Articles

Jurisdiction (Section II):

Step	Screen
There are 4 options, corresponding with section II of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
U.S. Government Plaintiff U.S. Government Defendant Federal Question Diversity
NOTE: If Diversity is selected as the jurisdiction, you will be required to complete the citizenship fields for both the plaintiff and defendant located in the center of the screen. This information is located in section III of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44). Please refer to the Citizenship section below for further instruction.

Citizenship (Section III):

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This information is located in section III of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
These fields should only be populated if 4 (Diversity) was selected in the jurisdiction field.

Nature of Suit (NOS) Codes (Section IV):

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This information is located in section IV of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
The drop-down menu includes all NOS codes listed on the Civil Cover Sheet. There are two options to locate the correct NOS code. You may use the drop-down menu to see a full list of all available NOS codes, or you may type the 3 digit NOS code in the filter field.

Origin (Section V):

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This information is located in section V of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
The drop-down menu includes all origin options listed on the Civil Cover Sheet. Only option one and two should be selected, depending on the type of case being opened. The other options are reserved for use by court staff.
Original Proceeding: This is the correct selection for any new civil case that is not a notice of removal.
Removal from State Court: This is the correct selection for a notice of removal.

Cause of Action (Section VI):

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This information is located in section VI of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
There are multiple options in the drop-down menu.
There are two options to locate the correct cause of action. You may use the drop-down menu to see a full list of all available causes of action, or you may begin typing in the filter field.
If you type in the filter field CM/ECF will narrow the search based upon the information entered. You may also use the drop-down menu after narrowing your search for a narrowed list of causes of action.

Jury Demand (Section VII):

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This information is located in section VII of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
Enter the party or parties requesting a jury trial.
REMEMBER: If you are requesting a Jury Demand in your case, you must also include the words DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL in your Complaint or Notice of Removal. See LR 38 for more information.

Demand (Section VII):

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This information is located in section VII of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
Enter the dollar amount demanded in this field. The dollar amount should be entered in thousands of dollars. For example, a demand of $250,000 should be entered as 250.

Class Action (Section VII):

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This information is located in section VII of the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44).
Select y (Class Action Alleged) if your complaint includes a class action allegation. The Class action box defaults to n (No Class Action Alleged).
REMEMBER: If you are alleging a class action in your case, you must also include the words CLASS ACTION ALLEGATION in your Complaint or Notice of Removal. See LR 23 for more information.

Arbitration Code:

County:

Step	Screen
Select the appropriate county.
NOTE: Selection of the appropriate county is determined by the type of filing. When filing a Complaint or Petition, the county should correspond to the location in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred or a substantial part of the property that is the subject of the action is situated. When filing a Notice of Removal, select the county where the originating complaint was filed.

Fee Status:

There are five selections, but only pend (IFP pending) and pd (paid) typically apply in civil cases at the time of filing.

1. pend (IFP pending) – Select this option if you intend to file an application to proceed in forma pauperis with this case.
2. due (due) – Do not use.
3. fp (in forma pauperis) – Do not use.
4. none (no fee required) – for attorney use.
5. pd (paid) – Select this option if you intend to pay the filing fee during docketing of the complaint or notice of removal.
6. wv (waived) – for US Attorney use.

Fee Date:

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This selection defaults to today’s date. Do not modify this date.

Date Transfer:

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This selection should be left blank even if you are filing a Notice of Removal.

Completing the Case Opening Process:

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REMEMBER: IT IS IMPORTANT to review this information prior to selecting Next to ensure all information has been entered correctly. You will have no further opportunity to modify this information. Select the Next button after case opening information has been entered in all required fields.

Adding Parties:

After all necessary data has been entered, the parties must be entered into CM/ECF to complete the case opening process. This is done via the participant tree, which divides the screen in half. The right side of the screen is used to add parties while the left side shows parties which have already been added.

To add a party:

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NOTE: DO NOT click the back button on your browser while adding parties or you will lose all the party information that has been entered.
Type the last name of the individual or the full name of the corporate entity into the Last/Business Name field. You must type a minimum of three letters to begin your search.
Click the Search button. Scroll through the search results to find the party you wish to add. Click on the name to highlight the party and use the Select Party button to add them to the left side of the participant tree.
NOTE: If the name of your party does not appear in the search results, you may click Create New Party to add a new name. DO NOT create a new party if any name in the list matches the name of the party for which you are searching.

Party information screen:

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After a name is selected from the search results or a new party is created, the party information screen appears. This screen is used to select the role type of the party being added. It is very important to select the correct role type on this screen from the drop-down menu.* The role types are listed in alphabetical order and the default selection is Amicus. A complete list of role types is below.
*NOTE: When filing a petition, the correct role types are Petitioner and Respondent.
Amicus Appellant Appellee Arbitrator Claimant Consol Claimant Consol Counter Claimant Consol Counter Defendant Consol Cross Claimant Consol Cross Defendant Consol Defendant Consol Plaintiff Consol Third Party Defendant Counter Claimant Counter Defendant Creditor Cross Claimant Cross Defendant Custodian Debtor Debtor-in-Possession Defendant Fourth Party Defendant Fourth Party Plaintiff Garnishee In Re Interested Non-Party Interested Party Interpleader Intervenor Intervenor Defendant Intervenor Plaintiff Material Witness Mediator Movant Notice Party Objector Petitioner Plaintiff Receiver Respondent Special Master Taxpayer Third Party Defendant Third Party Plaintiff Trustee
The Title field may be used for designations and their abbreviations, including Officer, Sergeant, Executor, and Doctor. Refer to Section 15 of the CM/ECF User Manual for additional information.
The Pro se box defaults to No and should not be modified. This status is updated when the party makes an appearance.
The Start date defaults to the date the party is being added to the case. Do not modify this field.
The Notice drop-down defaults to yes. Do not modify this field.
The Party text field is used to include additional information, including phrases like Individually or in their official capacity, or Incorporated in the State of Delaware. Refer to Section 15 of the CM/ECF User Manual for additional information.
DO NOT add address or e-mail information for parties. This information will be added when the party makes an appearance in the case.
NOTE: Refer to Section 16 of the CM/ECF User Manual for information about naming conventions and entry of additional information in text fields.

Completion of Party Information Entry:

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Click the Add Party button after entry of the necessary information.
This adds the party to the participant tree on the left side of the screen, indicating that the party is now a case participant.
Click the Add New Party button to add each new party to the case.

Participant tree icons:

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The participant tree has icons available to add additional information for each party.
The icons are defined as follows:
	Delete this party from this case.
	Add new alias, corporate parent, or attorney.
	Copy attorney(s) from other parties in the case to this party.
	Edit the party, alias, corporate parent, or attorney.
	Change the name of the party.
NOTE: The + and – icons located next to each participant name expand or collapse the information available.

Adding an alias:

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Click on the add person icon next to Alias in the participant tree.
Type the last name of the individual or the full name of the corporate entity into the Last/Business Name field. You must type a minimum of three letters to begin your search. Click the Search button. Scroll through the search results to find the party you wish to add.
Click on the name to highlight the party and click the Select Alias button.
NOTE: If the name of your party does not appear in the search results, you may click the Create New Alias Button to add a new name. DO NOT create a new party if any name in the list matches the name of the party for which you are searching.
You must select an alias type* then click the Add Alias button.
*This is the complete list of all available alias translations in CM/ECF.	agent = agent of aka = also known as dba = doing business as fdba = formerly doing business as fka = formerly known as nee = born obo = on behalf of rpi = real party in interest ta = trading as
The alias is added to the participant tree.

Adding a corporate parent or other affiliate:

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Click on the add person icon next to Corporate Parent in the participant tree.
Type the name of a corporate entity into the Last/Business Name field. You must type a minimum of three letters to begin your search. Click the Search button. Scroll through the search results to find the party you wish to add.
Click on the name to highlight the party and click the Select Corporate Parent button.
NOTE: If the name of your party does not appear in the search results, you may click the Create New Corporate Parent Button to add a new name. DO NOT create a new party if any name in the list matches the name of the party for which you are searching.
You must select a corporate parent type from one of the two selections: (1) Corporate Parent or (2) Other Affiliate. Corporate Parent is the most common selection.
After selecting the correct corporate parent type, click the Add Corporate Parent button.
The corporate parent is added to the participant tree.
REMEMBER: You are also required to file a Corporate Disclosure Statement which provides the above information.

Adding an attorney:

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NOTE: When filing a Complaint, add yourself and any additional attorneys from your firm as counsel for the plaintiff. Even if you know the name of defendant’s counsel, do not enter counsel information. Defendant’s counsel must make an appearance to be added as counsel of record. When filing a Notice of Removal, add all counsel of record as they appear in the state court case.
Click on the add person icon next to Attorney in the participant tree.
To search for an attorney, enter the Oregon Bar ID or the last name of the attorney into the Last/Business Name field. You must type a minimum of three letters to begin your search. Click the Search button. Scroll through the search results to find the attorney you wish to add.
NOTE: If the name of the attorney you are searching for does not appear in the search results, DO NOT create a new attorney. Contact an attorney admissions clerk and they will determine if the attorney may be added.
Click on the name to highlight the attorney and click the Select Attorney button.
The attorney information screen appears. Review the attorney information to ensure that the correct attorney is being added then click the Add Attorney button.
NOTE: DO NOT make changes to an attorney’s account on this screen. Changes to these fields should only be made by the registered user from the Maintain User Account section.
The attorney is added to the participant tree. Repeat this process to add additional attorneys for case participants as necessary.

Copying an attorney:

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Use the copy icon to add a previously added attorney to another case participant.
Clicking the copy icon will show a list of previously added attorneys. Select the attorney you wish to associate with the new party by checking the box next to their name then click the Copy Attorneys button.
If there are multiple attorneys to associate with the new party, you may check the box for each attorney and then click the Copy Attorneys button.
NOTE: In new civil cases, DO NOT add attorneys for defendants. In removal cases, all attorneys who have made an appearance in state court may be added.

Create Case:

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After all the case participant information has been entered, click Create Case.
A confirmation message will appear in the center of your screen. If you have not completed adding all parties, click No and you will be returned to the add new party screen. Otherwise click Yes to continue.
The next screen will indicate the assigned case number. If you are ready to file a civil complaint or notice of removal, click Docket Lead Event.
NOTE: The case is not opened until the Complaint, Petition, or Notice of Removal has been docketed and the filing fee has been paid, unless you are exempted from the fee.

Filing the Complaint

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Click on Docket Lead Event.
Select the appropriate lead event from the list. For a new civil case the most common events are Complaint and Complaint – Social Security.
The filter field can be used to narrow your selections. Begin typing the first few letters and CM/ECF will narrow the selections to include only those that match your entry.
Click on Complaint, which will move it to the Selected Events box. Click Next to continue.
NOTE: CM/ECF allows multiple events to be selected on this screen. Make sure that only the event you intended to select appears in the selected events window prior to clicking the Next button.
A screen will appear displaying the civil case number. Click Next to continue. NOTE: The case number field is automatically populated with the case number of the just-opened case.

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Choose a filer from the Select the Filer screen which lists all parties entered in the case. Click on the filing party to highlight it.
NOTE: If you notice that a party is missing or you are unable to locate the filer you represent, you may click New Filer to add a new participant to this list. Refer to the Adding Parties section of the User Manual for instructions on adding a new participant.
If there is more than one filer, press and hold the control key while clicking on each party you wish to add. This will highlight multiple parties. Click Next to continue.
The next screen creates an association between the attorney and the parties selected as filers on the previous screen. The screen only appears the first time an attorney files on behalf of a party. If you had previously added yourself as an attorney for the filing party, this screen will not appear. Check the individual boxes or the Select All box as appropriate, then click the Next button.

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The next screen is the document attachment screen.
REMINDER: Pursuant to LR 100-2, all pleadings and documents, including attachments and exhibits, must be filed as text searchable PDF files unless otherwise directed by the Court.
The main document should be the Complaint. Click on the Choose File button to locate the complaint for attachment.
A new window will open. Locate your complaint or other document in the location where it has been saved.
Prior to attachment, it is recommended that the PDF be reviewed to ensure it is accurate and is the correct attachment. This can be done by right clicking on the PDF and selecting the Open option. The PDF will open on your screen for review. After confirming the PDF is correct, click the X in the upper right corner of the PDF to close it.
Make sure the correct document is highlighted and then click the Open button in CM/ECF to continue with document attachment.
Attachments should also be uploaded at this time. Click the Choose File button to locate and confirm your attachment as indicated above.
Each attachment must be labeled with a Category from the drop-down menu or a Description in the free text field. It is not necessary to enter both a Category and Description.
The first attachment(s) should be any exhibit(s) to the complaint. The next attachment should be the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44) followed by individual summons(es) for issuance. Multiple summons(es) may be attached as a single PDF document. Civil Cover Sheet and Summons are selections available in the Category drop-down menu.
NOTE: Attaching a PDF to the Attachment 1 option causes the Attachment 2 option to appear. Repeat the attachment process as needed to attach all necessary documents.
When all documents have been added, click Next to continue.

Paying Filing Fees:

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The next screen presents 3 questions to determine the status of any filing fees.
These selections indicate exemption or waiver of the filing fee and will allow you to proceed without payment of fees through Pay.gov. If you select either of these options, please proceed to the Party this Filing is Against section below.
This selection initiates the online payment process through Pay.gov.
The next screen verifies the filing fee. Click Next to continue to the Pay.gov processing screens.
There are two screens presented during the Pay.gov transaction process. The top right corner indicates which screen you are currently on. All fields with asterisks are required.
The second screen is the payment confirmation screen. If you need to modify any of the information select the Edit this information link at the top of the screen. CAUTION: IF YOU click the back button on your browser, you will be required to restart the docketing process from the beginning, and it may also result in duplicate billing of the filing fee.
An e-mail confirmation of your payment may be requested by populating these fields. Any e-mail address may be entered, not just the e-mail address of the filer. Multiple e-mail addresses may be entered, and each e-mail should be separated by a comma.
The final step is payment authorization. Check the agreement box and then click the Submit Payment button to complete the Pay.gov transaction.
NOTE: Once you click Submit Payment the filing fee has been paid. DO NOT click the back button on your browser or click the Submit Payment button more than once, as these actions will cause the filing fee to be charged a second time.

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The following screen will ask you to confirm your jury demand. Make the appropriate selection from the drop-down menu and click Next.
The next screen confirms your jury demand and populates docket text. Select the appropriate answer and click Next.

Temporary Restraining Order/Preliminary Injunction:

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The next screen asks if your filing is accompanied by a request for temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction. Make the appropriate selection and click Next.
NOTE: Certain case types and cases seeking a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction will not be assigned to a judicial officer during the docketing process. You will see a warning message during docketing if you select Yes to the above question. The Clerk’s Office will assign a judge to these matters, and you will be notified as soon as possible.

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The next screen asks you to select the party that this filing is against. Click on the correct party, or click the All Defendants radio button to simplify the selection. Click the Next button to continue.

Final Steps:

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The final warning screen will appear.
This is the last chance to insert further text into the display field or to make a selection from the drop-down menu.
If you have additional text to add, enter it in the display field. Otherwise, click the Next button.
This is the final warning screen, which displays the full docket text of the event. Click Next to file the documents. There will be no further opportunity to modify this docket entry and it will immediately post to the CM/ECF system.
A Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) will be generated by the CM/ECF system for the docket entry.

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After conclusion of the case opening process, click on Docket Lead Event.
Select the appropriate lead event from the list. For a new removal, the correct event is Notice of Removal.
The filter field can be used to narrow your selections. Begin typing the first few letters and CM/ECF will narrow the selections to include only those that match your entry.
Clicking on the Notice of Removal event will move it to the Selected Events box. Click Next to continue.
NOTE: CM/ECF allows multiple events to be selected on this screen. Make sure that only the event you intended to select appears in the selected events window prior to clicking the Next button.
A screen will appear displaying the civil case number. Click Next to continue. NOTE: The case number field is automatically populated with the case number of the just-opened case.

Selecting a Filer:

Step	Screen
Choose a filer from the Select the Filer screen which lists all parties entered in the case. Click on the filing party to highlight it.
NOTE: If you notice that a party is missing or you are unable to locate the filer you represent, you may click New Filer to add a new participant to this list. Refer to the Adding Parties section of the User Manual for instructions on adding a new participant.
If there is more than one filer, press and hold the control key while clicking on each party you wish to add. This will highlight multiple parties. Click Next to continue.
The next screen creates an association between the attorney and the parties selected as filers on the previous screen. The screen only appears the first time an attorney files on behalf of a party. If you previously added yourself as an attorney for the filing party, this screen will not appear. Leave all boxes checked and click the Next button.

Uploading Documents:

Step	Screen
The next screen is the document attachment screen.
REMINDER: Pursuant to LR 100-2, all pleadings and documents, including attachments and exhibits, must be filed as text searchable PDF files unless otherwise directed by the Court.
The main document should be the Notice of Removal. Click on the Choose File button to locate the notice of removal for attachment.
A new window will open. Locate your notice of removal or other document in the location where it has been saved.
Prior to attachment, it is recommended that the PDF be reviewed to ensure it is accurate and is the correct attachment. This can be done by right clicking on the PDF and selecting the Open option. The PDF will open on your screen for review. After confirming the PDF is correct, click the X in the upper right corner of the PDF to close it.
Make sure the correct document is highlighted and then click the Open button in CM/ECF to continue with document attachment.
Attachments should also be uploaded at this time. Click the Choose File button to locate and confirm your attachment as indicated above.
Each attachment must be labeled with a Category from the drop-down menu or a Description in the free text field. It is not necessary to enter both a Category and Description.
The first attachment(s) should be any exhibit(s) to the notice of removal, including the required state court pleadings. The next attachment should be the Civil Cover Sheet (JS44). Civil Cover Sheet is an available selection in the Category drop-down menu.
NOTE: Attaching a PDF to the Attachment 1 option causes the Attachment 2 option to appear. Repeat the attachment process as needed to attach all necessary documents.
When all documents have been added, click Next to continue.

Paying Filing Fees:

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The next screen presents 3 questions to determine the status of any filing fees.
These selections indicate exemption or waiver of the filing fee and will allow you to proceed without payment of fees through Pay.gov. If you select either of these options please proceed to the Party this Filing is Against section below.
This selection initiates the online payment process through Pay.gov.
The next screen verifies the filing fee. Click Next to continue to the Pay.gov processing screens.
There are two screens presented during the Pay.gov transaction process. The top right corner indicates which screen you are currently on. All fields with asterisks are required.
The second screen is the payment confirmation screen. If you need to modify any of the information select the Edit this information link at the top of the screen. CAUTION: IF YOU click the back button on your browser, you will be required to restart the docketing process from the beginning, and it may also result in duplicate billing of the filing fee.
An e-mail confirmation of your payment may be requested by populating these fields. Any e-mail address may be entered, not just the e-mail address of the filer. Multiple e-mail addresses may be entered, and each e-mail should be separated by a comma.
The final step is payment authorization. Check the agreement box and then click the Submit Payment button to complete the Pay.gov transaction.
NOTE:Once you click Submit Payment the filing fee has been paid. DO NOT click the back button on your browser or click the Submit Payment button more than once, as these actions will cause the filing fee to be charged a second time.

Add State Court Information:

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Enter the information regarding the state court case as requested in the free text fields.
NOTE: The naming convention for Oregon State Courts is the name of the county followed by the words County Circuit Court, i.e. Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Click Next to continue.

Jury Demand:

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The next screen contains information regarding the jury demand. Click the Next button after reviewing the information.
The following screen will ask you to confirm your jury demand. Make the appropriate selection from the drop-down menu and click Next.
REMEMBER: If you are requesting a Jury Demand in your case, you must also include the words DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL in your Complaint or Notice of Removal. See LR 38 for more information.

Temporary Restraining Order or Preliminary Injunction:

Step	Screen
The next screen asks if your filing is accompanied by a request for temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction. Make the appropriate selection and click Next.
NOTE: Certain case types and cases seeking a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction will not be assigned to a judicial officer during the docketing process, and you will see a warning message during docketing if you select Yes to above question. The Clerk’s Office will assign a judge to these matters as soon as possible. You will be notified when a judicial officer has been assigned.

Party this Filing is Against:

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The next screen displays an informational message* and asks you to select the party that this filing is against. Click the All Defendants radio button. Click the Next button to continue.
*NOTE: When a Notice of Removal is filed, the parties retain their status from state court. For example, a defendant in state court remains a defendant in federal court, and a plaintiff in state court remains a plaintiff in federal court.

Final Steps:

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The final warning screen will appear.
This is the last chance to insert further text into the display field or to make a selection from the drop-down menu.
If you have additional text to add, enter it in the display field. Otherwise, click the Next button.
This is the final warning screen, which displays the full docket text of the event. Click Next to file the documents. There will be no further opportunity to modify this docket entry and it will immediately post to the CM/ECF system.
A Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) will be generated by the CM/ECF system for the docket entry.