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Non-attorney Filers for CM/ECF

Non-attorneys filing federal court records electronically must first register. Non-attorneys are considered: pro se filers, court reporters, interested parties, filing agents, creditors, trustees, or U.S. Trustees. Not all courts accept non-attorney filers and some only accept specific types of non-attorney filers.

Registration will give non-attorneys access to view case information and documents. Courts are using one of two versions of CM/ECF – NextGen or CurrentGen.

  • NextGen CM/ECF: Register through this site if the court you want to file in uses NextGen CM/ECF. First time users will be prompted to register for a PACER account, followed by the electronic filing registration for the selected court.
  • CurrentGen CM/ECF: First you need to register for a PACER account. Then, register with each district and/or bankruptcy court who uses CurrentGenCM/ECF.
Register for a PACER account

Getting Started – First Time Users (for PACER and CM/ECF)

NextGen CM/ECF Court

  1. Start the non-attorney registration process. You will be prompted to first register for your PACER account.
  2. Then, complete the electronic filing registration for the desired court. Upon completion, the registration is transmitted to the court for verification and processing. Document filing and access to restricted cases/documents in a court is not permitted until that court processes the registration request.
  3. Once the court processes your request, you will receive an email notification from the court indicating you are permitted to file electronically or if there are additional steps you need to take. Processing time for electronic riling registration varies from court to court.
  4. Contact the court you registered with for more information about electronic filing procedures.

CurrentGen CM/ECF Court

  1. Go to the court’s website for information about their electronic filing procedures.
  2. Follow the instructions provided by the court.  
  3. Once the court processes your request, they will contact you directly indicating you are permitted to file electronically or if there are additional steps you need to take.
  4. Contact the court you registered with for more information about attorney admissions and electronic filing procedures.

Need to file in more than one court?

After you register you may need to file electronically in additional courts.

  • For courts using NextGen CM/ECF: Log into Manage My Account, select the Maintenance tab, and select Non-Attorney E-File Registration.
  • For courts using CurrentGen CM/ECF: Register directly with each district and/or bankruptcy court who uses CurrentGenCM/ECF. 

Review frequently asked questions about registering for an account.