Electronic Filing (CM/ECF)

About CM/ECF

The federal judiciary’s Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system allows case documents, such as pleadings, motions, and petitions, to be filed with the court using a computer and Internet connection. This process gives the courts a way to easily manage these files electronically. 

Gain Access to CM/ECF

Filing a document in CM/ECF requires a login and password issued by the individual courts. This information is primarily provided to attorneys, U.S. Trustees, and bankruptcy case trustees. However, some courts permit bankruptcy claimants and other pro se litigants to file electronically.

Contact your local court for more information.

Viewing Case Files

Copies of court opinions are available at no charge on the Government Printing Office's FDSys website. Other documents may be viewed electronically using PACER. 

CM/ECF Training

Each court offers training on how to use CM/ECF. Contact your local court for more information on specific training that the court offers. The PACER Service Center website also provides computer-based training modules. 

Privacy Rules for Electronic Case Files

Attorneys and other filers are required to acknowledge their responsibility to redact "personal identifier" information each time they log in to CM/ECF. Learn more about the Privacy Policy for Electronic Case Files.

Next Generation of CM/ECF

The judiciary is transitioning to a Next Generation of CM/ECF. It was first released to a group of pilot courts in 2014 and two of those courts began live operations in October 2014 (the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals). A full transition is expected over several years. The first release includes new sign-on functionality which gives users access to both PACER and electronic filing, for all courts in which the user is authorized to file electronically, from a single account.