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About CM/ECF
CASE MANAGEMENT/ELECTRONIC CASE FILES
(CM/ECF)
November 2009
The federal judiciary's Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) project revolutionized the way in which the federal courts manage their cases and documents. This easy-to-use system allows attorneys to file documents directly with the court over the Internet and allows courts to file, store, and manage their case files in an easy-to-access, transparent way.
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. There are no added fees for filing documents over the Internet using CM/ECF. A notice verifying court receipt of the filing is generated automatically and e-mailed to the parties in the case.
CM/ECF provides courts the ability to make
their documents available to the public over the Internet. 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.
Copies of court opinions, as designated by the authoring judge, are available at no charge. 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.
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 filers redact certain "personal identifier" information, such as Social Security or taxpayer-identification numbers, dates of birth, names of minor children, financial account numbers, and in criminal cases, home addresses, from their filings. Fed. R. App. P. 25(a)(5); Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2; Fed. R. Crim. P. 49.1; Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. At login to CM/ECF, a message reminds attorneys of their responsibility to redact this private information from the documents they file, and the most recent version of this reminder also requires attorneys to acknowledge that they have read the notice and complied with the redaction rules. Filers cannot complete the login process without checking the acknowledgement in this recent version.
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.
Over 35
million cases are on CM/ECF systems, and more than
450,000 attorneys and others have filed documents
over the Internet.
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 |
|
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*
5th 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*
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*
Bankruptcy Appellate Panels
1st Circuit
6th Circuit
8th Circuit*
9th Circuit
10th Circuit*
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Courts Currently in the
Process of Implementing CM/ECF
| Appellate Courts |
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2nd Circuit
11th Circuit
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