Free Notice Regarding Implementation of CM/ECF - Federal

05/09

Case Management FOURTH CIRCUIT CM/ECF IMPLEMENTATION Electronic Case Files | Mandatory Electronic Filing by Counsel June 1, 2008: The Court has adopted Administrative Order 08-01 implementing the Appellate Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System (CM/ECF). Counsel may file documents electronically with the Court as of April 1, 2008. Beginning June 1, 2008, attorneys are required to file documents electronically in all cases. Appendices, vouchers, and case-initiating documents (petitions for review, mandamus, permission to appeal) are excepted from electronic filing and are to be filed in paper format. Formal briefs must be filed in both electronic and paper format. CM/ECF enables attorneys to file documents from their office or home 24 hours a day and provides round-the-clock access to filed documents via the Internet, with the ability to download and print directly from the docket. CM/ECF will electronically serve documents filed by counsel and automatically notify counsel via email of any case activity. For additional information on CM/ECF, visit www.ca4.uscourts.gov/cmecftop.htm. | Hardware and Software Requirements: The following hardware and software are needed for CM/ECF: > Personal computer running Windows or 64-bit Apple Macintosh with operating system OS 10.5 or higher. Instructions for launching Appellate CM/ECF on a Macintosh are available at http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/pdf/cmecf/MacInstructions.pdf. > Word processing software such as WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. > Internet service provider and web browser. CM/ECF has been certified to work with Firefox version 3 and Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7. > Email account that is regularly monitored (more than one email address can be registered). > Adobe Acrobat software or some other compatible software to convert documents to PDF format. > Scanner if paper documents need to be converted to PDF format. > Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 (available at www.java.com -- select "Do I have Java" link and verify that the result is Version 6 Update (1, 2, 3, or above)). | Registration for Appellate ECF Filer Account: To file documents electronically in the Court's CM/ECF System, attorneys must be admitted to the Fourth Circuit bar and must complete on-line training and a review and certification form (available at www.ca4.uscourts.gov/cmecftop.htm). Counsel then registers with the PACER Service Center, at www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov, for an Appellate ECF Filer Account, and unless counsel or the law firm already has one, a PACER viewing account. The PACER Service Center will transmit counsel's registration form to the Court for approval of filing privileges. The Court requires counsel to complete on-line training which includes an electronic learning module, "Fourth Circuit Attorney ECF On-line Training" and the "Review and Certification Form." The on-line training takes about 30 minutes and is available at www.ca4.uscourts.gov/cmecftop.htm. | ECF Filer Registration Status for Electronic Notice in Immigration and Social Security Cases: In immigration and social security cases, documents other than orders and opinions can be accessed electronically only by case participants using an ECF Filer login and password. Therefore, participants receiving electronic notice in these cases should log in to Fourth Circuit CM/ECF using their ECF Filer login and password before attempting to open documents. | Private and Sealed Information: Counsel must file any sealed document using one of two sealed docket events provided by the Court: (1) Sealed document or motion filed or (2) Sealed brief filed. These documents are accessible in electronic form only to the Court and therefore must be served outside CM/ECF. Counsel must redact in whole or part the following personal data from documents filed with the Court: Social Security or Tax ID numbers, dates of birth, names of minor children, financial account numbers, and home addresses in criminal cases.