FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OKLAHOMA SEP 2 9 2025
j X JOAN KANE, CLERK
A" ) U.S. DIST. COURT, WESTERN DiST OKiA.
BY ^ , DEPUTY
)
UPDATED POLICIES AND ) G,0.25-7
PROCEDURES FOR SEALED )
DOCUMENTS AND ACCESS THERETO. )
ORDER
WHEREAS a recent escalation in cyberattacks on the CM/ECF systems offederal
courts requires the implementation of new procedures for the storage and management
of sealed documents, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, effective immediately, and until
such time as the court orders otherwise,
1. General Order 25-5, entered August 8, 2025, is VACATED.
2. In light of changes to the CM/ECF system, counsel and pro se litigants with
electronic filing privileges may resume filing sealed documents in CM/ECF.
3. Sealed documents will not, however, be accessible or viewable by electronic
means, although parties will continue to receive notices ofelectronic filing when
such documents are filed in their case.^
4. Because sealed documents filed in CM/ECF will not be accessible or viewable
electronically, service of those documents cannot be accomplished through
CM/ECF. Parties must serve sealed documents by other appropriate means as
provided by the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure. The court will
^ CM/ECF automatically restricts certain documents in Social Security and immigration cases. These documents will
remain accessible and viewable by the parties by electronic means. Additionally, certain filings will not generate a
notice of electronic filing, specifically, the non-filing party will not receive notice of an ex parte filing, no party will
receive notice in a sealed case, and only the government and relevant defendant(s) in a criminal case will receive
notice of sealed filings,
serve sealed orders or sealed Court-issued notices in paper by mail.^
5. If service of a motion or response, to which a response or reply may be filed, is
completed by mail as reflected in the certificate of service, three days shall be
added to the response or reply time under Local Rule 7.1(g) and (h).
6. Because sealed documents filed in CM/ECF are no longer accessible or viewable
electronically, a party with the right to access a sealed document in a case who
requires a copy of a sealed document must contact the clerk's office to request a
paper copy.
7. Sealed documents that are defined as Highly Sensitive Documents(HSDs) will
continue to be subject to the court's HSD procedures as set forth in General
Order 24-2, available at www.okwd.uscourts.gov.
8. Any questions about the filing of and access to sealed documents should be
directed to the clerk's office at(405)609-5555.
This Order supersedes all inconsistent prior court orders, or inconsistent provisions
in the Electronic Filing Policies and Procedures Manual, and in the Local Civil and
Criminal Rules.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 1^ day of September 2025.
TIMOTHY D.lDeGIUSTI
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
2 By written agreement,the Clerk will serve certain orders and judgments on the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western
District of Oklahoma and the Federal Public Defender's Office via delivery to agency boxes located in the Western
District of Oklahoma's Clerk's Office.
