clerk's Office.
• These procedures do not alter the responsibility of the parties to effect service as
required by Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 4 and 5.
• Submission by electronic means through the web portal remains distinct from attorney
electronic filing (e-filing) via the Court's ECF system and from prisoner electronic filing
pursuant to General Order Regarding Prisoner Electronic Filing Program. Electronic
filing via the Court's ECF system and through the Prisoner Electronic Filing Program is
only permitted as provided in the Court's orders and rules.
• Highly Sensitive Documents ("HSDs") must not be submitted electronically through the
web portal or through CM/ECF. See General Order Regarding Procedures for the Filing,
Service, and Management of Highly Sensitive Documents. Any party that believes a
document should be treated as an HSD must follow the procedures identified in the Order
Regarding Procedures for Filing HSDs.
• The privilege of submitting a document through the web portal may be revoked if
abused.
This order entirely supersedes all previous orders on the subject of electronic filing by pro se
litigants, including the Court's General Orders dated July 5, 2019, March 24, 2020, and
January 14, 2022.
SO ORDERED.
For the Court,
Date: 11/6/2024
