(a) Effective January 1, 2006, all papers in all cases active as of that date or commencing
on or after that date, including all civil, criminal and miscellaneous cases, shall be
filed electronically through the Court’s Electronic Case Filing (“ECF”) system.
Exceptions to this mandatory electronic filing shall be only upon order of the Court
pursuant to motion for good cause shown or shall be those exceptions provided under
Court policy, which generally relate to grand jury matters, law enforcement activities,
and investigatory proceedings.
(b) Mandatory electronic filing also applies to case-initiating papers, such as civil
complaints, criminal complaints, indictments, informations and other documents filed
with the Court that creates a new case and new case number on the Court’s docket.
An appeal to the Court of Appeals is also considered to be a case-initiating paper.
Reference is made, however, to the need to effectuate traditional Rule 4 service when
initiating a new case despite such electronic filing (See, Local Rule 5.2 on “Service”).
(c) The Clerk of Court is hereby authorized and instructed to promulgate, periodically
update and administer written policies and procedures for the effective
implementation and creation of the Court’s Electronic Case Filing System, which
shall be set forth in the Court’s Electronic Case Filing Policies and Procedures
Manual.
(d) This Local Rule supersedes any and all inconsistent provisions in existing Local
Rules, such as, for example only, the requirement of filing complaints, pleadings and
other papers.
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