Frequently Asked Questions
Browse FAQ Topics
Click on topic categories to view relevant FAQs.
When do I need to upgrade my PACER account?
You should upgrade before your court converts to NextGen CM/ECF.
You might also be interested in…
Yes.
For district and bankruptcy courts:
Attorneys may authorize duplicate receipt of the notice of electronic filing for up to five support staff members. To add email recipients, the attorney should use the Maintain Your Account/Email Information option under the Utilities menu within CM/ECF.
For appellate courts:
Attorneys may authorize duplicate receipt of the notice of docket activity for several support staff members, depending on the length of email addresses (up to 255 characters).
To add email recipients, the attorney should log in to Manage My Account, select Update E-Filer Email Noticing and Frequency option under the Maintenance tab.
Each attorney of record in a case will receive an email from the court containing a hyperlink to a document that has been filed and can be accessed the first time for free. Attorneys may list multiple email addresses for their filer login so that interested parties can be notified of filings as well.
The link expires after the first use or 15 days, whichever is first. You should print or save the document during the initial viewing period. If you click the link after it has expired or after the first use, you will need to enter your PACER credentials and will be charged to view the document. Contact the court if you have questions or need the notification email resent.
If the document is for certain case types (e.g., a restricted, Social Security, or immigration case), the system will prompt you to log in. Always enter your CM/ECF credentials for CurrentGen courts and PACER credentials for NextGen courts.
NOTE: As courts convert to the NextGen CM/ECF system, you will only use one login for both PACER and CM/ECF. Find out if your court is using NextGen CM/ECF.
If you click on the case number link, it will display the Docket Report. You will need to log in to PACER to view this report, and you will be charged for access.
Once your court implements the NextGen CM/ECF system, you will be required to use your PACER account for all courts.
Because each bankruptcy and district court assigns the login for filing credentials in the CurrentGen CM/ECF system, it is not possible to obtain a universal filing login in these court types. However, some courts allow you to request a particular login and password when you register, so you may be able to use the same filer login for many courts.
When an attorney leaves a firm, both the attorney and the firm need to consider the implications to the CM/ECF noticing system. For district and bankruptcy courts that use the CurrentGen CM/ECF system, if cases will move with the attorney, he or she should change the email notification setup and submit a change of address to the clerk's office. Different courts have local rules and procedures governing this process, check the courts website.
For courts that use the NextGen CM/ECF system, this can be done through the Manage My Account section of this website. Different courts have local rules and procedures governing this process, check the courts website.
An attorney must be admitted to practice in a specific court and registered to e-file with that same court in order to file court documents electronically and to receive email notices of documents that are filed.
For district and bankruptcy courts:
Each district/bankruptcy court has its own requirements and procedures for registering. Visit the court's website for more information.
For appellate courts:
Register to become an e-filer in appellate courts and bankruptcy appellate panels. Check the court rules to find out who is permitted. Learn more about the registration procedures.
All attorneys must register for PACER in addition to requesting e-filing privileges in order to fully use the NextGen CM/ECF system.
Find out if your court has transitioned to NextGen.
The CurrentGen CM/ECF system requires two separate usernames and passwords; however, once a court implements the NextGen CM/ECF system, you will be able to use your PACER username and password for both. Look up if your court has upgraded to NextGen CM/ECF.
For CurrentGen courts, you must register through the court, and the court must approve you as a filer. For NextGen courts, you must register through Manage My Account, and the court must approve you as a filer. You need to register for each court in which you wish to file.