District of Columbia Electronic Filing Rules

Applies to

Petition for admission

Petitions for attorney admission will be accepted via PACER during the suspension of in-person ceremonies.

Petitions for admission to the Bar of this Court will continue to be accepted via PACER and will be processed by the assigned motions judge.

Applies to

Restricted document

Restricted documents are filed in CM/ECF but are no longer accessible electronically.

Restricted documents will continue to be filed in CM/ECF under existing procedures but will no longer be accessible or viewable by electronic means, even by a party or person with a right of access.

Pro se litigants must file documents in paper form; electronic filing is not available to them.

In cases where a litigant proceeds pro se, electronic filing procedures generally apply only to parties who have counsel. Absent separate order of the Court, the party appearing pro se shall file documents in paper form with the Clerk’s Office.

Attorneys must file documents electronically.

In cases where a litigant proceeds pro se, electronic filing procedures generally apply only to parties who have counsel.

Required

Always

Documents cannot be filed by fax or email without express court leave.

No document shall be transmitted to the Clerk for filing by means of electronic facsimile or email transmission except with express leave of Court.

All documents must be filed electronically via CM/ECF unless an exception applies.

Except as otherwise provided in this Rule 5.4, all documents to be filed with the Court must be filed by electronic text-searchable means in a manner authorized by the Clerk.

Attorneys must obtain a CM/ECF password to file and receive documents electronically.

An attorney must obtain a CM/ECF user name and password from the Clerk in order to enter an appearance electronically, to file documents electronically with the Court, or to receive documents filed electronically by other parties or matters entered electronically on the docket by the Court.

Applies to

Unsealed document

All unsealed documents must be filed electronically.

Every unsealed document (including an administrative record or a record of state court proceedings) must be filed electronically.

Applies to

All

Pro se parties must file and serve in paper form unless they have obtained a CM/ECF password.

A party appearing pro se shall file with the Clerk and serve documents in paper form and must be served with documents in paper form, unless the pro se party has obtained a CM/ECF password.

Applies to

Unsealed document

Clerk may direct attorney or pro se party to file electronically; document deemed filed on original date if refiled by next business day.

If a pro se party who has been given leave to file electronically or an attorney presents an unsealed document for filing in paper form, the Clerk may direct the pro se party or attorney to file the document electronically or present it in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing.

All documents must be filed electronically via CM/ECF unless an exception applies.

Except as otherwise provided in Rule 49, all documents to be filed with the Court must be filed by electronic means in a manner authorized by the Clerk.

Applies to

Unsealed document

Unsealed documents must be filed electronically.

Every unsealed document must be filed electronically.

Applies to

Criminal document

Certain criminal documents (indictments, warrants, etc.) must be filed in paper unless Clerk authorizes e-filing.

Unless prior written authorization for electronic filing is given by the Clerk of Court, every criminal indictment, information, complaint, search warrant, seizure warrant, arrest warrant, accompanying affidavit, return of warrant, and motion for ...

Applies to

Order of return

Order of return must be filed in paper form with an electronic copy, with redactions per FRCP.

order of return pursuant to D.C. Code Section 24-501(i) shall be filed in paper form (original plus one), accompanied by an electronic copy in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing, with appropriate redactions as required by the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Applies to

Pre initial appearance criminal document

Pre-initial appearance criminal documents must be filed in paper form with an electronic copy, unless prior authorization for electronic filing is obtained.

Unless prior written authorization for electronic filing is given by the Clerk of Court, every document filed prior to the initial appearance of a criminal defendant, including but not limited to a filing related to a grand jury matter, a pen register application, an application for interception of wire or electronic communications, an application for stored electronic information or evidence, an application for tax return information, and an application for disclosure of electronically stored evidence shall be filed in paper form (original plus one) accompanied by an electronic copy in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing.

All documents must be filed electronically unless an exception applies.

All documents in this case are to be filed electronically, except with prior leave of the Court upon good cause shown, and in the case of the exceptions noted below.

Applies to

Sealed criminal investigative application

Sealed criminal investigative applications may be filed electronically by the government using a standardized caption format without personally identifying information.

the Clerk’s Office and both the USAO and DOJ adopted administrative and operational changes in processing sealed Subject Criminal Investigative Records to permit such applications to be filed by the government electronically, pursuant to Memoranda of Understanding (“MOUs”) with the Clerk’s Office, see D.D.C. LCRR 49(e)(4), using a standardized format for case captions that contained no personally identifying information but, depending on the type of application, included pertinent information about: “(1) the number of target telephone lines, subscriber accounts, and/or devices that are the application’s subject or subjects; (2) the type of target or targets (e.g., a landline, cellular, or mobile telephone; email account; cell tower; or other facility or device) subject to the application; (3) the service provider to which the order would be directed; and (4) the primary offense statute(s) under investigation.”

Applies to

Proposed jury instructions

Proposed jury instructions must be filed electronically on ECF.

Proposed instructions shall be filed on ECF.

Applies to

Discovery materials

Discovery materials shall not be filed until used in proceeding or upon court order; custodians must retain originals.

Except as otherwise provided by this Rule, interrogatories, depositions, requests for documents, requests for admissions, and answers and responses thereto shall be served upon other counsel and parties but shall not be filed with the Clerk until they are used in the proceeding or upon order of the Court as required below. The party responsible for service of the discovery material shall retain the original and become its custodian and, with respect to depositions, the deposing party shall retain the original deposition and become its custodian and shall make it available for inspection by any party to the action upon request. The Court may in its discretion order that all or any portion of discovery materials in a particular case be filed with the Clerk.

Applies to

Exhibits attachments

Documents not in a format for electronic filing or illegible when scanned may be maintained by the filer and made available upon request, with a Notice of Filing.

Any document, exhibit, or attachment, including sealed material that (A) is not in a format that readily permits electronic filing, such as a map, chart or DVD, or (B) is illegible when scanned into electronic format, is to be maintained in the possession of the attorney or pro se party responsible for the filing. Such a filing shall be made available for a party or the Court and must be identified in a Notice of Filing filed with the Court.

Pro se parties may e-file with leave of court by filing a motion for a CM/ECF password.

A pro se party may obtain a CM/ECF user name and password from the Clerk with leave of Court. Whether leave of Court should be granted is within the discretion of the judge to whom the case is assigned. To obtain leave of Court, the pro se party must file a written motion entitled "Motion for CM/ECF User Name and Password," describing the party's access to the internet, confirming the capacity to file documents and receive filings electronically on a regular basis, and confirming that he or she either has viewed the Clerk's Office on-line tutorial or has been permitted to file electronically in other federal courts.

Applies to

Exhibit

Documents not in e-format or illegible when scanned must be maintained by the filer and identified in a Notice of Filing.

Any document, exhibit, or attachment, including sealed material, that (A) is not in a format that readily permits electronic filing, such as a map, chart, or DVD, or (B) is illegible when scanned into electronic format, is to be maintained in the possession of the attorney or pro se party responsible for the filing. Such a filing shall be made available for a party or the Court and must be identified in a Notice of Filing filed with the Court.

Applies to

Certificate of good standing

Requests for certificates of good standing should be submitted electronically.

Certificates of good standing for attorneys will continue to be provided. Requests should be submitted electronically in accordance with directions posted on the Court's website.

Applies to

Written oath form

Applicants previously scheduled for April 6, 2020 ceremony should submit written oath form to attorney_admissions@dcd.ucourts.gov.

Any applicant, who had previously been scheduled for the hearing and ceremony on April 6, 2020, should submit a written oath form to attorney_admissions@dcd.ucourts.gov

Pro se parties must file documents in paper form; electronic filing is not available to them.

In a case involving a pro se party, electronic filing procedures will be followed by parties represented by counsel only. The party appearing pro se shall continue to file documents in paper form with the Clerk’s Office.

Pro se parties may obtain CM/ECF password with leave of court by filing a motion describing internet access and e-filing capacity.

A pro se party may obtain a CM/ECF username and password from the Clerk with leave of Court. Whether leave of Court should be granted is within the discretion of the judge to whom the case is assigned. To obtain leave of Court, the pro se party must file a written motion entitled 'Motion for CM/ECF User Name and Password,' describing the party's access to the internet, confirming the capacity to file documents and receive filings electronically on a regular basis, and certifying that he or she either has successfully completed the entire Clerk’s Office on-line tutorial or has been permitted to file electronically in other federal courts.

Electronically filed documents have the same binding authority as paper documents.

Any document, order, or notice filed or docketed electronically by the Court or by the Clerk shall have the same binding authority as one filed on paper.

Applies to

All

The electronic filing rule does not apply to cases filed in paper and not assigned to CM/ECF.

This Rule does not apply to cases that are filed in paper form and are not assigned to the CM/ECF system. Eventually, however, all new civil cases will be assigned to the CM/ECF system.

Required

Always

Electronic filing via CM/ECF is available for all filings.

Electronic filing through the Federal Judiciary's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system is available.

Pro se litigants may file by email to dedml_intake@ded.uscourts.gov or by depositing papers in courthouse drop boxes.

Pro Se litigants may submit filings to the Court either (1) by sending the filing via email to the Court's email address: dedml_intake@ded.uscourts.gov: or (2) by date-stamping and depositing papers in drop boxes located at the entrance to the Courthouse.

Applies to

Sealed filing

Sealed and emergency filings may be submitted via email for prompt docketing.

Sealed submissions in criminal cases and emergency or sealed filings in civil cases may be submitted via email to the Court for prompt docketing.

Applies to

Petition for admission

Petitions for admission are accepted via PACER.

Petitions for admission to the bar of this Court will continue to be accepted via PACER and will be processed by the Motions Judge without the need for an in-person hearing referenced in Local Civil Rule 83.8(d).