U.S. District Court

District of Oregon

CM/ECF User Manual

SECTION 3.0 - LOGINS, PASSWORDS AND ACCESSING CASE INFORMATION

3.1 Accessing the Oregon U.S. District Court CM/ECF Site

The CM/ECF site for the US District Court for the District of Oregon is found at: ord.uscourts.gov/ECF/CMECFHomePage.htm. A link to this page is on the court’s main Internet website: www.ord.uscourts.gov. The information on the project page is designed to assist new CM/ECF users. Links include the Attorney Registration Form, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's), the CM/ECF User Manual, and the On-line Tutorial. To access the live or test area databases, click on Go to Our CM/ECF Data. The direct location of that site is: ecf.ord.uscourts.gov. Current project news may also be displayed by the court on this page, including notices of any planned system downtime for maintenance. The two links appearing on the Go to Our CM/ECF Data page are:

(a) District of Oregon - Document Filing System:

This link will take the user to the login screen for the civil and criminal live database. (Note: to locate civil and criminal case information generally older than 1990, contact the Clerk's Office.)

(b) District of Oregon -Test System:

This link takes the user to a login screen for the test database area. This test database is used for training and for skills evaluation. Functionally, the software is identical in the live and test areas. However, the test database will not contain the same case number information existing in the live database. To find test cases to practice with, the user should select Report from the main blue tool bar and run the Civil Cases report and/or the Criminal Cases report.

3.2 Logging In

(a) RESERVED

(b) The ECF Login and PACER Screen

Registered Users may initially enter CM/ECF two ways. For electronic filing functionality or maintenance of a User Account, the user must enter the system using the court-generated CM/ECF login and password. The CM/ECF User Account contains an attorney's street address, e-mail notification information, and user login and password information. Alternatively, if the user wishes to generate reports, view a docket sheet, or query specific case information, the PACER login and password must be entered.

The client code field is an optional field provided in the Authentication box on the login screen for tracking purposes during PACER (report and query) functions. It can contain up to 32 characters. If a client code is entered for a transaction, that client code will be presented on the billing statement generated by the PACER Service Center. A client code will not appear on the bill unless it is entered at the time of transaction. Because this code feature is optional, it must be enforced within a user's office.

(c) Connecting an ECF Login with a PACER Login:

During the session, if the user deviates from either electronically filing a document or maintaining their user account (accomplished by clicking on either the Query or Report menus from the main blue tool bar), the system will prompt for a PACER issued login and password. If the user checks the box labeled "Make this my default PACER login," the system will store the PACER account information with the CM/ECF account information. All charges thereafter will be billed to that PACER account so the user will not have to enter the PACER login again. A user may remove the default association between the current PACER login and the ECF login by selecting Remove Default PACER Account on the Utilities menu. A different PACER account may be used by selecting Change Your PACER Login from the Utilities menu. This will display a PACER login screen and the new account may be used temporarily or can replace the exiting default account.

(d) Utility Menu Options:

The Utility menu contains an ECF Login link for entry of a CM/ECF court-generated login and password if the user has first entered the system using a PACER login and password and now needs electronic filing functionality or the ability to maintain a CM/ECF User Account. This link may also be used to change to a different CM/ECF Registered User. The Utility menu also contains links to Change your PACER Login and Change Client Code Field.

3.3 Login and Password Review

(a) To run reports or queries, or to view documents and docket sheets

Enter using a PACER login and password.

(b) To electronically file or maintain a User Account

Enter using a court-generated CM/ECF login and password.

(c) To view documents in Social Security cases from e-mail notifications

The user must be recognized as a Registered User and associated with the case as counsel of record before opening the document from the e-mail notification message. To accomplish this connection, the user must:

(d) To view documents in Social Security cases

The system must recognize the requestor as a Registered User and associated with the case as counsel of record before viewing the document. To accomplish this connection, the user must:

(e) To view criminal case documents filed PRIOR to November 1, 2004 from e-mail notifications

The user must be recognized as a Registered User and associated with the case as counsel of record before opening the document from the e-mail notification message. To accomplish this connection, the user must:

(f) To view criminal case documents filed AFTER November 1, 2004 from e-mail notifications

Use a PACER login and password.

(g) To view criminal case documents filed PRIOR to November 1, 2004

The system must recognize the requestor as a Registered User and associated with the case as counsel of record before viewing the document. To accomplish this connection, the user must:

(h) To view criminal case documents filed AFTER November 1, 2004 in CM/ECF

Enter CM/ECF using a PACER login and password.