U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL
CASES AMENDED 3/6/2026
Table of Contents
I. THE ELECTRONIC RECORD ........................................................................................... 2
A. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 2
B. Definitions and Standards ......................................................................................................... 2
II. ELECTRONIC FILING REGISTRATION EXCEPTIONS (FILING IN PAPER) .................... 4
III. ENROLLING IN THE CM/ECF SYSTEM ............................................................................ 4
A. Registration ............................................................................................................................... 4
B. CM/ECF Access ........................................................................................................................ 5
C. Account Maintenance and Updates ........................................................................................... 5
IV. FILING DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY ....................................................................... 6
A. General Provisions .................................................................................................................... 6
B. Civil Complaints ........................................................................................................................ 6
C. Miscellaneous Cases ................................................................................................................ 7
D. Issuance of Summons ............................................................................................................... 7
E. Service ...................................................................................................................................... 7
F. Motions and Related Paperwork ............................................................................................... 8
G. Voluminous Documents ............................................................................................................ 8
H. Pagination ................................................................................................................................. 9
I. Administrative and State Court Records .................................................................................... 9
J. Exhibits...................................................................................................................................... 9
K. Transcripts ................................................................................................................................ 9
L. Signatures and Attorney Appearances ................................................................................... 10
M. Orders and Proposed Orders .................................................................................................. 11
N. Corrections .............................................................................................................................. 12
O. Fees Payable to the Clerk ....................................................................................................... 12
P. Emergency Filings................................................................................................................... 12
V. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY ................................................................................ 13
A. Sealed Cases .......................................................................................................................... 13
B. Sealed Documents .................................................................................................................. 13
C. Privacy Concerns .................................................................................................................... 13
VI. TECHNICAL FAILURES .................................................................................................. 13
A. On the Part of the Court .......................................................................................................... 13
B. On the Part of the Filer ............................................................................................................ 14
VII. PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCKET INFORMATION ............................................................ 15
A. At the Court ............................................................................................................................. 15
B. Through the Internet ................................................................................................................ 15
C. Social Security and Immigration Cases ................................................................................... 15
D. Conventional and Certified Copies .......................................................................................... 15
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
I. THE ELECTRONIC RECORD
A. Introduction
The official record of the Court is the electronic file maintained on the Court’s servers. The
Clerk’s Office does not maintain a paper court file in any case begun on or after June 23, 2003,
except as otherwise provided in these procedures.
All attorneys are required to electronically file documents and receive electronic service of
filings through CM/ECF, which requires registration both in this Court’s CM/ECF system and in
the national PACER system.
Pro se (self-represented) filers may, but are not required to, register in this Court’s CM/ECF
system and in PACER to either:
1. receive service of documents and notice of electronic filings via email, or
2. receive service of documents and notice of electronic filings via email and file
documents directly in CM/ECF.
Pro se filers must register for electronic filing and/or service on a per-case basis.
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 matters pending
before the Court.
The Court may also amend these procedures at any time without prior notice.
B. Definitions and Standards
CM/ECF
Case Management/Electronic Case Files, which is the electronic filing system used by the
Western District of Washington.
PACER
Public Access to Court Electronic Records, which is the national electronic repository of case
filings and the access point to CM/ECF.
Electronic document
An electronic version of information otherwise filed in paper form. An electronic document has
the same legal effect as a paper document.
File date
The date an electronic document is deemed filed when it is received by CM/ECF. Unless
otherwise ordered by the Court, filing deadlines shall be 11:59 PM Pacific Time on the day the
document(s) are required to be filed.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
A document filed with the Court in paper form is deemed filed as of the date it is date-stamped
by the Clerk’s Office upon receipt.
Electronic filing
Uploading a PDF document directly from the user’s computer to the Court’s CM/ECF system.
Electronic filing account
An electronic filer’s method to access CM/ECF, consisting of a CM/ECF account that is linked
to a PACER account and is accessible by entering their PACER credentials.
Electronic filer (e-filer)
An individual who has been granted permission to file documents directly into CM/ECF. All e-
filers are required to receive service of Court filings by email instead of postal mail.
Electronic service recipient (e-service recipient)
An individual who receives service of Court filings by email instead of postal mail.
Electronic signature
Specific to e-filers, an electronic document is deemed signed when filed using a valid
electronic filing account that matches a signature on the document; the signature(s) on the
document must conform to the signature format as outlined in Section IV (L).
Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF)
An email verification of the Court’s receipt of the electronically filed document and official
service of the filing to all e-service recipients for the case. The notice includes the text of the
docket entry and, when document(s) are attached to the docket entry, a link to the filed
document(s).
PDF (portable document format)
A file format that captures all elements of a document as an electronic image so it can be
viewed and printed consistently across multiple devices and platforms. Documents created
using most word processing programs can be converted to PDF.
Flattened PDF
A PDF file that does not have “live” fillable fields and is stripped of any hidden data or
functions. PDF files can be flattened by printing to PDF using the File > Print option in Word or
in a PDF reader. All PDFs filed in CM/ECF must be flattened prior to being uploaded.
Scanning standards
When scanning documents containing text to be subsequently filed electronically, e-filers are
encouraged to configure their scanners for black and white at 300 dots per inch (DPI) rather
than color scanning, unless color is an integral aspect of the document. E-filers are also
encouraged to scan with optical character recognition (OCR) to allow for searchable text in the
documents (see Judges’ Chamber Procedures for judges who require this setting). E-filers
scanning documents containing non-text images are encouraged to scan images at a lower
DPI, but not lower than 150 DPI. The e-filer is responsible for the legibility of the scanned
image.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL
CASES AMENDED 3/6/2026
II. ELECTRONIC FILING REGISTRATION EXCEPTIONS (FILING IN
PAPER)
If an attorney is not able to file electronically, counsel must show good cause in each case for
permission to file and serve pleadings in a traditional manner. Counsel who successfully show
adequate cause will be required to include a CD or USB flash drive containing a PDF document
of all papers when filing paper pleadings with the Court. Each individual PDF file must be under
100 megabytes (MB) in size. The Court will destroy the paper version after a holding period
established by the Court and maintain the electronic version in CM/ECF as the Court’s official
record.
For pro se filers who do not file electronically, if pleadings are filed in paper form, the Court will
convert the documents to an electronic format, destroy the paper version after a holding period
established by the Court, and solely maintain the electronic version in CM/ECF as the Court’s
official record.
If pleadings are filed in paper form, it is the filer’s responsibility to ensure that the paper
document can be scanned with a legible image. The Court encourages such documents to be
black ink on white paper for maximum contrast. The Court may return or reject filings that are
not legible.
If an original pleading has some intrinsic value, the filing party is encouraged to retain the
original and submit a copy to the Clerk’s Office for scanning and uploading.
III. ENROLLING IN THE CM/ECF SYSTEM
A. Registration
Each person participating in the electronic filing system must first register to file and/or receive
service through CM/ECF. Forms and instructions are available on the Court’s website. All
attorney admission petitions, including pro hac vice admissions, contain a CM/ECF registration
form that must be submitted along with the petition.
If registering for the first time, e-filers must first register for an individual PACER account and
submit an e-filing registration request to this Court via their PACER account. See the Court’s
website for more details and instructions.
CM/ECF registration constitutes consent to receive electronic service of documents, as provided
in Section IV (E) of these procedures.
Pro se registration forms may be mailed or delivered to:
Clerk's Office Clerk’s Office
U.S. Courthouse U.S. Courthouse
700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310 1717 Pacific Avenue, Room 3100
Seattle, WA 98101 Tacoma, WA 98402-3200
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
or emailed to the Clerk's Office at
[email protected].
Registration requests will not be processed until all requirements have been met (see attorney
admissions or pro se registration instructions for requirements).
B. CM/ECF Access
Each e-filer is granted approval to access this Court’s CM/ECF system using their PACER
credentials, allowing them to participate in the electronic filing of case documents.
Each e-filer is responsible for all documents filed using their electronic filing account. No one
shall knowingly permit, or cause to permit, a login and password to be used by unauthorized
persons. Additionally, no one shall use the login and password of another user without explicit
authorization.
If a participant believes that the security of an existing electronic filing account has been
compromised and/or that a threat to the CM/ECF system exists, they must notify the Clerk’s
Office and PACER immediately (by telephone if possible). Court technical staff will assess the
threat and advise appropriately.
C. Account Maintenance and Updates
Electronic service recipients are responsible for maintaining an accessible email inbox sufficient
to receive NEF emails transmitted electronically by the Court via CM/ECF. Be aware that factors
such as spam filter settings and a full inbox can cause Court-generated notices to fail. It is the
responsibility of electronic service recipients to ensure that their email inboxes are functional
and are properly receiving NEFs. This may require reviewing the docket periodically to confirm
that all NEFs were received.
It is also the responsibility of e-filers and e-service recipients to keep all contact information
current on their CM/ECF and PACER accounts. Those whose names, mailing addresses,
primary email addresses, or telephone numbers have changed from what was listed on the
original registration form must file a Notice of Change of Address/Change of Name with the
Court. See Local Civil Rule 10(f).
E-filers and e-service recipients may change their PACER passwords and secondary emails at
their discretion without notifying the Court.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
IV. FILING DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY
A. General Provisions
Effective June 1, 2004, attorneys are required to file documents electronically through CM/ECF.
The limited number of exceptions, or any circumstance which requires special handling, are
described below.
B. Civil Complaints
Attorneys:
Effective March 1, 2010, attorneys are required to electronically initiate new civil cases via
CM/ECF, including filing the complaint and paying the filing fee online through their PACER
accounts. Sealed cases, which cannot be electronically initiated, are an exception from this
requirement.
Pro se filers:
Pro se filers (including incarcerated filers) are not permitted to initiate new cases directly in
CM/ECF. Options for pro se filers to file a new case are described below. For information
regarding filing your lawsuit, please visit the Representing Yourself page on the Court’s website.
Incarcerated individuals housed at facilities participating in the Court’s Prisoner E-Filing Initiative
must submit their complaints and other case initiating documents via email in accordance with
the Administrative Procedures for the Prisoner E-Filing Program, which is available on the Court
Forms page under Prisoners.
Pro se filers, including incarcerated filers not participating in the Prisoner E-Filing Initiative, may
submit their complaints and other case initiating documents via postal mail, email, or physical
delivery to the Clerk’s Office. If using postal mail or physical delivery, the Clerk’s Office will scan
the case initiating documents, upload to CM/ECF, then destroy the paper documents after a
holding period established by the Court.
If using email, the filing party must submit the civil complaint, cover sheet, and, if applicable, the
motion to waive the filing fee as separate files in PDF format, each file being under the 100 MB
size restriction. If scanned, the documents must be compliant with the scanning standards. After
emailing the complaint and cover sheet, the filer should call the Clerk’s Office to make
arrangements for payment of any required filing fees, unless they submitted a motion to waive
the filing fee. Once the Clerk’s Office has opened the case, no further filings will be accepted via
email, except for the CM/ECF Registration Form for Pro Se Filers.
The addresses for submitting civil complaints by email are:
Seattle filing:
[email protected]
Tacoma filing:
[email protected]
New civil cases received by postal mail, in person, or by email are deemed filed on the date the
Clerk’s Office receives the initiating document(s).
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
C. Miscellaneous Cases
Miscellaneous cases are excluded from the electronic filing requirement for new civil cases. New
miscellaneous cases may be emailed to one of the newcases email addresses listed in Section
IV (B) or may be submitted via postal mail or physical delivery to the courthouse.
D. Issuance of Summons
Summons to be issued by the Clerk may be presented to the Court through CM/ECF, by email
with initiating documents (filers and/or cases excluded from the electronic filing requirement
only), by postal mail, or may be delivered in person to the Clerk’s Office. The party requesting the
issuance of summons must complete all required fields of the summons form.
If the party requesting the issuance of summons presents the form to the Clerk’s Office through
CM/ECF, by email, or by postal mail, the issued summons form will be returned to the requesting
party via CM/ECF or postal mail. If the party hand delivers the summons form to the Clerk’s
Office, the party may request to have the issued summons form returned at the Clerk’s Office
counter.
Registered e-filers:
The Court strongly recommends that filers download and complete the fillable summons form
found on the Court Forms page. Use this fillable form each time you electronically file a summons
and file each summons as a separate flattened PDF document in CM/ECF.
Non-e-filers:
The Court strongly recommends that filers use the fillable summons form on the Court Forms
page when filing summons to be issued by the Court. If sending the summons(es) by email with
your initiating case documents, send them along with the complaint to the appropriate newcases
email address listed in Section IV (B).
If sending the summons(es) after the case has been opened, you must submit them by postal
mail or in person (if you are an e-filer in the case, see the Registered e-filers instructions above).
Once issued, the summons(es) are returned to you by:
• postal mail if you are not an e-service recipient, or
• email NEF if you are an e-service recipient.
E. Service
Filing an original complaint or summons in CM/ECF does not constitute service. It is the
responsibility of the filing party to serve these documents outside of CM/ECF. Other documents
filed with the Court may be served electronically pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
(FRCP) 5 and Local Civil Rule (LCR) 5. Affidavits of service, which may include executed
summons, are to be filed with the Court, either directly in CM/ECF (registered e-filers) or via
postal mail or personal delivery (non-e-filers only).
Whenever a document is filed and served electronically in accordance with these procedures,
CM/ECF will generate an email NEF to any case participant who is an e-service recipient.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
If any case participant is not an e-service recipient, or if the document is not filed publicly with the
Court (such as discovery or documents filed under seal), service must be made in another
manner authorized by the Federal Rules. When a document is filed under seal, e-service
recipients will still receive the CM/ECF-generated NEF, but the document will not be
electronically accessible.
F. Motions and Related Paperwork
Captions on documents:
PDF documents submitted for filing must be free of all watermarks and advertisements.
Documents submitted in response to, in support of, or in opposition to other documents shall be
clearly labeled with the reference to the other document included in the caption.
Hyperlinks:
PDFs should not include hyperlinks that directly open other software. Hyperlinks to websites are
acceptable.
In order to preserve the integrity of the Court record, attorneys wishing to insert acceptable
hyperlinks in Court filings shall continue to use the traditional citation method for the cited
authority, in addition to the hyperlink. The judiciary’s 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.
G. Voluminous Documents
Electronically filed documents that exceed 50 pages are considered voluminous filings. When
indicated in a judge’s chambers procedures or standing order, e-filers may be required to deliver
a paper copy of the document to the Clerk’s Office for Chambers.
The copy for Chambers shall be clearly marked with the words “Courtesy Copy of Electronic
Filing for Chambers.” If any Chambers has a different requirement for courtesy copies, details will
be provided in an order posted in the case to advise all parties and/or additional information may
be included on the assigned judge’s web page.
All exhibits submitted to Chambers in support of, or in opposition to, a motion must be clearly
marked with divider pages.
All exhibits must be marked to designate testimony or evidence referred to in the parties’ filing
(see LCR 10(e) and Local Criminal Rule (LCrR) 12(e)).
A “document” in the context of this section refers to the aggregate submittal to the Court, not to
each individual paper within it. For example, if a motion is filed with related paperwork, exhibits,
etc., and if the sum of these papers counted together totals more than 50 pages, the filing should
be considered a “voluminous document.”
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
H. Pagination
Documents, including exhibits, shall be sequentially paginated in accordance with LCR 10(e)(3)
and LCrR 12(e)(3).
I. Administrative and State Court Records
For documents, including exhibits, over 50 pages in length, a courtesy paper copy for the judge
may be required to be filed with the Clerk in accordance with the judge’s chambers
procedures/standing order. If any Chambers has a different requirement for courtesy copies,
details will be posted in an order in the case to advise all parties and/or additional information
may be included on the assigned judge’s web page.
Administrative records:
Administrative records shall be filed electronically. If a record contains sensitive material, the
sensitive portions of the record may be filed under seal in accordance with LCR 5(g)(2).
State Court records:
If the record of state court proceedings is required (e.g., in habeas corpus cases filed under 28
U.S.C. 2254), attorneys must file it electronically. If a record contains sensitive material, the
sensitive portions of the record may be filed under seal in accordance with LCR 5(g)(2).
J. Exhibits
Special provisions for exhibits:
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 responsive 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, must conform to the requirements outlined in the scanning
standards, and must be saved in flattened PDF files that are less than 100 MB in size. Large
documents may need to be broken into two or more documents so that each PDF is under the
100 MB size limit.
Non-paper and/or oversized exhibits (papers larger than 8-1/2” x 14”) shall be submitted in
paper, CD, or other format along with a Notice of Filing Paper or Physical Materials with the
Clerk. The Notice shall be concurrently filed in CM/ECF by using the form provided by the Court,
available on the Court Forms page under Civil. All non-paper and/or oversized exhibits will be
returned at the conclusion of the case. It is the filer’s responsibility to serve all other parties by
the conventional means for such materials.
K. Transcripts
Transcripts prepared by Court reporters will be electronically filed by the Court as a Notice of
Filing of Official Transcript. Procedures are set out in the General Order 15-15 and can be
reviewed on the Court’s Transcript Orders and Fee Rates page.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
L. Signatures and Attorney Appearances
All pleadings, written motions, and other filings shall be dated and signed as provided by FRCP
11, LCRs 10 and 11, and LCrR 62.5.
“s/[Name]” signature convention:
Electronically filed pleadings or other documents that are signed in accordance with LCR 10(e)(4)
or LCrR 62.5(a) and require all e-filers’ signatures must have the signers’ names printed or typed
on the line following “s/” and their names printed under all signature lines. Documents not signed
in accordance with these requirements may not be considered by the Court. Examples below:
Attorney example: Pro se litigant example:
By: s/John Attorney By: s/John Smith
John Attorney #12345 John Smith
123 Main Street
By: s/Mary Attorney Seattle, WA 98115
Mary Attorney #67890 Telephone: 206-555-1234
Email:
[email protected]
ABC Law Firm
123 South Fifth Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Telephone: (206) 123-4567
Fax: (206) 123-4567
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Attorneys for Defendant Acme Industries
Non-party signatures
Non-parties (individuals who are not identified as valid signers in LCR 11(a)(6)(A)) may not use
the “s/[Name]” signature convention. If the original document requires the signature of a non-
party, the filing party may (a) scan the entire document, including the signature page, (b) attach
the scanned signature page to an electronic version of the filing, and/or (c) utilize an electronic
signature that is recognized as valid under federal law.
The filing party is responsible for maintaining the record of the signature (whether the paper
document with original signature or the electronic signature in accordance with the requirements
of federal law) for the duration of the case, including any period of appeal. If ordered by the
Court, the filing party must demonstrate that it has so maintained the record.
Attorney appearances:
As set forth in LCR 83.2, an attorney eligible to appear may enter an appearance in a civil case
by signing one of the following: a notice of appearance, complaint, amended complaint, answer,
amended answer, notice of removal, motion to intervene, or motion for joinder. As set forth in
LCrR 62.2, an attorney eligible to appear may enter an appearance in a criminal case by signing
a notice of appearance. The Clerk’s Office will not add an attorney to the docket as an attorney of
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
record unless the document that purports to enter the appearance includes the attorney’s
signature in one of the formats defined in LCR 11(a). If multiple attorneys are appearing in one
document, each appearing attorney must include their own signature in a valid format.
Multiple signatures:
The following procedure applies when a document requires two or more signatures (e.g.,
stipulated or joint motion):
The filing party shall initially confirm that the content of the document is acceptable to all persons
required to sign the document and shall obtain either physical signatures or written permission to
type the additional “s/[Name]” signatures of all parties on the document. Physical, facsimile, or
electronic signatures, consistent with the formats for attorney signatures allowed in LCR 11(a),
are permitted.
The filing party may then file the document electronically.
If any of the signatures are of non-parties, then the provisions described in the previous section
for Non-party signatures apply, including retention of the paper copy.
M. 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.
The assigned judge or the Clerk’s Office staff, if appropriate, may issue routine orders by a text-
only entry upon the docket. In such instances, no PDF document will be issued, and the text-only
entry shall constitute the Court’s only order on the matter. CM/ECF will generate a NEF as
described previously in these procedures.
Proposed orders:
Electronically filed proposed orders shall be uploaded under the Attachments section on the
document upload screen when filing the accompanying motion in CM/ECF. Filers shall select
“Proposed Order” as the Category. This will provide service of the proposed order to all electronic
service recipients.
All proposed orders must be clearly labeled “Proposed,” both on the document itself and on the
docket entry in CM/ECF. If the judge decides to use the provided document, they will remove the
“Proposed” language.
If a proposed order is submitted separately, or without a motion, filers may use the CM/ECF
event Proposed Order (Unsigned). If appropriate, the filing may be linked to a previously filed
motion.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
A proposed order must also be attached as a Word or Word-compatible file and sent to the email
address of the assigned judge(s). The subject line of the email shall include the case number,
case short title, and title of the order. The judges’ email addresses for proposed orders follow this
pattern:
[email protected].
For example:
[email protected]
This email address is also provided on each individual judge’s page on the Court’s website and
should be used exclusively for proposed orders, not for any other correspondence.
No other documents or pleadings may be sent to the Clerk’s Office at this email address.
N. Corrections
The Court strongly recommends that e-filers be familiar with the instructional guides provided on
the Court’s website under CM/ECF: How to E-File. The party electronically filing in CM/ECF is
responsible for reviewing their filing to ensure accuracy and completeness.
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. CM/ECF will not permit the filer to make changes
once the transaction is committed in the system.
As soon as possible after an error is discovered and before attempting to refile any documents,
the filer should contact the CM/ECF Help Desk (1-866-323-9293 or 206-370-8440, option 2;
[email protected]) with the case and document number for the requested correction.
O. Fees Payable to the Clerk
Any fee required for filing is payable to the Clerk of Court. Fees for electronically filing a new civil
case, a notice of appeal, or a pro hac vice application must be paid online through Pay.gov (via
PACER) through the regular electronic filing process in CM/ECF. For fees that cannot be paid via
CM/ECF and PACER, filers may pay by credit card, check, or money order; cash is not accepted
for payment of any fee. If appropriate, the Clerk’s Office will document the receipt of these fees
on the docket. The Court will not maintain billing or debit accounts for attorneys or law firms.
The Clerk’s Office is unable to provide receipt of payment for fees paid through Pay.gov/PACER.
Receipts are sent directly from those systems.
For more information regarding fees payable to the Clerk, see the Fees & Payments page on the
Court’s website.
P. Emergency Filings
E-filers must file emergency pleadings directly in CM/ECF. The e-filer must also call the Clerk’s
Office at 206-370-8400 (Seattle) or 253-882-3800 (Tacoma) to advise the Court of the
emergency nature of the filing. For more details regarding how to file emergency pleadings,
review the Court’s Emergency Filings page. Information about after-hours procedures is included
therein.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
V. PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
A. Sealed Cases
Sealed cases must be filed in paper and all subsequent filings must be made in paper while the
case is maintained under seal. Documents filed in paper must be signed as provided by LCR
10(e)(4) and LCrR 62.5(a). There is no electronic access to sealed cases other than by Court
staff.
B. Sealed Documents
All parties seeking to file documents under seal must comply with the requirements in LCR 5(g)
and LCrR 49.1(e).
Electronic access to sealed documents is restricted. The docket entry, including any docket text
added by the filer, will become part of the public docket except when sealed documents are filed
using the Ex Parte-Sealed Document or Ex Parte-Sealed Motion CM/ECF events.
Pro se filers:
For technical reasons, pro se e-filers cannot electronically file documents under seal. These
filings must be made by postal mail or physical delivery to the Clerk’s Office. If a pro se filer
seeks to file documents under seal, they must comply with the provisions for filing sealed
documents in paper form in LCR 5(g)(9).
C. Privacy Concerns
See FRCP 5.2, LCR 5.2(a), and LCrR 49.1. To address privacy concerns created by electronic
access to Court documents, filers should redact certain personal information appearing in
pleadings and other papers, pursuant to the E-Government Act of 2002, Judicial Conference
Privacy Policy, and LCR 5.2(a) and LCrR 49.1.
VI. 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 system
may seek appropriate relief from the Court. See LCRs 6(a), 7(j), and LCrR 12.
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.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
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.
Documents must meet all standard requirements for filing, including but not limited to:
• Documents must be in flattened PDF or PDF/a format.
• Documents must be clearly titled, with appropriate case number.
• Documents must clearly indicate all parties as appropriate.
• Proposed orders may be sent to the judge as outlined previously in Proposed Orders.
• All pleadings, written motions, and other filings shall be dated and signed as provided by
FRCP 11, LCRs 10 and 11, and LCrR 62.5.
In the event of an undeclared CM/ECF technical failure that occurs outside of normal business
hours, users should notify the CM/ECF Help Desk (1-866-323-9293 or 206-370-8440, option 2;
[email protected]) that they were unable to make or complete a filing due to CM/ECF
technical failure. Court staff will provide direction as soon as is practicable.
B. On the Part of the Filer
Problems on the part of the filer (such as telephone 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 do they excuse an untimely filing.
A filer who cannot file a document electronically because of a problem (technical or otherwise) on
the part of the filer should explore other ways of accessing and filing in CM/ECF. The filer’s login
and password will work on any computer that has internet access, e.g., at the library, home
computer, or in commercial business service centers. Filings will not be accepted via email due
to problems on the part of the filer.
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U.S. DISTRICT COURT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES FOR CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES
AMENDED 3/6/2026
VII. PUBLIC ACCESS TO DOCKET INFORMATION
A. At the Court
Electronic access to the civil and criminal electronic dockets and documents not restricted for
public viewing is available at no charge at the public access terminals in the Clerk’s Office during
regular business hours. If printed copies are desired, 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 documents not restricted for public
viewing in CM/ECF is provided through the PACER system. Registration for PACER can be done
through the PACER website.
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 to access electronic data through the PACER system. Review the PACER website for further
details, including fee amounts.
See the PACER Pricing page for information on access and exemptions to fees.
Electronic service recipients who are participants in the case will receive a onetime free view
and/or downloadable electronic copy of the document via email NEF. The free view will expire 15
days from the date the NEF was sent. If recipients remotely access the document again after
using the onetime free view or 15 days or more from the date the NEF was sent, they will be
charged a fee as authorized by 28 USC § 1914 and the Judicial Conference of the United States.
There is an exception for transcripts, which have no free view and no maximum charge. For more
information, see the Court’s Transcript Orders and Fee Rates page.
C. Social Security and Immigration Cases
Opinions, orders, judgments, and other dispositions issued by the Court in 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, who are verified as
case participants by the use of their electronic filing account. However, all publicly filed
documents in social security and immigration cases may be viewed on the public access
terminals in the Clerk’s Office.
D. Conventional and Certified Copies
Both conventional and certified copies of electronically filed documents may be obtained by
contacting the Clerk’s Office in person, via email, or via telephone. The fee for copying and
certifying will be in accordance with 28 USC § 1914.
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