Electronic Filing (updated November 20, 2014, December 1, 2018, and

December 18, 2024) (a) Electronic Filing. (1) Documents filed in paper form when allowed under FRBP 5005(a)(3) shall be converted to electronic form by the Clerk’s office and the electronic document shall be the official document. (2) A party to a pending action or an individual or entity that files documents with the Court frequently as determined by the Clerk of Court and who is not represented by an attorney may register as a Filing User in the electronic case filing system. Registration shall be in the form prescribed by the Clerk of Court in the Clerk’s Instructions.

(3) Petitions, lists, schedules, statements, amendments, pleadings, affidavits and other documents that must contain original signatures or that require verification under FRBP 1008 or an unsworn declaration as provided in 28 U.S.C. § 1746 may be filed electronically by attorneys registered in this electronic case filing system. An original copy containing an original signature must be retained by the attorney who files such a petition, pleading, document, or other paper for one-year after the closing of the case. If the case is later reopened, the one year retention period for documents already on file is not extended. However, any new filings as defined herein filed after the case is reopened shall be retained by the attorney who files such a petition, pleading, document, or other paper for one year after the re-closing of the case.

(4) For filings initially received in paper format as allowed under FRBP 5005(a)(3), the Court will retain the original documents bearing original signatures of any paper filings where such signatures are a required verification under FRBP 1008 or an unsworn declaration as provided under 28 U.S.C. § 1746 for 6 months after the filing has been converted to an electronic image. (b) Filings by Facsimile or Email. Only with prior approval, a pleading, complaint, petition or other document to be filed with the Court may be accepted as timely filed by transmission to the Court by facsimile or email to the appropriate Court email inbox at [email protected]. The pleading, 27 Back to TOC complaint, petition or other document to be filed shall be authorized to be received for filing by a judge of this Court, the Clerk of Court, or by the Clerk’s designee.

Such authorization shall be obtained prior to the sending of the document and shall be based on a showing of time-critical need and that the filer is unable to gain access to the Court’s Electronic Case Filing System. In the event the filer is a non-attorney, discretion shall be used to determine whether to approve the receipt of the document by facsimile or email. No facsimile or emailed pleading or document shall be accepted or deemed filed without prior approval. (c) Conversion of the Faxed Document.

The pleading, complaint, petition or other document submitted by facsimile shall be converted to an electronic image by the Court and the electronic image shall be the official record of the document.