UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ECF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
Procedures for Filing, Signing, Verifying,
and Maintaining Pleadings and Other Papers in the
Electronic Case Filing (ECF) System
Revised October 8, 2025
These procedures are subject to revision at any time without prior notice. A judge
of this Court may deviate from these procedures in specific cases, without prior
notice, if deemed appropriate for the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of
a pending matter.
Table of Contents
I. ELECTRONIC CASE MANAGEMENT / ELECTRONIC CASE FILING –
OFFICIAL RECORD ............................................................................................................................. 3
II. DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................ 3
A. CM/ECF (NextGen CM/ECF) ......................................................................................... 3
B. Conventionally Filed Document ................................................................................. 3
C. Court .......................................................................................................................................... 3
D. Electronic Document ........................................................................................................ 3
E. Electronically Filed Document .................................................................................... 3
F. Electronic Filing ................................................................................................................... 3
G. Filing User............................................................................................................................... 4
H. Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) ............................................................................... 4
I. PDF (Portable Document Format)................................................................................ 4
J. Pro Se Litigant / Filer .......................................................................................................... 4
K. Scanning .................................................................................................................................. 4
L. System ...................................................................................................................................... 4
III. SCOPE OF ELECTRONIC FILING ................................................................................. 4
A. Designation of Cases ........................................................................................................ 4
B. Participation in Electronic Filing ............................................................................... 5
IV. ENROLLING IN THE CM/ECF SYSTEM ......................................................................... 5
A. Registration ........................................................................................................................... 5
B. ECF Filing Registration Request ................................................................................ 6
C. Changes ................................................................................................................................... 6
V. ELECTRONIC FILING AND SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS........................................ 7
A. General Provisions............................................................................................................. 7
B. Civil Complaints................................................................................................................... 7
C. Miscellaneous Cases and Sealed Civil Cases ...................................................... 8
D. Criminal Charging Documents, Warrants, and Grand Jury
Proceedings ....................................................................................................................................... 8
E. Issuance of Summons ..................................................................................................... 8
F. Service ...................................................................................................................................... 9
G. Formatting Within a Document ............................................................................... 10
H. Voluminous Documents ................................................................................................ 11
I. Administrative Records .................................................................................................... 11
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J. State Court Records ............................................................................................................ 11
K. Magistrate Judge Consents ........................................................................................ 12
L. Exhibits................................................................................................................................... 12
M. Transcripts ........................................................................................................................... 13
N. Signatures ............................................................................................................................ 13
O. Orders and Proposed Orders ..................................................................................... 14
P. Docket Entries .................................................................................................................... 15
Q. Fees Payable to the Clerk ............................................................................................ 16
R. Emergency Filings ............................................................................................................ 16
S. PDFs ......................................................................................................................................... 16
VI. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY.............................................................................. 17
A. Sealed Cases ....................................................................................................................... 17
B. Sealed Documents ........................................................................................................... 17
C. Highly Sensitive Documents (HSDs) .................................................................... 17
D. Privacy Concerns .............................................................................................................. 19
VII. TECHNICAL FAILURES ................................................................................................... 20
A. On The Part of the Court .............................................................................................. 20
B. On The Part of the Filer ................................................................................................ 20
VIII. PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCKET INFORMATION.................................................... 21
A. At the Court ......................................................................................................................... 21
B. Through the Internet ..................................................................................................... 21
C. Social Security and Immigration Cases .............................................................. 21
D. Conventional and Certified Copies ......................................................................... 22
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I. ELECTRONIC CASE MANAGEMENT / ELECTRONIC CASE
FILING – OFFICIAL RECORD
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington (hereinafter
“court”) has assigned all its pending and future cases to the electronic Case
Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system (hereinafter “System”).
The official record of the court shall be the electronic file maintained on the court’s
servers. This includes information transmitted to the court in electronic format, as
well as in paper. The Clerk’s Office shall not maintain a paper court file in any case
begun on or after October 12, 2004, except as otherwise provided in these
procedures.
II. DEFINITIONS
A. CM/ECF (NextGen CM/ECF)
Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System, the docketing
and filing system used by the Eastern District of Washington.
B. Conventionally Filed Document
A document filed with the court in paper form, deemed filed
when it is date-stamped by the Clerk’s Office.
C. Court
United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington
D. Electronic Document
An electronic version of information otherwise filed in paper
form. An electronic document has the same legal effect as a
paper document.
E. Electronically Filed Document
An electronic document deemed filed when received by the
court’s CM/ECF system. Unless otherwise ordered by the court,
filing deadlines shall be Midnight Pacific Time on the day the
documents are required to be filed.
F. Electronic Filing
The electronic transmission of a PDF document to the court for
case processing by uploading the document directly from the
user’s computer, using the court’s CM/ECF system, to file that
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document in the case file.
G. Filing User
A registered user of the court’s CM/ECF system with electronic
filing permissions.
H. Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF)
An e-mail verification of the court’s receipt of the electronic
document, as well as official notice of the filing to all other
parties. The Notice includes the text of the docket entry, as well
as a link to the filed document(s).
I. PDF (Portable Document Format)
A document created with almost any word processing program
converted to a PDF file type or scanned by a printer/scanner and
converted to a PDF file type. The PDF conversion program, in
effect, takes a picture of the original document so the converted
document can be opened across a broad range of hardware and
software, with layout, format, links, and images intact.
J. Pro Se Litigant / Filer
A person proceeding in a cause/proceeding without
representation of an attorney, representing his/herself.
K. Scanning
Use of electronic device to take a picture of an existing
document in paper format. When scanning documents to be
subsequently filed electronically, filing parties are encouraged to
configure their scanners for black and white at 300 dpi, rather
than color scanning, unless color is an important aspect of the
document. The filing party is responsible for the legibility of the
scanned image.
L. System
The court’s CM/ECF system.
III. SCOPE OF ELECTRONIC FILING
A. Designation of Cases
The court has designated that all criminal, civil and miscellaneous proceedings
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shall be assigned to the System. Except as otherwise provided by these
procedures, all pleadings or other papers required to be filed with the court in
connection with a case assigned to the System must be electronically filed. Section
VI of these procedures specifically identifies those documents that will be accepted
through conventional means only.
B. Participation in Electronic Filing
1. Attorneys admitted to the bar of this court (including those admitted pro
hac vice) shall register as Filing Users of the System. Filing Users
Registered with the System are required to electronically file documents
into the System and accept electronic service of pleadings and other papers
through the System.
2. Attorneys required to register as Filing Users of the System, who are
experiencing exigent circumstances that preclude their effective/efficient
use of the System, may petition the court for relief from participation as a
Filing User. The court will address these petitions/requests on a case-by-
case basis.
3. Self-represented filers (pro se) may, but are not required to,
electronically file documents and register in the System. Pro se litigants
wishing to file in paper, and receive notice electronically, may waive their
right to receive service of documents by first class mail.
Once registered, an attorney or pro se litigant may withdraw from participation in
the System only for cause, on order of the court.
IV. ENROLLING IN THE CM/ECF SYSTEM
A. Registration
Registration constitutes consent to electronic service of documents.
1. Attorney procedures
All attorneys participating in cases must register for electronic
filing/noticing.
2. Pro se (non-prisoner) procedures
a. Filing and Service Option
A non-prisoner who is a party to a civil action and who is not
represented by an attorney may file a motion to obtain a ECF Filing
Authorization on a form prescribed by the clerk’s office. Only after
the court has granted such a motion may a pro se party attempt to
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register for ECF. If during the action the pro se litigant retains an
attorney who appears on their behalf, the clerk’s office shall
terminate the pro se party’s registration in that case.
b. Service Only Option
On a form prescribed by the clerk's office, a pro se litigant may waive
his/her right to receive service of documents by first class mail. If
service of documents by first class mail is waived, service of
documents and notice of electronic filings will be served by e-mail
through the System. This noticing-only option does not allow the
pro se litigant to file electronically.
3. Prisoner procedures
a. A prisoner who is a party to a civil action, is not represented by an
attorney and resides in a correctional facility that participates in the
prison electronic filing initiative is required to adhere to the
procedures established in General Orders 15-35-1 and 16-35-1,
absent a court order to the contrary.
b. Prisoners who reside in correctional facilities that do not participate
in the prison electronic filing initiative are not eligible to register or
participate in electronic filing.
B. ECF Filing Registration Request
Attorneys and pro se filers must submit an E-Filing Request for CM/ECF
through their individual PACER account. Each registered filer must access
CM/ECF through the Central Sign-On functionality (using their PACER
credentials) to electronically file or receive e-service of documents.
Each registered user is responsible for all documents filed with this login and
password. No one shall knowingly permit, or cause to permit, a login and
password to be used by unauthorized persons. Conversely, no one shall use
the login and password of another without explicit authorization.
C. Changes
A participant whose contact information has changed must timely file a notice
of change of address in all active cases. Participants must also submit the
new address through PACER by going to Maintenance > Updated Address
Information.
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An attorney no longer practicing in this court shall withdraw from participating
in the System by providing the Clerk’s Office with a notice of withdrawal from
ECF. Such notice must be in writing and mailed or delivered to the court.
Notices may be mailed to:
United States District Court
Attn: ECF Registration
P.O. Box 1493
Spokane, WA 99210
or delivered to:
United States District Court
920 West Riverside, Room 840
Spokane, WA 99201; or
825 Jadwin, Suite 174
Richland, WA 99352; or
25 South 3rd Street, 2nd Floor
Yakima, WA 98901
Upon receipt, the Clerk’s Office will immediately cancel the attorney’s login
and password and delete the attorney’s name from any applicable electronic
service list. An attorney’s withdrawal from participation in the System shall
not be construed as authorization to file paper documents.
V. ELECTRONIC FILING AND SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS
A. General Provisions
Effective October 12, 2004, attorneys are required to file all documents
electronically through the System. A limited number of exceptions, or those
which require special handling, are described in subsections C, D, I, J and K
of this section.
B. Civil Complaints
1. Attorney Procedures
Effective March 14, 2014, attorneys are required to electronically file
new civil cases, including paying the filing fee online through Pay.gov.
2. Pro Se Filer Procedures
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Pro se filers are not permitted to electronically file new cases. Only
prisoners assigned to facilities participating in the prison electronic filing
initiative are permitted to file new cases electronically.
If using the U.S. mail or personal delivery, the Clerk’s Office will scan
the civil complaint and cover sheet, upload them to the System, and
will discard the paper documents after a holding period established by
the court.
New civil cases received either by mail, in-person or by electronic
filing, are deemed filed the day the Clerk’s Office receives the
complaint and any required filing fee is paid.
C. Miscellaneous Cases and Sealed Civil Cases
These types of cases are excluded from the requirement of electronically
filing new civil cases.
Case initiating documents will be accepted in person at the Clerk’s Office,
sent by First Class mail, or by e-mail at
[email protected].
If using e-mail, the filing party must submit the documents in PDF format
with each PDF being under the 50-megabyte size restriction. The filing fee
can be paid online at our public website, or a check may be mailed to U.S. District
Court, P.O. Box 1493, Spokane, WA 99210. New cases will not be filed until the
filing fee has been paid.
The filing fee must accompany a complaint sent through the mail or
delivered to the Clerk’s Office.
D. Criminal Charging Documents, Warrants, and Grand Jury Proceedings
All charging documents (including the complaint, information, and
indictment) shall be delivered in person to the Clerk’s Office. Electronic filing
procedures shall not apply to applications for arrest, search, or electronic
surveillance warrants; or other orders in aid of or ancillary to a criminal
investigation; or to proceedings relating to the grand jury.
E. Issuance of Summons
Summons to be issued may be presented to the court through the System, by
e-mail, by U.S. mail, or delivered in person to the Clerk’s Office. The party
requesting the issuance of summons must complete the summons form.
If the party requesting the issuance of summons presents the form to the
Clerk’s Office through the System, by e-mail, or by U.S. mail, the issued
summons form will be returned to the requesting party via the System, by e-
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mail or by U.S. mail. If the party delivers the summons form to the Clerk’s
Office, the party can request to have the issued summons form returned at
the Clerk’s Office counter.
1. Attorney Procedures for Electronic Issuance
Download and save the civil summons form found on the court’s
website www.waed.uscourts.gov under “All Forms”. Use this form each
time you electronically file a summons and remember to file each
summons as a separate pdf document in the System.
2. Pro Se Filer Procedures for Issuance
If sending the summons by e-mail, send them to
[email protected].
If sending the summons by U.S. mail, also submit a stamped, self-
addressed return envelope. Once the summons has been issued, the
Clerk’s Office will return the summons to the filing party.
F. Service
With the exception of sealed/ex parte documents identified in Section VI Privacy
and Confidentiality of these procedures and the Administrative Records in Social
Security cases, a party may serve a paper on a registered user by filing it with
the Court’s electronic filing System, pursuant to the Federal Rules.
If the recipient is not a registered participant in the System, service must be
made by the filer in paper form in accordance with the Federal Rules.
Certificates of service, which may include executed summons, are to be filed
electronically through the System. A certificate of service on all parties who
are not registered participants of the System but are entitled to service or
notice is still required when a party files a document electronically. The
certificate will be filed electronically on the document itself and must state
the manner in which service was accomplished on each party. Sample
language for a Certificate of Service is as follows:
I hereby certify that on (Date), I electronically filed the
foregoing with the Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF System,
which in turn automatically generated a Notice of Electronic
Filing (NEF) to all parties in the case who are registered users
of the CM/ECF system. The NEF for the foregoing specifically
identifies recipients of electronic notice. I hereby certify that I
have mailed by United States Postal Service the document to
the following non-CM/ECF participants:
________________________________
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s/ Attorney’s Name (or Legal Secretary’s Name)
Attorney’s Name and Bar Number
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Law Firm Name
Law Firm Address /Phone /Fax/ Email Address
Whenever a document is filed electronically in accordance with these
procedures, the System will generate an e-mail “Notice of Electronic Filing”
to the filing party and to any other party who is a registered user.
Paper copies for those not registered. A party who is not a registered
participant of the System is entitled to a paper copy of any electronically filed
pleading, document, or order. The filing party must therefore provide the
non-registered party with the pleading, document, or order according to the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. When mailing paper copies of documents
that have been electronically filed, the filing party should include the “Notice
of Electronic Filing” to provide the recipient with proof of the filing.
To determine whether another party is a registered user, the filer can select
CM/ECF’s “Utilities” category, and then click on “Mailing Information for a
Case” on the pull-down menu. The filer then enters the case number, and
the system information will appear, stating whether the filer must mail a copy
or if the System will electronically generate one. For prisoners participating
in the prison electronic filing initiative, the NEF will display non-registered
parties along with their mailing address.
G. Formatting Within a Document
Captions on documents: Pursuant to LCivR 7(i), any party filing a motion shall
insert the date, time, and place (or phone number if by telephone) for the
hearing in the motion’s caption.
Documents being submitted in response to, in support of, or in opposition
to other documents shall be clearly labeled with the reference to the motion
or response included in the caption.
Pagination: All documents, including any exhibits and attachments to the
documents, shall be sequentially paginated in their entirety, with the page
numbers appearing at the bottom of each page.
Hyperlinks: To preserve the integrity of the court record, attorneys wishing to
insert hyperlinks in court filings shall continue to use the traditional citation
method for the cited authority, in addition to the hyperlink. When cross-
document hyperlinks are inserted, the title of the document, the court record
number and, if applicable, the page number must be cited. The judiciary’s
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policy on hyperlinks is that a hyperlink contained in a filing is no more than a
convenient mechanism for accessing material cited in the document. A
hyperlink reference is extraneous to any filed document and is not part of the
court’s record.
H. Voluminous Documents
An exhibit larger than fifty megabytes in size must be filed in separate
segments, with each segment less than fifty megabytes in size. See the court’s
website at www.waed.uscourts.gov under “Civil Case Info” or “Criminal Case
Info” for additional instructions about filing large documents.
For documents, including exhibits, over 100 pages in length, a courtesy paper
copy for the judge must be filed with the Clerk. The courtesy copy shall be
clearly marked, “Judge’s Courtesy Copy of Electronic Filing,” and must be
three-hole punched and tabbed (if applicable).
I. Administrative Records
Administrative records shall be filed electronically. For documents, including
exhibits, over 100 pages in length, a courtesy paper copy for the judge must
be filed with the Clerk. The courtesy copy shall be clearly marked, “Judge’s
Courtesy Copy of Electronic Filing,” and must be three-hole punched and
tabbed (if applicable).
The PDF record is split into parts so that each part is no larger than 50
megabytes. The first PDF attached is called the “main document”, and each
additional part of the PDF is e-filed as an attachment. Each attachment must
be named noting the page numbers (e.g., first attachment “Pages 93-163",
second attachment “Pages 164-236").
J. State Court Records
The record of state court proceedings in habeas corpus cases filed under 28
U.S.C. § 2254 shall be filed electronically. For documents, including exhibits,
over 100 pages in length, a courtesy paper copy for the judge must be filed
with the Clerk. The courtesy copy shall be clearly marked, “Judge’s Courtesy
Copy of Electronic Filing,” and must be three-hole punched and tabbed (if
applicable).
The PDF record is split into parts so that each part is no larger than 50
megabytes. The first PDF attached is called the “main document”, and each
additional part of the PDF is e-filed as an attachment. Each attachment must
be named noting the page numbers (e.g., first attachment “Pages 93-163",
second attachment “Pages 164-236").
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K. Magistrate Judge Consents
Completed consent and declination of consent forms may be signed and
submitted in paper and mailed or delivered to the Clerk’s Office, or they may
be scanned and e-mailed to
[email protected]. Do not file
these forms in the System.
L. Exhibits
Scannable
Filing parties shall submit only those excerpts of the referenced exhibits that
are directly germane to the matter under consideration. Excerpted material
must be clearly and prominently identified as such. Parties who file excerpts
do so without prejudice to their right to timely file additional excerpts of the
exhibit with reply briefs if otherwise appropriate. Responding parties may also
timely file additional excerpts of the exhibit that they believe are directly
germane.
Paper exhibits must be scanned and saved in PDF files that are less than 50
megabytes in size. Large documents may need to be broken into “chunks” so
that each PDF is under the 50-megabyte limit.
The filer shall identify each segment by document page numbers and exhibit
number. Each exhibit shall have a face sheet identifying the exhibit number.
The face sheet is also numbered. The exhibit number should be clearly marked
on each PDF document.
If possible, filing parties should scan documents in black and white, rather than
in color, unless the color is an important feature of the information. The filing
party is required to verify the readability of scanned exhibits before filing them
electronically with the court.
Non-Scannable
In the event of an attorney or party filing non-scannable exhibit(s) with the
Court, i.e., a document/exhibit to be filed that cannot be scanned due to size
or format of the document/exhibit, please follow these instructions:
1. File the main document and scannable exhibits electronically using
the appropriate docketing event.
2. Prepare and docket a Notice of Filing of Non-Scannable Exhibit(s) with
the Clerk.
In CM/ECF the filer will choose the applicable event:
Civil Events → Other Filings → Notices; Notice of Filing Non-
Scannable Exhibits with the Clerk; or
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Criminal Events → Other Filings → Notices → Notice of Filing of
Non-Scannable Exhibits with the Clerk
3. Submit one (1) copy of the non-scannable document(s)/exhibit(s) on
a USB drive to the Clerk’s Office in person or via courier, i.e. FedEx, UPS
or USPS.
Exhibits shall be clearly marked with the case name and number and attached
to the Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) generated by CM/ECF for the Notice of
Filing of Non-Scannable Exhibit(s) with the Clerk.
M. Transcripts
Transcripts prepared by court reporters are electronically filed by the court as
a Notice of Filing of Official Transcript. The court’s transcript policy and
redaction procedures are set out on the court’s website:
http://www.waed.uscourts.gov/courtroom-support.
N. Signatures
The login and password required to file documents in the System serve as the
attorney’s or court-approved pro se filer’s signature on all electronic
documents filed with the Court, for purposes of Fed. R. Civ. P. 11, the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and the local
rules of this Court.
Attorney or Court-Approved Pro Se E-Filer Signature: An electronically filed
pleading or other document requiring an attorney’s or court-approved pro se
e-filer’s signature shall be signed in the following manner: “s/ (attorney or
court-approved pro se filer’s name).” The correct format for an attorney or
court-approved pro se e-filer signature is as follows:
s/ Attorney’s Name or Court-Approved Pro Se E-Filer
Name
Attorney’s Name and Bar Number
Attorney for the (Plaintiff/Defendant)
Law Firm Name (if applicable)
123 South Street
Spokane, Washington 99201
Telephone: (509) 123-4567
Fax: (509) 123-4567
Email:
[email protected]
Multiple Signatures: The following procedure applies when a stipulation or
other document requires two or more signatures:
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The filing party or attorney shall initially confirm that the content of the
document is acceptable to all persons required to sign the document and shall
obtain either the physical signatures or authorization for the electronic
signatures of all parties on the document. For purposes of this rule, physical,
facsimile, or electronic signatures are permitted.
The filing party or attorney may then file the document electronically,
indicating the signatories, e.g., “s/ Jane Doe” “s/ John Smith,” etc. The correct
format for the signature block is the same as that previously described for
attorneys’ signatures.
Non-Attorney Signature: If the original document requires the signature of a
non-attorney, the filing party shall scan the original document, then
electronically file it in the System.
Retention of Original Documents (original signatures). It is suggested that
documents electronically filed by the filing attorney/pro se filer and requiring
original signatures other than that of the filing attorney/pro se filer be
maintained in paper form by the filer until two years after all time periods for
appeals expire. The filer must provide original documents for review upon
request of the judge.
O. Orders and Proposed Orders
Orders of the court:
The assigned judge or the Clerk’s Office shall electronically file all signed
orders. An order signed electronically (by either a digital signature or by
using the “s/ Judge’s Name” convention) has the same force and effect as if
the judge had affixed a signature to a paper copy of the order.
It is the responsibility of every System participant, upon receipt of an NEF,
to open and view each PDF document to read the substance of each
document received from the court.
The assigned judge or the Clerk’s staff, if appropriate, may grant routine
orders by a text-only entry upon the docket. In such cases, no PDF document
will issue, and the text-only entry shall constitute the court’s only order on
the matter. The System will generate a “Notice of Electronic Filing” as
described previously in these procedures.
When mailing paper copies of an electronically filed order to a party who is
not a registered CM/ECF participant, the Clerk’s Office will include the Notice
of Electronic Filing to provide the non-participant with proof of the filing.
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Proposed orders shall be submitted as outlined below:
Electronically submitted proposed orders shall be filed with the motion as an
attachment and named “Proposed Order” on the system. This will provide
service of the proposed order to all registered parties. All proposed orders
must be conspicuously labeled “Proposed.” If the judge decides to use the
proposed order, s/he will remove the “Proposed” language.
A proposed order shall also be attached as a Word file to an Internet e-mail
sent to the e-mail address of the assigned judge. The subject line of the e-
mail shall include the case number and title of the order. The judges’
e-mail addresses for proposed orders only follow this pattern:
[email protected].
The judges’ e-mail addresses for proposed orders only are as follows:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
P. Docket Entries
The party electronically filing a pleading or other document is responsible for
designating a docket entry title for the document by using one of the event
categories prescribed by the court. Select the menu choice that most clearly
relates to the type of document being filed.
Once a document is submitted and becomes part of the electronic case file,
corrections to the docket can only be made by the Clerk’s Office.
As soon as possible after an error is discovered, the filer should contact the
Clerk’s Office with the case number and document number for which the
correction is being requested.
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The filer should contact the CM/ECF Help Desk (1-866-236-5100 or
[email protected]) for direction prior to re-filing a document. If
appropriate, the Clerk’s Office will make an entry indicating that the
document was filed in error. The filer will be advised if the document needs
to be re-filed.
Q. Fees Payable to the Clerk
Any filing fee in District Court is payable to the Clerk of the Court by
credit/debit card, check, money order, or cash.
R. Emergency Filings
Mandatory electronic filing also applies to emergency pleadings. The filer shall
call the Clerk’s Office to advise the court of the emergency nature of the
filing.
S. PDFs
The CM/ECF system examines PDF files prior to uploading them to a case
within the system. Follow the guidelines listed below to ensure that
documents you are filing in ECF are successfully uploaded to the system.
PDFs with the following content WILL BE REJECTED:
• Does not comply with PDF format standards
• Contains JavaScript
• Encrypted or password-protected
• Contains scripts which can launch an external application
• Contains internal attachments
• Contains audio and video content
• Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Safari browser
• Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for
printing”
PDFs with the following content WILL BE ACCEPTED:
• Contains hyperlinks to external web sites
• Meets the PDF-A standard
• Contains optical character recognition (OCR) meta-data
• Comprised of scanned documents
• Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Chrome browser
• Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for
Electronic Distribution”
*** The simplest way to address most PDF upload rejections is to flatten the
PDF and then upload it into CM/ECF. *** Those steps are as follows:
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1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat or another tool.
2. Print the PDF file to your PDF printer (File>Print>select Adobe PDF or
another PDF printer listed in the drop-down list).
3. Save the printed PDF and upload into CM/ECF.
VI. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
A. Sealed Cases
Sealed cases must be filed in paper. There is no electronic access to sealed
cases other than by court staff.
B. Sealed Documents
Pursuant to General Order No. 2025-13, sealed documents must be filed in
paper. There is no electronic access to sealed documents other than by court
staff. Service must be in paper.
C. Highly Sensitive Documents (HSDs)
1. Documents and Materials Subject to HSD Designation
a. A Highly Sensitive Document (HSD) is a document or other
material that contains sensitive, but unclassified, information that
warrants exceptional handling and storage procedures to prevent
significant consequences that could result if such information were
obtained or disclosed in an unauthorized manner. Although frequently
related to law enforcement materials, especially sensitive information
in a civil case could also quality for HSD treatment.
i. Examples of HSDs: Examples include ex parte sealed filings
relating to: national security investigations, cyber
investigations, and especially sensitive public corruption
investigations; and documents containing a highly exploitable
trade secret, financial information, or computer source code
belonging to a private entity, the disclosure of which could
have significant national or international repercussions.
ii. Exclusions: Most materials currently filed under seal do not
meet the definition of an HSD and do not merit the heightened
protections afforded to HSDs. The form or nature of the
document, by itself, does not determine whether HSD
treatment is warranted. Instead, the focus is on the severity of
the consequences for the parties or the public should the
document be accessed without authorization. Most
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presentence reports, pretrial release reports, pleadings related
to cooperation in criminal cases, social security records,
administrative immigration records, applications for search
warrants, interception of wire, oral, or electronic
communications under 18 U.S.C. § 2518, and applications for
pen registers, trap and trace devices would not meet the HSD
definition.
b. HSDs vary in their physical form and characteristics. They may be
paper, electronic, audiovisual, microform, or other media. The term
“document” includes all recorded information, regardless of its physical
form or characteristics.
2. Requesting HSD Designation
a. Any party seeking to file an HSD must, before such filing, seek leave of
the Court for such filing.
i. A request for HSD designation is accompanied by a
certification of the movant’s good-faith belief that the material
meets the HSD definition.
ii. The requesting party will articulate why HSD treatment is
warranted, including, as appropriate: the contents of the
document; the nature of the investigation or litigation; and the
potential consequences to the parties, the public, or national
interests, in the event the information contained in the
document is accessed or disseminated without authorization.
iii. A request for HSD designation is accompanied by a proposed
order.
iv. A request to treat a document as an HSD and the proposed
order is filed under existing procedures, except that a copy of
the proposed HSD may not be filed electronically.
v. The requesting party serves the proposed HSD on the other
parties by nonelectronic means (paper or secure electronic
device) directly upon the party or, when the Civil or Criminal
rules permit or the court orders, upon the attorney
representing the party.
b. The proposed HSD material is submitted to the clerk’s office in a
sealed envelope marked “HIGHLY SENSITIVE DOCUMENT.” The
outside of the envelope is affixed with a copy of the HSD’s caption
page (with confidential information redacted).
3. Order Granting HSD Designation
An order granting a motion seeking HSD designation, or directing the filing of
a document as an HSD on the court’s own motion, must:
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a. State the identity of the persons who are to have access to the
documents without further order of court; and
b. Set forth instructions for the duration of HSD treatment. HSDs are
stored temporarily or permanently offline as the situation requires.
When designating a document as an HSD, the Court will most likely
indicate when the designation will automatically lapse or when the
designation should be revisited by the judicial officer. The Clerk’s
Office will migrate HSDs as sealed documents to the court’s electronic
docketing system and unsealed, as appropriate, as soon as the
situation allows.
4. Filing An HSD
a. A copy of the order granting HSD designation is to be included with
any document filed as an HSD.
b. The clerk will maintain the HSD in a secure paper filing system.
c. The clerk’s office will make an informational docket entry in the court’s
electronic filing system indicating that the HSD was filed with the
court. The docket entry shall not include personal or other identifying
details related to or contained with the HSD.
d. An opinion or order entered by the court related to an HSD may itself
constitute an HSD if it reveals sensitive information in the HSD. If the
court determines that a court order qualifies as an HSD, the clerk’s
office will file and maintain the order as an HSD and will serve paper
copies of any filing issued by the court via United States Mail.
5. Safeguarding Internal Communication: Care should also be taken in
internal court communications regarding HSDs, including notes and pre-
decisional materials, not to include the protected substance of HSDs in any
communication using the internet or a computer connected to a network.
D. Privacy Concerns
See Fed. R. Civ. P 5.2 and Fed. R. Crim. P. 49.1. To address privacy concerns
created by Internet access to court documents, filers should redact certain
personal information from electronic filings, pursuant to the E-Government
Act of 2002 and Judicial Conference Privacy Policy.
Unless the court orders otherwise, in a filing with the court that contains an
individual’s social- security number, taxpayer-identification number, or birth
date, the name of an individual known to be a minor, a financial-account
number, a party or nonparty making the filing may include only:
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1. the last four digits of the social-security number and taxpayer-
identification number;
2. the year of the individual’s birth;
3. the minor’s initials;
4. the last four digits of the financial account number; and
5. in criminal cases – the city and state of the home address
The Clerk is not required to review documents filed with the court for
compliance with this rule. The responsibility to redact filings rests with the
filer.
VII. TECHNICAL FAILURES
A. On The Part of the Court
A party whose filing is untimely as the result of a technical failure of the
court’s CM/ECF site may seek appropriate relief from the court.
If CM/ECF is unable to accept filings due to an unscheduled outage that lasts
for more than two hours during business hours or any time after 5pm, the
Court will make the determination as to whether the outage will constitute a
technical failure on the part of the Court. Notice of regularly scheduled system
outages will be posted on the Court’s website. Users are responsible for
monitoring the website to ensure awareness of regularly scheduled weekend
downtime for maintenance and other scheduled outages.
Emergency filing procedures (failure on the part of the Court)
The email address referenced below may only be used by registered e-filers
during the period in which CM/ECF has been declared by the Court as
unavailable due to technical failure. Any documents sent to this email address
outside of the expressly identified period will not be considered filed or
received by the Court, and the Court has no obligation to retain such
documents.
In the event of a declared CM/ECF technical failure, pleadings to be filed may
be sent to
[email protected]. During the period of outage, any
documents submitted to this email address will be docketed into the
appropriate cases by Court staff during business hours when CM/ECF
functionality has been restored. Documents filed via email will be considered
filed upon the date of receipt by the Court and will be docketed exactly as
indicated on the document. NEFs will be sent to parties upon docketing by
Court staff.
B. On The Part of the Filer
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Problems on the filer’s end (such as phone line problems, problems with the
filer’s Internet Service Provider, or hardware or software problems) will not
constitute a technical failure under these procedures, nor excuse an untimely
filing.
A filer who cannot file a document electronically because of a problem on the
filer’s end must immediately contact the Clerk’s Office CM/ECF Help Desk at
1-866-236-5100.
VIII. PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCKET INFORMATION
A. At the Court
Electronic access to the civil and criminal electronic dockets and non-sealed,
non-ex parte documents filed in the System are available for viewing at no
charge at the Clerk’s Office during regular business hours. A copy fee for an
electronic or paper copy is authorized by 28 USC § 1914 and the Judicial
Conference of the United States.
B. Through the Internet
Remote electronic access to civil and criminal dockets and non-sealed, non-ex
parte documents in the System is provided through the Public Access to Court
Electronic Records (PACER) system. Registration for PACER can be done
through its website https://pacer.uscourts.gov.
The U.S. Judicial Conference has determined that PACER user fees will be
charged for remotely accessing documents and docket sheets. Non-judiciary
CM/ECF users are charged a per-page fee access electronic data through the
PACER system, with a maximum fee of 30 pages per document.
The standard PACER access fee does not apply to official recipients of
electronic documents, i.e., parties legally required to receive service or to
whom service is directed.
Official recipients will receive the initial electronic copy of a document free to
download.
The exception is for transcripts, which have no free look and no maximum
charge. If official recipients remotely access the document again, they will be
charged a fee as authorized by 28 USC § 1914 and the Judicial Conference of
the United States.
C. Social Security and Immigration Cases
Opinions, orders, judgments, and other dispositions issued by the court in
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Social Security and immigration cases may be viewed remotely by anyone
with a PACER account. All other documents are only accessible remotely by
the parties and their attorneys.
All non-sealed documents, except the administrative record pursuant to
LCivR 5.2, in Social Security and immigration cases may be viewed on the
public access terminals in the courthouses.
D. Conventional and Certified Copies
Both conventional 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 USC § 1914.
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