Full access to CM/ECF is available to attorneys, and limited access is available to certain other professionals (such as approved personal financial management course providers, creditors, trustee staff, etc.).
To obtain a login to access CM/ECF:
Training is required for all attorneys and limited access filers unless they request and qualify for a waiver of the webinar training course. To qualify for a training waiver an applicant must, among other requirements, have previously received ECF training from another bankruptcy court and demonstrate having successfully filed documents via ECF in that bankruptcy court.
To play the pre-recorded webinar you must have a computer with JAVA installed that is also connected to audio speakers and the internet. To begin your training you will receive an email from the Court with links to download documents and install a WebEx module to view the webinar. Using two browser windows or two monitors while completing training is recommended. The webinar has been tested and works well with Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Safari browsers.
You will receive an email from the Court with further instructions on how to participate in the webinar. After successful completion of the webinar and practice assignment and (for attorney applicants only) providing a signed Certification of Completion of Electronic Training Course to the Court, an email will be sent to you containing information on how to access the live CM/ECF system.
The creditor's attorney course focuses primarily on filing motions, adversary proceedings and claims. The debtor's attorney course includes the instruction and materials provided by the creditor's attorney course, plus additional instruction and materials on filings particular to debtors, such as filing a petition in a case.
The debtor's attorney webinar is 76 minutes in length and the creditor's attorney webinar is 59 minutes in length. Each webinar is divided into segments of between 4 and 12 minutes. The segments are not required to be viewed during one session. In addition to the webinar, the training also consists of a practice assignment to demonstrate the filing techniques taught during the webinars. The practice assignment is self-paced.
No, the pre-recorded webinar and practice assignment are self-paced. You may view one segment at a time or all at once. Each segment may be played, paused, stopped and resumed at any time.
Attorneys are urged to encourage their non-attorney staff members to view the webinar and complete the practice assignment so as to familiarize working with ECF, but staff may not take or complete the webinar or practice assignment on behalf of an attorney applying for a login. Staff are not required to submit a completed practice assignment to the Court for review.