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About CM/ECF
CASE MANAGEMENT/ELECTRONIC CASE FILES
(CM/ECF)
May
2008
Nationwide implementation of the
federal judiciary's Case Management and Electronic Case Files
(CM/ECF) system is nearly completed in thedistrict and
bankruptcy courts and is advancing in the appellate courts.
CM/ECF not only replaces the courts' old electronic docketing
and case management systems, but also provides courts the
option to have case file documents in electronic format, and
to accept filings over the Internet.
CM/ECF systems are now in use in
99% of the federal courts: 94 district courts, 93 bankruptcy
courts, the Court of International Trade, the Court of Federal
Claims, the nine courts of appeals, and four Bankruptcy
Appellate Panels. Most of these courts are accepting
electronic filings. Almost 32 million cases are on CM/ECF
systems, and more than 320,000 attorneys and others have filed
documents over the Internet. Under current plans, most of the
courts that are not yet using CM/ECF will begin usage by the
end of 2008. Each court goes through an implementation process
that takes about 10 months.
Attorneys practicing in courts
offering the electronic filing capability are able to file
documents directly with the court over the Internet. The
CM/ECF system uses standard computer hardware, an Internet
connection and a browser, and accepts documents in Portable
Document Format (PDF). The system is easy to use – filers
prepare a document using conventional word processing
software, then save it as a PDF file. After logging onto the
court's web site with a court-issued password, the filer
enters basic information relating to the case and document
being filed, attaches the document, and submits it to the
court. A notice verifying court receipt of the filing is
generated automatically. Other parties in the case then
automatically receive e-mail notification of the filing.
CM/ECF also provides courts the ability to
make their documents available to the public over the
Internet. Amendments to the Federal Appellate, Bankruptcy,
Civil, and Criminal Rules of Procedure address issues relating
to privacy and public access to electronic case files. The
Rules require that certain "personal identifier" information
be redacted from court filings. Further information on the new
Rules can be found at http://www.uscourts.gov/rules/privacy2.html.
There are no added fees for filing documents
over the Internet using CM/ECF; existing document filing fees
do apply. Electronic access to court data is available through
the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) program.
Litigants receive one free copy of documents filed
electronically in their cases, which they can save or print
for their files. Additional copies are available to attorneys
and the general public for viewing or downloading at eight
cents per page, with a maximum cost per document of $2.40.
Neither the free copy nor the maximum cost per document
applies to transcripts filed with the court. Directed by
Congress to fund electronic access through user fees, the
judiciary has set the fee at the lowest possible level
sufficient to recoup program costs.
The national roll-out of the CM/ECF system for
bankruptcy courts started in early 2001. The CM/ECF system for
district courts began to roll out nationally in May 2002.
Implementation of the CM/ECF system for appellate courts began
in 2005.
For more information, please contact: Barbara
Kimble, Office of Judges Programs (202) 502-1862
To register for CM/ECF, please contact
your court.
Relevant websites:
http://www.uscourts.gov/cmecf/cmecf.html
http://www.privacy.uscourts.gov/
http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/
Courts Currently Operational
on CM/ECF
*Courts
Accepting Electronic Filing
| District
Courts |
Bankruptcy
Courts |
|
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Alabama Middle*
Alabama Northern*
Alabama Southern*
Alaska*
Arizona*
Arkansas Eastern*
Arkansas Western*
California Central*
California Eastern*
California Northern*
California Southern*
Colorado*
Connecticut*
Delaware*
District of
Columbia*
Florida
Middle*
Florida
Northern*
Florida
Southern*
Georgia Middle*
Georgia Northern*
Georgia Southern*
Guam*
Hawaii*
Idaho*
Illinois Central*
Illinois Northern*
Illinois Southern*
Indiana Southern*
Indiana Northern*
Iowa
Northern*
Iowa Southern*
Kansas*
Kentucky Eastern*
Kentucky Western*
Louisiana Eastern*
Louisiana Middle*
Louisiana Western*
Maryland*
Maine*
Massachusetts*
Michigan Eastern*
Michigan Western*
Minnesota*
Mississippi
Northern*
Mississippi
Southern*
Missouri
Eastern*
Missouri
Western*
Montana*
Nebraska*
Nevada*
New
Hampshire*
New Jersey*
New Mexico*
New York
Eastern*
New York
Northern*
New York
Southern*
New York
Western*
North Carolina
Eastern*
North Carolina
Middle*
North Carolina Western*
North Dakota*
Northern
Mariana Islands*
Ohio
Northern*
Ohio Southern*
Oklahoma Eastern*
Oklahoma Northern*
Oklahoma Western*
Oregon*
Pennsylvania
Eastern*
Pennsylvania
Middle*
Pennsylvania
Western*
Puerto Rico*
Rhode Island*
South Carolina*
South
Dakota*
Tennessee
Eastern*
Tennessee
Middle*
Tennessee
Western*
Texas Eastern*
Texas Northern*
Texas Southern*
Texas
Western*
Utah*
Vermont*
Virgin Islands*
Virginia
Eastern*
Virginia Western*
Washington Eastern*
Washington Western*
West Virginia Northern*
West Virginia Southern*
Wisconsin Eastern*
Wisconsin Western*
Wyoming*
Court of Int'l
Trade*
Court of Federal
Claims*
|
Alabama Middle*
Alabama Northern*
Alabama Southern*
Alaska*
Arizona*
Arkansas Eastern*
Arkansas Western*
California Central*
California Eastern*
California Northern*
California Southern*
Colorado*
Connecticut*
Delaware*
District of
Columbia*
Florida
Middle*
Florida
Northern*
Florida
Southern*
Georgia Middle*
Georgia Northern*
Georgia Southern*
Guam*
Hawaii*
Idaho*
Illinois Central*
Illinois Northern*
Illinois Southern*
Indiana Northern*
Indiana Southern*
Iowa
Northern*
Iowa Southern*
Kansas*
Kentucky Eastern*
Kentucky Western*
Louisiana Eastern*
Louisiana Middle*
Louisiana Western*
Maine*
Maryland*
Massachusetts*
Michigan Eastern*
Michigan Western*
Minnesota*
Mississippi
Northern*
Mississippi
Southern*
Missouri
Eastern*
Missouri
Western*
Montana*
Appellate
Courts 1st
Circuit
3rd Circuit
4th Circuit*
6th Circuit
7th
Circuit
8th
Circuit*
9th Circuit
10th Circuit
DC Circuit
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Nebraska*
Nevada*
New
Hampshire*
New
Jersey*
New
Mexico*
New York Eastern*
New York Northern*
New York Southern*
New
York Western*
North Carolina
Eastern*
North Carolina
Middle*
North Carolina
Western*
North Dakota*
Ohio Northern*
Ohio Southern*
Oklahoma
Eastern*
Oklahoma
Northern*
Oklahoma
Western*
Oregon*
Pennsylvania Eastern*
Pennsylvania Middle
Pennsylvania Western*
Puerto Rico*
Rhode
Island*
South Carolina*
South Dakota*
Tennessee Eastern*
Tennessee Middle*
Tennessee Western*
Texas Eastern*
Texas
Northern*
Texas
Southern*
Texas Western*
Utah*
Vermont*
Virgin
Islands*
Virginia
Eastern*
Virginia
Western*
Washington
Eastern*
Washington
Western*
West Virginia
Northern*
West Virginia
Southern*
Wisconsin
Eastern*
Wisconsin
Western*
Wyoming*
Bankruptcy Appellate
Panels
6th Circuit
8th Circuit*
9th Circuit
10th Circuit
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Courts Currently in the
Process of Implementing CM/ECF
| District
Courts |
Appellate Courts |
Bankruptcy Appellate
Panels |
|
Bankruptcy Courts
Northern Mariana Islands |
2nd Circuit
5th Circuit
11th
Circuit
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1st Circuit
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