You may have either saved the document as something other than a PDF, or you did not provide the full file path name. All documents must be saved and submitted as a PDF, with an extension of “.pdf.” In addition, be sure to provide the full path name when identifying the file during the upload process (e.g., C:\somedirectory\motion.pdf).

Local court rules vary. Contact the court or check its website to determine if there are local rules governing this process.

Each federal court maintains an appropriate use statement for filing logins. In addition to the local appropriate use guidelines, the following applies in all federal districts: Passwords are issued to permit electronic filing and entry of data. Extracting data from CM/ECF through any program, script, or mechanism other than those provided by the court is strictly prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution or civil action. Electronic filing privileges may be suspended if, in the judgment of the court, they are being misused.

Yes. A fee is applied for accessing a docket sheet and for any documents accessed from the link on the docket sheet.

Each attorney of record in a case or pro se litigant will receive an email containing a hyperlink to a filed document. One free copy is available to each party of a case (e.g. attorney of record or pro se litigant) and any secondary address on the email information screen within CM/ECF. The free copy does not apply to transcripts.

Attorneys in a case are emailed a notice of electronic filing (NEF) in district and bankruptcy cases, or a notice of docket activity (NDA) in appellate cases. The email contains a hyperlink to the document and is sent when a document has been filed or when there is activity in the case.

To dispute a transaction for which you have been billed, or if you have a question concerning a transaction, complete and sign the Credit Request Form (pdf) so your request can be reviewed. Along with the form, include a detailed explanation to support the credit request and details of the transactions being disputed.

Yes. When a document link is accessed, the next screen will show the number of billable pages and the related cost. To accept the charges, click the View Document button. The PACER cost is $0.10 per page with a cap of $3 per document, except transcripts.

CM/ECF, which stands for Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, allows courts to maintain electronic case files and offer electronic filing online, making all case information immediately available.

CM/ECF allows:

Yes. Any balance (including credit) will be transferred to the linked PACER Administrative Account.