Free Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing - Georgia

United States District Court Middle District of Georgia

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing
Introduction
This guide contains the preferred style practices for all users of CM/ECF in the Middle District of Georgia. The application of a common set of styles when entering party names and addresses allows information to be captured and displayed in a more uniform and predictable way, thus reducing confusion and error. In addition, style consistency is the key to efficient searches in CM/ECF, since successful queries require exact matches.

Party Searches
Before adding any party to a case, search for the party using appropriate search strategies. Proper searches will help to eliminate duplicates of the same party name. A party name as simple as the United States can cause ambiguity and result in inaccurate queries if entered differently each time. Adherence to this style guide can help avoid United States being entered in the database as United States, U.S., US, USA, U.S.A., or U.S. of A. Wildcard Searches: CM/ECF searches are NOT key word searches but require exact text matches. For example, the party World Bazaar cannot be located by simply entering Bazaar in the party query. You must search for a party using the first letters of the Last/Business name or make use of the asterisk. An asterisk may be used before or within search strings, but NEVER at the end of a word and NEVER by itself. To search for the party World Bazaar, you may use *Bazaar or World. The party will still be found correctly without using World*. Search Strategies: When searching for parties, it may be necessary to conduct multiple searches. Searching is not case sensitive. First, search for the entire party name (e.g., World Bazaar). If that is not successful, you can search for a portion of the party name (e.g., World Baz or just World). If there are articles in the title such as "A" or "The," you may or may not need to include the article in the search. For example, a search request for The Timely Times may not produce a result while a search request for Timely Times will be successful. An unsuccessful search for A & A Metals might be successful if you search without spaces (e.g., A&A Metals).

Adding Parties
Much of case opening in CM/ECF consists of adding the names of plaintiffs and defendants to cases. Access to this information is vital to the court, the bar, and the general public. Always perform a thorough search before adding a new party to the database. If your search brings up the name and address of the person (entity) you need, use it. If the name is correct and the address differs, accept the party and modify the address. Only individuals or organizations that are a party to the action should be added as a party to the case. Do not add a party simply because you were required to serve them by law unless they are specifically named on the complaint (e.g., the United States Attorney or the United States Attorney General). When adding a party name to the database, realize that others may one day be searching for the name you are adding. This is why entering it in a way that makes it easy to find is so important. If you accidentally or incorrectly add a name to the database, please contact Systems or the ECF Helpdesk at 866-862-5465 to delete it for you. Incorrectly added parties will be updated periodically but may appear on your pick-list from time to time. Always choose an existing party that is properly formatted over one that was added incorrectly when presented with a list of possible matches.

Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

When adding parties, you will be prompted to enter information into the fields outlined below: Office - Used for law firms, business names, etc. Unit - Used for prisoner numbers Address 1 ­ Building name and number or complete address and suite number. Try to keep the entire address on the Address 1 line. If you are unable to do this, finish the address on line Address 2. Do not add mailing addresses for plaintiffs or defendants, unless they are pro-se. If you find a plaintiff or defendant in CM/ECF with an address, delete the address fields before accepting the Party Information screen. City - Enter city names in their entirety (don't abbreviate). State - See the Standard Abbreviations List for the two-letter abbreviation. Zip - Five digit zip code + four digit code, if known. County - DO NOT USE Country - DO NOT USE (unless country is other than USA). Phone - Enter using the following format 123-456-7899. Do not use parenthesis around the area code. (Do not enter prison phone numbers) Fax - (same as above) Pro Se - Select no or yes. Role - Select the appropriate role of the party. A complete list of party roles is located in Appendix A. Party text - This field is used in addition to the last name field to add miscellaneous information about the party. For example, you may want to add information which is part of the case caption but is more of a description than part of the proper name. It contains an indefinite number of characters.

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Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

Style Conventions for Addresses
These style conventions apply to all party and attorney addresses entered in the CM/ECF database. ABBREVIATIONS All uppercase letters are preferred for the delivery address to help ease automated address reading and processing. John J Johnson PO BOX 1477 BENTONVILLE AR 40453 Use abbreviations where possible For directionals use the one or two character abbreviation. NE SW E W The Official US Postal Service Standard Abbreviations can be found at www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html

Use digits for numbers in delivery addresses. 425 6TH ST 1 VALLEY PLAZA PUNCTUATION Omit all punctuation in the delivery address except for the hyphen in the ZIP+4 codes. Use the full ninedigit zip where possible. The pound sign (#) should not be used as a designator for secondary address units, such as apartment or suite. John J Johnson 4128 ELMWOOD LN APT 23 BENTONVILLE AR 40453

PO BOX AND RURAL ROUTE Print rural route addresses as: RR N BOX NN. Do not use the words Rural, Number, No., or the pound sign (#). When there is a street address as well as a post office box for a party, add only the post office address. John J Johnson PO BOX 1477 4218 ELMWOOD LN (Eliminate this line) BENTONVILLE AR 40453

PO BOX is preferred, no punctuation. ADDRESS LINES When needed, use the second and/or third line of the address for building name or attention. Arthur Andersen and Associates Attn Terri Brooks JOHN HANCOCK BLDG 2600 8723 MICHIGAN AVE CHICAGO IL 60604 Overseas military addresses must contain the APO or FPO designations along with a two-character state abbreviation of AE, AP or AA and the Zip Code. This must be the only information on the last line of the address. Sgt. John Smith C COMPANY 237 ARMOR UNIT 21103 BOX 512 APO AE 09014

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Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

Style Conventions for Party Names
These style conventions apply to all party names entered in the CM/ECF database. ABBREVIATIONS Do NOT use digits in names unless part of the official Avoid abbreviations in party names. INC, LLC, etc name. are acceptable abbreviations. 1st Bank of the South Ford Motor Company not Ford Motor Co First Federal Association not 1st Federal Assoc

Spell out the word "and" when used in party names. DO NOT use the ampersand sign for "and" unless part of the official name. B and D Company Cameron and Associates

When entering a United States Government Agency, always spell "United States" out completely. United States Department of Agriculture United States Attorney United States Environmental Protection Agency

Always spell out union names. Do not use acronyms or abbreviations. The local number should follow the name. Bakery Confectionery and Tobacco Workers International Union Local 232

If an individual does not have a middle name, leave that field blank. Do not enter "NMI" (no middle initial).

PUNCTUATION Remove special characters, multiple blanks, and punctuation. DO NOT use any punctuation when specifying names, including spaces and periods. GMAC, not G.M.A.C. or G M A C

Use only the following punctuation/characters: Hyphens (-) Mary Smith-Baker Apostrophes(`) Kathleen O'Brien

If "of" is part of an entity name, enter it in lower case Bank of America

When entering names that have upper and lowercase letters or hyphens, do not insert spaces. Patricia DeLaGarza

When entering last names that begin with Mc, De, etc., use proper spacing and capitalization. McCamic, not Mc Camic, MCCamic or MCCAMIC

The first letter of any proper noun should be If capitalized letters appear in succession, do not enter capitalized, unless a lower case entry is an established a space between them. part of the name. LMC Design and Construction Inc e.spire Communication

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Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

ALIASES AND MULTIPLE NAMES If an alias is included and the only change is the middle initial or name; do not include as an alias, include it in the name only. John Henry a/k/a John P. Henry a/k/a John Paul Henry should be entered as John Paul Henry If another name (such as a nickname) is listed as well as the proper name, the other name should be entered as an alias. Manual "Manny" Valle First Name: Manuel Last Name: Valle Alias First Name: Manny Alias Last Name: V

When entering an estate as a party, enter the executor/personal representative or conservator as the main party. NEVER add the deceased person as the main party. Then enter the deceased person as the alias to this party using the role type "est" (estate of). Executor and personal representative are terms that are used interchangeably. Conservator is a person who has guardianship of a minor's estate. Helen Smiley, Executor of the Estate of George Smiley First Name: Helen Last Name: Smiley Party Text: Executor of the Estate of George Smiley Party Type: pla Alias First Name: George Alias Last Name: Smiley Alias Role: est

If a party has multiple names such as Barbara Jean Mary Khatoun, add the extra names in the Middle name box. Last name: Khatoun Middle name: Jean Mary First name: Barbara

If the last name is hyphenated, enter both names in the Last name box. Last name: Lizarraga-Dominguez First name: Angel

If there are two last names but no hyphen, use the Last name and Middle name boxes. Party name in caption: Arturo Garcia Lizarraga Last name: Lizarraga Middle name: Garcia First name: Arturo

John and Jane Doe(s), should be entered with Doe or Does in the last name field.

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Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

TITLES, PREFIXS AND SUFFIXES Titles, Prefixes and Suffixes such as; Dr, Rev, DDS should be entered in the title field ONLY. Enter generations such as Jr, Sr, II, III in the generation field ONLY.

If the name consists only of a title, enter the title in the Last name field only. Do not use the First name or Middle name box. Last name: Officers, Agents and Employees

Use the Party Text field to add additional information to describe your party. Information added to this field is case specific and will not be transferred to all cases in the system using that particular party record. Titles, miscellaneous or descriptive information, including departments; that are not part of the name proper should be entered in Party Text. Party text: a sole proprietorship Party text: individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated

BUSINESS NAMES Business names should be entered entirely in the Last Enter small words that precede business names, such name field. Do not use the First name or Middle name as: The, A, An, etc. at the end of the business name in field when entering business names. the party text field The Franklin Hotel Last name field: Franklin Hotel Party text field: The

When a business name is listed in a format that is slightly different than the standard name in the database, select the standard form of the party name and enter the variation of the name in the Party Text Field. Ex. Aetna Casualty Co. has filed a pleading and upon searching you only find the party in the standard form of Aetna Casualty Insurance Company. NON FEDERAL AGENCIES For non-Federal government entities, always start with the name of the state, county, city or town followed by the specific name of the entity. State of Georgia Last Name: Georgia, State of Department of Vocational Rehabilitation of North Carolina Last Name: North Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Page 6

Georgia Middle District

Style Guide for Electronic Case Filing

September 2007

THINGS OR LOCATIONS AS PARTIES EXAMPLES OF MONEY/ACCOUNTS: $14,669.00 in U.S. Currency Last Name: Currency,$14,699.00 in US $27,598.12 in United States Currency Last Name: Currency, $27,598.12 in US Savings Acct. # xx-xxxx152-5 Located at National City Bank, in the Name of Chadwick T. Dunham Last Name: Savings Account #xx-xxxx152-5 located at National City Bank Party Text: in the Name of Chadwick T. Dunham $526,000.00 in a Certified Check Last Name: Certified Check, $526,000.00 One Savings Certificate, No. xxx2346 Last Name: Savings Certificate No. xxx2346, ONE EXAMPLES OF LAND: $6,900.00 plus any additional rental income and accrued interest from Lot No. 20, Greensboro, North Carolina Last Name: Lot No. 20, Greensboro, NC Party Text: $6,900.00 plus any additional rental income and accrued interest 8,588.12 Acres of Land in Stokes County, NC Last Name: Land, 8,588.12 Acres, Stokes County, NC 27.41 Acres of Land Last Name: Land, 27.41 Acres Ten Acres more or less located in Rockingham County, NC Last Name: Land, 10 Acres more or less located in Rockingham County, NC

EXAMPLES OF VEHICLES: A blue 1994 Buick Regal bearing Michigan registration plate 7DHB86 Last Name: Buick Regal 1994 Bearing Michigan Registration Plate 7DHB86 A blue 1979 Chrysler Newport VIN #325678765445 its tools, engine, and gold-plated bumpers Last Name: Chrysler Newport 1979 VIN #325678765445 Party Text: its tools, engine, and gold-plated bumpers

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