Is the system available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
Are there fees associated with e-filing?
How do I learn to use the CM/ECF system?
Will public terminals in the Clerk's Office still be available?
What kind of notification does the attorney of record receive on a case?
What cases are included in ECF?
Will Social Security cases be included in CM/ECF?
Will pro se cases be included in CM/ECF?
Will sealed cases be included in CM/ECF?
Is there privacy in CM/ECF since it is over the Internet?
When will I receive my password for CM/ECF?
How do I change my CM/ECF password?
Why is it that only attorneys may register for ECF?
If I am from a big law firm, does each attorney need to register for CM/ECF?
What hardware and software do I need?
My session still freezes; no amount of backing up seems to help. Now what?
Why should I sign up for Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)?
Does each attorney need a separate password for PACER?
How many times will I be able to view my case documents as an attorney of record?
Can I view transcripts on CM/ECF?
How do I convert a document to Portable Document Format (PDF)?
How do I copy and paste from a PDF Document?
I tried to scan my document into PDF but a lot of errors appeared. What did I do wrong
I tried to file a document but it says "format not recognized." What am I doing wrong?
My document seems to change when I save it to PDF. What's happening?
Why do I get "ERROR: this document has security measures in effect"?
The CM/ECF system rejected my file because it is over 2MB in size.
How do I sign up for e-mail notification?
What kind of notification does the attorney of record receive on a case?
Who is the sender of Notices of Electronic Filing?
How do we add counsel to a case?
How do I file a notice of removal from state court?
Some menu options are not appearing, or the window is blank.
I am trying to file a crossclaim and counterclaim simultaneously and receiving and error code 62.
An attorney creates a document on his/her computer using a word processing program. Instead of printing the document on paper, the attorney saves the file as a PDF document. The attorney accesses the system via the Internet and establishes his/her identity by providing a court-assigned login and password. The attorney types in the case number, selects the name of the party, and selects the type of document (answer, motion, etc.) being filed. The system automatically creates a docket entry. Next, the system sends an e-mail notification of the filing to all attorneys who are registered for CM/ECF on the case. If an attorney in the case is not a registered CM/ECF user, a paper copy of the document must be mailed by the filing party.
Is the system available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
Yes, however, if maintenance or repairs are needed, the system may be down temporarily. Known system outages will be posted on our webpage at www.nynd.uscourts.gov.
Are there fees associated with e-filing?
There are no fees to file electronically.
For viewing documents in cases, you get one free look at documents that are filed in cases on which you are an attorney of record. For each subsequent viewing, you will be required to log in to PACER and pay a fee of $.07 per page. (We recommend you print or save the document during the first viewing to avoid these charges.)
If you do not have a PACER login and password, you can contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800- 676-6856.
How do I learn to use the CM/ECF system?
There are several ways. Check the Court’s webpage @ www.nynd.uscourts.gov for the next regularly scheduled training session in your location.. You can also complete computer based training modules which along with the Court’s CM/ECF User's Manual provides a comprehensive overview of the CM/ECF program.
Will public terminals in the Clerk's Office still be available?
Yes.
What kind of notification does the attorney of record receive on a case?
All registered CM/ECF users will receive e-mail notification of all filings, which includes a hyperlink to the document. Participants who are not registered users must be mailed a copy of the filing.
What cases are included in ECF?
After January 1, 2004, all documents submitted for filing by attorneys admitted to practice in the Northern District of New York shall be filed electronically using the System or shall be scanned and uploaded to the System, no matter when a case was originally filed, unless otherwise permitted by these Administrative Procedures or unless otherwise authorized by the assigned judge.
Will Social Security cases be included in CM/ECF?
Yes. Absent a showing of good cause, all documents, notices, and orders in Social Security reviews filed in the District Court shall be filed and noticed electronically. However, the transcript of the underlying social security proceeding is exempt form electronic filing and ahsll be filed conventionally. Additionally, in accordance with the policy that the Judicial Conference social security cases will not be available for public view over the Internet. In social security cases, only counsel in the case may retrieve certain documents electronically.
Will pro se cases be included in CM/ECF?
No. Pro se filers shall file paper originals of all complaints, pleadings, motions, affidavits, briefs, and other documents which must be signed or which require either verification or an unsworn declaration under any rule or statute. The Clerk’s Office will scan these original documents into an electronic file in the System but will also maintain a paper file. Pro se filers may also provide the Court with a 3.5" disk containing their documents as either .pdf text documents or .pdf scanned documents.
Will sealed cases be included in CM/ECF?
No. If a party wishes to file one of the above listed documents, the party must file a motion or application to achieve the desired action. The motion or application, along with the documents the party is requesting to be sealed or lodged with the Court, shall be filed in a traditional manner in a sealed envelope marked “sealed.” The party’s motion or application must be accompanied by a 3.5" disk containing the motion or application and the documents in .pdf format.
If the Court grants the motion or application, the assigned judge will enter electronically the order authorizing the filing of the documents in the appropriate manner (i.e. under seal, lodged with the Court, etc.). The Clerk’s Office will then file the documents in the appropriate manner. Please consult the Court's CM/ECF Users Manual for further details on the filing of sealed documents.
Is there privacy in CM/ECF since it is over the Internet?
In accordance with Local Rule 8.1, if sensitive information must be included, certain personal and identifying information, such as social security numbers, financial account numbers, dates of birth and the names of minor children, shall be redacted from the pleading before filing, whether it is filed traditionally or electronically. Please consult Local Rule 8.1 for further details regarding the redaction of these personal identifiers. In addition, caution must be exercised when filing documents that contain the following:
a) personal identifiers such as a driver’s license number;
b) medical records, treatment and diagnosis;
c) employment history;
d) individual financial information; and
e) proprietary or trade secret information.
Counsel are strongly urged to share these rules regarding sensitive information with all clients so that an informed decision about the inclusion, redaction and/or exclusion of certain materials may be made
We anticipate allowing attorneys to register on-line beginning in the early part of December 2003. When this option becomes available we will notify the bar via e-mail and on our web page.
When will I receive my password for CM/ECF?
After you complete the on-line E-Filing Registration Form, a login and password will be e-mailed to you. (Coming soon)
How do I change my CM/ECF password?
Log into CM/ECF Go to Utilities - Maintain your Account Click on Maintain Your Account Click on More User Information at the bottom of the screen Delete the row of asterisks and type in your new password Click on Return to Account Screen Click on Submit at the bottom of the page.
Why is it that only attorneys may register for ECF?
The CM/ECF login and password, together with an "s/" signature, constitute a valid signature for the purposes of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Just as counsel was required to file a paper pleading, documents filed electronically must bear counsel's "e-filing signature." Please note that you do not need to register more than once. If you change firms, your electronic signature remains valid; however, you must update your address and e-mail information.
If I am from a big law firm, does each attorney need to register for CM/ECF?
Yes. Each attorney must have his/her own login and password to file documents in CM/ECF. The login and password, along with the "s/" on a document, constitute the attorney's signature. However, all attorneys in the firm can share a PACER login and password for viewing documents.
The system is case sensitive. If you have the CAPS lock on, your login will fail.
What hardware and software do I need?
1. A personal computer with Windows, Windows 95 or Macintosh.
2. An Internet provider.
3. Netscape Navigator software 4.76
a) You can download 4.76 by going to www.nynd.uscourts.gov.
b) Click on CM/ECF and follow the instructions
4. Adobe Acrobat Writer or pdfFactory.
5. Adobe Acrobat Reader
If you find your session is freezing after you have hit "SUBMIT," try using the back button to return to the previous screen and click on "SUBMIT" again.
My session still freezes; no amount of backing up seems to help. Now what?
Sometimes you need to give Netscape a fresh start. Clear out its cache and start a new session. You may want to delete the files in C:\TEMP or C:\WINDOWS\TEMP. To clear your Netscape cache, go to Edit - Preferences - Advanced - Cache, and click on both "Clear Memory Cache" and "Clear Disk Cache."
Why should I sign up for Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)?
All electronic case filings are accessed through PACER. In order to review a case filing, you must be registered on PACER.
Go to the PACER Service Center's website at www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov, and complete the online form as instructed. You may also call the center toll free at 1-800-676-6856 to register.
Does each attorney need a separate password for PACER?
If I am from a big law firm, does each attorney need a separate password for PACER?
No, you can use your firm's password for PACER. More than one attorney from a firm may use the firm’s PACER account simultaneously. However, each attorney does need a separate CM/ECF login and password.
How many times will I be able to view my case documents as an attorney of record?
If you are an attorney of record in a case, you will not be charged the first time you view a document. However, the next time you view the same document, you will be charged 7 cents per page. PACER will bill you after your account reaches $10.00 in a calendar year.
Can I view transcripts on CM/ECF?
Transcripts prepared by staff court reporters will be available on the system 120 days after they are electronically filed. All other transcripts will be available when filed, provided the transcript is filed electronically.
How do I convert a document to Portable Document Format (PDF)?
All your documents must be converted to PDF before submitting them to the Court's Electronic Case Files System (ECF).
Install Acrobat Writer or FinePrint pdfFactory on your computer.
Open the document to be converted.
Select the print option and in the dialog box, select the option to change the current printer. A drop down menu with a list of printer choices is displayed. Select Adobe PDFWriter or FinePrint pdfFactory. Print the file. The file will not actually print. Instead, an option to save the file as a PDF file appears. Make a note of the file location so you can find the document when you are ready to upload it to the system. You can change the location of the file by clicking in the "Save as" area of the window.
How do I view a PDF document before sending it to the Court?
Start the Adobe Acrobat program, go to the File menu and choose Open. If the designated location is correct, and the file is in PDF, Adobe Acrobat Exchange loads the file and displays it on the screen. If the document consists of several pages, use the scroll bar to move through the document.
How do I copy and paste from a PDF Document?
I want to copy and paste from a PDF document, but I can't seem to select any text. How do I copy and paste?
You can select, copy and paste text in Acrobat, but you must first select the text tool (look for the T on the toolbar) instead of the hand. Next, select the text, and either right-click and choose copy, or use the Acrobat copy icon (a couple icons to the left of the Text tool on the Acrobat toolbar.
I tried to scan my document into PDF but a lot of errors appeared. What did I do wrong?
You are probably trying to scan the document using optical character recognition (OCR). PDF can handle both text and scanned documents. Additionally, PDF can take scanned documents and perform OCR on them, turning the image back into editable text; however, this process causes many problems and should not be performed before a document is electronically filed. It is permissible to perform OCR on PDF documents after they are in the CM/ECF system.
I tried to file a document but it says "format not recognized." What am I doing wrong?
All documents must be submitted in Adobe PDF with an extension of "pdf." Two common errors occur: 1 A user thinks that they saved the document in PDF. The user then tries to file the word-processing version of the document instead of the PDF version. 2. A user fails to indicate the full path name for the PDF file. Because the system cannot find the file, it responded with the "format not recognized" message. The solution: Provide the full path name when identifying the file during the upload process, (e.g., c:\documents\motion.pdf.)
My document seems to change when I save it to PDF. What's happening?
Adobe calls this Aflowing." Depending on the font, the printer selected, and other characteristics of the context, a document may undergo some changes when it is rendered into PDF. Using Distiller, instead of PDFwriter, is supposed to better preserve the document's original appearance, according to Adobe. Adobe has a good set of technical documents at their website.
Why do I get "ERROR: this document has security measures in effect"?
I am trying to electronically file a PDF document, and the system won't take it. I get an error message that says "ERROR: this document has security measures in effect, such as password protection or access restrictions. The PDF document cannot be accepted."
The system will not accept documents which have any of Adobe's own document security measures on, including password protection. Remove the security features from the document and try again.
The CM/ECF system rejected my file because it is over 2MB in size.
PDF documents that are scanned can not be larger than 2MB in size. When scanning, be sure to set your scanner to black and white and 200 dpi. If your scanned document is larger than 2MB you can seperate it into multiple smaller files.
To check the size of the file, right click on the file and select properties. (1MB = 1000KB)
How do I add additional e-mail addresses so someone else in my office can receive Notices of Electronic Filing?
Log into CM/ECF Go to Utilities - Maintain your Account Click on E-mail Information. A screen will appear requesting information for additional e-mail addresses. This data entry has a field capacity of 250 characters. Click on - Return to Account Screen. Click on Submit at the bottom of the primary Maintain User Account screen. The new e-mail addresses you added will now receive the Notices of Electronic Filing.
How do I sign up for e-mail notification?
The completion of the E-Filing Registration Form, which includes your Internet e-mail address, automatically signs you up for e-mail notification. You must keep your Internet e-mail address current on CM/ECF.
What kind of notification does the attorney of record receive on a case?
All registered CM/ECF users will receive e-mail notification of all filings, which includes a hyperlink to the document. Participants who are not registered users must be mailed a copy of the filing.
Who is the sender of Notices of Electronic Filing?
Many firms have expressed an interest in making rules on their mail servers so they can direct incoming notices of electronic filing to specific mailboxes. The sender of Notices of Electronic Filing is "ecf.notification@nynd.uscourts.gov."
When I click on the document link in my e-mail, it prompts me for a login and password. When I enter my ECF login, it tells me my login failed.
You need to enter your PACER login and password.
1. For civil cases, the first time you click on a document link in your e-mail, the system should display the document without requiring a login. For each subsequent viewing, you will be required to log into PACER and pay a fee of $.07 per page.
2. For criminal cases, the first time you click on a document link in your e-mail, the system requires you to enter your CM/ECF login and password. Next, you need to enter your PACER login and password. You will not be charged the first time you view a criminal document. If you do not have a PACER login and password, contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800- 676-6856.
3. For Civil Social Security cases, the first time you click on a document link in your e-mail, the system requires you to enter your CM/ECF login and password. Next, you need to enter your PACER login and password. You will not be charged the first time you view a document. If you do not have a PACER login and password, contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800- 676-6856.
How do I find out who is receiving electronic notices so I can prepare my Certificate of Service accordingly?
Log into CM/ECF and click on Utilities->Mailings->Mailing Info for a Case
I am not receiving e-mail notices in my cases. The customer is not receiving their e-mail notification and we are not getting a returned e-mail.
We verified that the e-mail address on file is correct. Check to see if "spam" filtering is turned on. When e-mail notifications are sent out, the attorney's e-mail address is in the bcc field and is therefore mistaken for "spam" by some filters. If the user has a Hotmail account, Hotmail will automatically delete suspected spam unless a setting is changed. Customer will need to add "ned.uscourts.gov" as an accepted domain in their "spam" filter. To change the setting in Hotmail, go to Options...Junk Mail Filter.
How do we add counsel to a case?
To add counsel in a case, electronically file a Notice of Appearance.
How do I file a notice of removal from state court?
The process of initiating a removal case is similar to filing a complaint. Please see "How to File a Complaint."
Some menu options are not appearing, or the window is blank.
Occasionally, CM/ECF will fail to show the correct menu options, or will begin acting strangely after it has worked for some time. Right click in the window and select Reload Frame(Netscape) or Refresh(IE). If that does not bring back all options have the user clear their cache or temporary internet files.
In Netscape:
Go to Edit...Preferences.
Double click on Advanced.
Click on Cache
Click Clear Memory Cache, click OK
Click Clear Disk Cache, click OK
In Internet Explorer
Go to Tools...Internet Options
Click Delete Files..(Temporary Internet Files)
Currently the Clerk’s Office will only accept complaints, civil cover sheets and summonses sent by United States mail or delivered in person to the Clerk’s Office. The complaint, civil cover sheet and summons must be submitted to the Court on a 3.5" disk as either a .pdf scanned document or a .pdf text document (if possible, the complaint should be a .pdf text document). The civil cover sheet and summonses are available in electronic format from the Court’s web page at www.nynd.uscourts.gov.
I am going to be filing a Complaint. Do I need to file a Civil Cover Sheet, and if so is a form available on-line?
Yes, you do need to file a civil cover sheet. The form is available on our website at www.nynd.uscourts.gov. This is not a "fillable" form, you will have to print it, fill it out manually, and scan it in. We are still working on creating a useable, fillable Civil Cover Sheet.
Briefs are now filed electronically in the same manner as other court pleadings. In CM/ECF, the event "Brief" is found in the "Other Documents" sub-menu.
You will prepare the summons like normal and submit it to us for signature. We will then return the original summons to you. When you are ready to file the summons returned executed, you may scan it and docket it as a "summons returned executed/unexecuted".
I have been trying to file an amended complaint, it keeps saying that there is an error code 62 and won't let me continue
When selecting the parties filing the document, do not use the radio buttons for "All Defendants", "All plaintiffs", etc. These do not work correctly. Instead, select the parties by holding down the Ctrl key on the keyboard and clicking on each party.
I am trying to file a crossclaim and counterclaim simultaneously and receiving and error code 62.
When filing crossclaims, counterclaims, intervenor complaints, etc., you cannot select more than one event at the same time. You will need to create two pleadings one entitled "Crossclaim" and one entitled "Counterclaim" and file each document separately.