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                                                Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add email addresses to my account so that my assistant receives notification, too? Can I change my password?

  • Sign into CM/ECF using your login (userID) and password. Select “Utilities.” Select “Maintain Your Account.” Select “Email Information.” Click to set a check mark in the box “to these additional addresses.” Enter the additional address(es) in the box to the right, separating multiple addresses by a comma (no space). Click on “Return to Account Screen.” Click on “Submit.” Select “Submit” again. Note: You must “submit” in order for the system to recognize the change. This will result in email notices in all of your cases being sent to the addresses you specified. You cannot designate another person to receive notification only in certain cases.
  • For password changes, follow the same process as above except when you reach the Maintain Your Account Screen, select “More user information.” Type in your new password. Click on “Return to Account Screen.” Click on “Submit.” Select “Submit” again. Note: You must “submit” in order for the system to recognize the change.
Can I send a diskette to the Court containing a document I want to file?

  • Disks should be submitted only if:
  • (a) you are filing a new case;
  • (b) you are not a registered user and need to file an answer; or
  • (c) you have received permission to do so from a supervisor because of technical difficulties in filing electronically which may have been caused by the CM/ECF system. Any documents submitted on diskette must be in PDF format. Diskettes containing documents in Word, WordPerfect, or any other word processing program will be rejected.
What other information should I be aware of?

  • Only Netscape 4.7 and 7.0 and Explorer 5.5 and 6.0 have been certified to be fully compatible with CM/ECF. If you have any other Internet browser, either newer or older, you may have problems using the system. To obtain a browser that works with CM/ECF, go to www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/announcements/general/browser.html.
  • CM/ECF sends out email notification of all docket activity regardless of whether the document was filed electronically. If the document was not filed electronically, you will not be able to view it through a link in the email nor by using your PACER account. When a document is not filed electronically the filing party is responsible for serving copies by mail or other means permitted by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. When a court document is not filed electronically, copies will be mailed to parties entitled to notice.
  • If you have questions or comments, please contact the Clerk's Office in Baltimore or Greenbelt or send an email to MDD_Voyager@mdd.uscourts.gov.
How is service made?

  • The filer remains legally responsible for effecting service.
  • We do not anticipate any major changes in the way service of summonses and complaints is accomplished.
  • For other papers, Fed. R. Civ. P. 5 now permits service by electronic means. In a civil case when a document is filed electronically using CM/ECF an email notification is automatically sent to all attorneys in the case who are registered users of the system. This constitutes service on attorneys who are registered users.
  • When you are filing a paper electronically, the last screen the filer sees is the electronic notice of filing. The notice will list the attorneys who have been served electronically. For them, the electronic notification will constitute service and no separate certificate of service is required.
  • The electronic notification also identifies parties and/or attorneys that are NOT registered users of the system. The filer is responsible for serving copies of pleadings on unregistered users by other means. A certificate of service should be electronically filed with the Court anytime a document must be served by other than electronic means (see Procedures Manual p. 33 and Appendix E)
Will non-parties be able to access files over PACER? If not, how will a non-party obtain access to public records?

  • Yes, non-parties are eligible to register for PACER (even today) and will be able to access files through PACER.
  • In addition, the Court will make workstations available at the courthouse which will allow users to access electronic records from the Clerk’s Office.
What if our computer system crashes and we have waited until the 11th hour to file?

  • You will proceed in much the same manner as you did before if your computer crashed and you could not print your document so that it could be filed, i.e., submit a request for enlargement of time.
  • One of the benefits of the system is that electronic filings can be made from practically any location with Internet access so that if all that is down is your Internet access you can save your document to a disk and file from home or a commercial establishment which provides Internet access.
How will we handle voluminous exhibits? Hard copy filing? Scanning?

  • From the Court’s perspective, large documents which have to be scanned place a burden on the system because they take up much more storage space than those which were created in electronic format. Similarly, users attempting to access large scanned documents will face lengthy download times.
  • If you are filing as an exhibit or attachment a document which can only be converted to electronic format by scanning and which is longer than 15 pages, do not file the document electronically. For documents over 15 pages, you should electronically file a Notice of Filing of Lengthy Exhibit (see Appendix C of the Procedures Manual). Within 24 hours, file and serve the document in paper format along with the traditional certificate of service and paper copies of the Notice of Filing of Lengthy Exhibit and the notice of electronic filing.
How will filing fees be paid?

  • The current version of CM/ECF does not allow payment of filing fees on-line. For now, filing fees will have to be paid to the Clerk’s Office in the same manner currently in place.
  • New cases should be presented to the Clerk’s Office, with the $350.00 filing fee, along with the civil cover sheet, any summonses that need to be issued and both a hard copy of the complaint and a diskette or CD containing the complaint in PDF format.
  • The Clerk’s Office will receipt the money, docket the complaint and post it on the system electronically from the diskette, and keep the hard copy for use by the judge. The diskette will be returned to counsel along with the summonses issued by the Clerk’s Office and the receipt for the filing fee.
  • Future enhancements on the system will include the ability to pay fees with credit cards.
How will affidavits be filed? Scanned? Should there be a Local Rule covering the verification of signatures on affidavits?

  • Documents which are required to be signed by persons who are not counsel of record in a particular case, such as verified pleadings, affidavits, etc., may be submitted in electronic format in any of several ways so long as counsel has and maintains the signed original. (A) If the document is less than 15 pages, it can be scanned and then filed electronically. (B) An electronic version bearing an “/s/” can be filed along with a statement by counsel below the signature line that he or she has the signed copy. (C) An electronic version bearing an “/s/” can be filed with a scanned copy of the signature page as an attachment. Samples of language to use can be found on page 32 of the Procedures Manual.
What about filings under seal?

  • Sealed documents, or documents which you are requesting to be sealed, are NOT to be filed electronically. Instead, a “placeholder” in the form of a Notice of Filing of Document Under Seal should be filed electronically, and a hard copy of the document should be filed with the Court and served. Detailed procedures are outlined on p. 28 of the Procedures Manual.
What will be the effect on transmitting the record on appeal to the Fourth Circuit?

  • The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will implement a similar CM/ECF program at some time in the future. At present, attorneys will continue to file with the appellate court in the same manner as they do now.
  • As for the transmission of the district court record to the Circuit Court of Appeals, the Court will be discussing options with the Fourth Circuit.
Does the application form for a court-issued ECF login and password have to be notarized?

  • At this time, the Court is not accepting applications from attorneys for a CM/ECF login and password. No final decision has been made as to whether or not the application will need to be notarized.
  • When registration for court-issued ECF logins and passwords does open, a notice will appear on the CM/ECF web site and the appropriate application form will be posted there.
What can be expected as far as system availability? How can it be expected to be operational 24 hours a day/7 days a week? Won’t the system have to be down for maintenance and upgrades?

  • We expect system downtime to be very minimal. For scheduled maintenance and periodic software upgrades, notices will be posted on the web site advising of anticipated downtime and attempts will be made to do this work during periods of lower activity (i.e. early mornings and weekends). If there are technical difficulties, obviously, alerts may not be possible and length of time estimates may be difficult.
What is case management/electronic case filing (CM/ECF)?

  • CM/ECF is a new document management and electronic filing system.
  • It allows the Court to replace aging case management systems with updated technology.
  • The system provides an easy-to-use electronic filing feature that allows attorneys to file and view documents over the Internet.
What are the benefits of CM/ECF?

  • Users can file and view documents over the Internet from anywhere they have access to the Internet.
  • Allows remote document filing and electronic service of documents.
  • Docketing is a by-product of electronic filing.
  • Parties and Court personnel receive immediate email notification of case activity.
  • Secure electronic storage of documents (eliminating misplaced files).
What equipment do I need to use ECF?

  • A personal computer running a standard platform such as Windows or Macintosh.
  • Word processing software.
  • Software to convert documents into PDF (portable document format).
  • Internet access and a browser. The system has been certified with Netscape Navigator version 4.7 and 7.0 and with Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.5 and 6.0. You will have faster service with high speed Internet access such as cable or DSL.
  • Scanning equipment is useful for documents that are not in electronic format.
How do I get started with ECF?

  • You must be admitted to practice before the Court.
  • You must be registered to file electronically. To register, visit the Court’s web site at www.mdd.uscourts.gov. Select “E-filing” and “Attorney Registration.”
  • You will be provided with a Court-issued login and password following the e-filing registration. Allow 2 business days to receive your login and password.
  • You may want to obtain a PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) account to fully benefit from the system. Apply for a PACER account by visiting http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov. The PACER account does not need to be an individual account; one account shared by a firm would work fine. There is a fee associated with access to PACER, unless you are a government attorney or appointed under the Criminal Justice Act. For more information on PACER access fees, please see the PACER web site.
  • At a minimum, download the Procedures Manual from the Court’s web site.
  • Sign up for a training class, offered at both the Baltimore and Greenbelt federal courthouses.
What about training in ECF?

  • Computer based training modules (CBTs) are available on-line at http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/cmecf.
  • Training is available at both the Greenbelt and Baltimore Courthouses. See the Court’s web site "For Attorneys" section for a training schedule and sign-up information.
How do I file electronically?

  • Create your document using word processing software.
  • Save the document in portable document format (PDF).
  • Log onto the Court’s CM/ECF system using a login and password issued by the Court to registered members of the bar.
  • Follow the prompts to provide information about the case, party, and document to be filed.
  • Attach the PDF document and submit it to the Court for filing by pressing the submit button.
  • Save or print the CM/ECF electronic receipt from the Court confirming that the document was filed.
Are there fees?

  • There is no added fee for filing documents over the Internet using CM/ECF; existing filing fees still apply.
  • Attorneys receive one free view of documents filed electronically in their cases; during this view you may download and save the document. You also may print a copy.
  • Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) makes court records available to attorneys, parties, and the general public at a cost of eight cents per page, with a $2.40 cap on the charge for any single document.
  • Congress directed the Courts to fund electronic access through user fees. The judiciary has set the fee at the lowest possible level sufficient to recoup program costs.
What about the requirement for a signature? How do I sign pleadings in ECF?

  • The Court issues logins and passwords for attorneys who are members of the bar of the Court and have registered for e-filing.
  • The e-filing login and password together will constitute your signature.
What happens once the document is filed electronically?

  • ECF will send a receipt to the filer verifying that the document has been received.
  • ECF will file the document and automatically update the docket sheet.
  • ECF will send, by email, a notice of the filing to all parties who have agreed to receive electronic notices.
  • The email notification will contain a hyperlink to an electronically filed document. If the “document number” is hyperlinked, you may click on it to receive your one time free access to the document. Since electronic notices are sent whenever there is case activity, you may receive a notification that does not contain a hyperlink to a document. In these instances, the document does not exist in electronic form.
How secure is CM/ECF?

  • CM/ECF has many security features and has passed an evaluation by the National Security Agency.
  • You must maintain the security of your login and password.