Documents filed on the courts CM/ECF electronic filing system must be converted directly to PDF. Documents should not be scanned unless they require an original signature or where the original itself is in paper format. More...

Netscape Navigator Browser Will No Longer Be Supported
AOL's support for its Netscape Navigator web browser will end on March 1, 2008.  To avoid potential security risks, public users should move to a current version of Internet Explorer or Firefox (both of which are available for free download from the respective vendor’s website) for browsing the web and for accessing the court's PACER / CM/ECF system.

The Northern District of Ohio Electronic Filing Policies and Procedures Manual has been revised (see Section 15, pp. 6-7) to increase the file size of documents that are permitted to be filed electronically from 1.5 megabytes to 5.0 megabytes. The increase in size of the documents permitted to be filed electronically reflects both an increase in CM/ECF system storage capability as well as the fact that most users now file and retrieve documents over broadband internet connections rather than through dial-up services as was often done when electronic filing originated over a decade ago. More...

CM/ECF upgrade to V3.0. More...

Warning to Microsoft Windows Vista Users Using IE 7
Some Microsoft Vista users using IE 7 at other Courts have reported having issues with pay.gov. A workaround that has worked for them has been to go to internet options and the advanced tab, check "Disable Phishing Filter", uncheck "Warn About Certificate Mismatch", and uncheck "Warn if changing between secure and not secure mode".

New Electronic Public Access (EPA) Fee Schedule will be effective September 18, 2007.  More...

On Monday, May 1, 2006, the Court began accepting credit card payments over the internet for Notices of Appeal and Pro Hac Vice Motions.   More..., Instructions

A new TIP document is available to help users maintain their CM/ECF account with current email information. More...

Effective January 1, 2006, all attorneys are required to file electronically More...

Obtaining PDF Conversion Software
Documents must be converted to PDF (portable document format) before they can be filed electronically into CM/ECF. Law firms typically use Adobe Acrobat software to convert documents to PDF, although PDF conversion software is also available from other companies. If you are considering purchasing an Adobe product, please note that you do not need Adobe Acrobat Professional to convert documents to PDF. Adobe Acrobat Standard Edition will also do the job at a significant savings in cost. It might also pay to shop around to obtain the best price. While you can purchase directly from Adobe online, you can often obtain a better price for the same product from other online vendors or retail outlets. We’ve also heard that software products made by other firms can also convert documents to PDF, although we have no experience with them. In addition, we understand that recent versions of Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect can convert documents created with those word processors directly to PDF without Acrobat software, although we’ve been told that those products may have more difficulty effectively converting complex documents and the documents that are created may end up with a larger file size resulting in an increase in time needed to transfer the documents. In addition, you may wish to investigate whether these other software products can effectively convert scanned documents, such as exhibits, that you may not have created in your own word processor, but which will still need to be converted to PDF before being filed electronically.

The Electronic FIling System pioneered in the Northern District of Ohio is now used throughout the federal judiciary. The largest project ever undertaken by the federal judiciary -- CM/ECF -- is about to be completed. Ten years ago, the AO, working with the Northern District of Ohio, delivered the judiciary's first Internet electronic filing system. More...

Obtaining ECF access is an easy two step process: 1.) Register here for instant access to court records via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), 2.) Register here for a Criminal / Civil CM/ECF user i.d. and password

NOTE: Instructions to Adobe 6.0 users:
The Court is now using Adobe Acrobat Version 8.0 to create PDF documents posted to CM/ECF. If you are unable to view a particular PDF document, you may need to download the most current Acrobat Reader.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO AOL USERS:
When you upgrade to AOL version 9.0, the AOL installation routine may reset your Anti-Spam preferences, which may prevent you from receiving notices of electronic filing and other ECF-related e-mails from the Court. CM/ECF users who use (or plan to upgrade to) AOL 9.0 should verify that ohndecf@ohnd.uscourts.gov is listed in your AOL address book, so that ECF-related e-mails are not blocked from reaching your AOL account. Also note, however, that you should never send e-mail to ohndecf@ohnd.uscourts.gov since the Court does not accept e-mail sent to that account.

Attention Maritime Asbestos Litigation Attorneys: Beginning January 1, 2003, all newly filed cases in the maritime asbestos litigation will be entered into the Court's CM/ECF Electronic Filing System, rather than into the original ECF Maritime Asbestos System. In addition the Court plans to move, as time permits, documents from the older maritime system into CM/ECF in order to improve access to the documents in those cases. For full details click here.

PDF documents require Acrobat Reader  Download free here