Technology Tips for CM/ECF
Greetings from the WDNC Bankruptcy Administrator’s Office. We are back to share some more helpful technology tips for using Case Management/Electronic Case Files (“CM/ECF”).
I. Generate a list of all open cases in which you have made an appearance.
Did you know that you can do a search on CM/ECF for cases in which you are involved in any district? Once you are logged into CM/ECF for the applicable court, click on “Query.” In the Search Clues, you will enter your last name and first name in the respective boxes. In the box for Type, click the drop-down arrow and select “Attorney.” Next, click the box for Open cases so that you are not getting a return of every case you ever filed. Lastly, click “Run Query.”
One note of warning: the per-page charge is not capped at 30 pages.
You can also run a similar query on PACER by court or nationwide.
Navigate to the PACER Case Locator and log in with you PACER account. Choose “Search for a Case” and, depending on your preference, choose either “Search by Specific Court” or “Search by National Index.” Select “Find Parties” and add your name as the party and select “aty” from the Party Role menu.
A nationwide search can be helpful if you are updating your resume, changing firms, or applying to be certified as a specialist in bankruptcy law.
II. Create a bookmark to CM/ECF of your favorite case.
Would it help you to bookmark a favorite case docket for easy access? Any case can be bookmarked, but the method to do so is less than intuitive.
You cannot bookmark the docket page itself – if you try to reuse the link, you will receive an error indicating you have made an “Incomplete Request.”
Instead, take these steps:
- While logged into CM/ECF for any district, choose the query menu and search by debtor name (not case number) and click “Run Query.”
- From the next page (“Select a Case”), click on the appropriate hyperlink for your case.
- On the following page, you should select the “Docket Report” link, which then directs you to a page that looks like the image below.
- The website for this page is a unique, static link for THAT case: https://ecf._____.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/DktRpt.pl?_________. The final numbers appearing in this link reflect the unique tag assigned to this file in the CM/ECF database (which is not the case number). This webpage (the one that appears before you select “Run Report”) can be bookmarked for easy repeat access.
III. Create a database of the claims register.
Need to perform a claims analysis in a case? Export it to Excel (or comparable spreadsheet application) where it can be sorted, filtered, and summed.
From CM/ECF, select the Claims Register from the Report menu and enter the appropriate case number. Before you select “Run Report,” choose the option to “View claims summary report.”
The next screen will display a data table like the one below:
Next, highlight all cells of the table, copy, and paste into excel (always select cell A1 before pasting).
The links in column A will open directly to the filed proof of claim, but they will only work while your current CM/ECF session remains active. The links in column E show the address for the creditor from the proof of claim form.
The amounts in column B are recognized by Excel as text, instead of currency, and formulas will not work without some tweaks. Three spaces follow each number and need to be removed. You can do so manually for a short claim register, or you can use Excel’s “Find and Replace” function. Click the space bar three times in the Search bar (to search for a text string of 3 spaces) and put *nothing* in the Replace bar and select “Replace All.” By doing so, you will remove these unnecessary spaces, and Excel will automatically recognize the numbers shown in Column B as currency. You can then use Excel’s formula functions to total the claims filed in the case.
Pro tip for chapter 11 debtor attorneys: Check your case filing software to determine whether it will export Schedules D, E, and F to Excel. By doing so, you can integrate the schedules with the Excel file you just created of the claims register, allowing you to perform a complete claims reconciliation of all scheduled and filed claims in the case. You can also copy and paste sections of your Excel table directly into a Word document to create an exhibit for a claim objection.
IV. Get CM/ECF alerts for a case without making an appearance.
Want to follow a case but stay incognito? You can receive CM/ECF notice emails in an additional case added to your CM/ECF account.
Under the Utilities menu in CM/ECF, select “Account Maintenance,” and, at the bottom of the next screen, select “Email information.”
As shown on the screen below, add the case numbers for the additional case(s) you wish to follow in the field next to “Send notices in these additional cases,” separated by a semicolon. To save, select “Return to Account screen” and then select “Submit” to complete the changes.
You will receive a bcc copy of the CM/ECF notices sent in the same manner you receive your CM/ECF notices.
V. Send a copy of your CM/ECF emails to your staff member.
Have a trusty sidekick at the office? CM/ECF can send them a copy of your CM/ECF emails so that you both can get a free first look!
Under the Utilities menu in CM/ECF, select “Account Maintenance,” and, at the bottom of the next screen, select “Email information.”
As shown on the screen below, add the email address(es) for your staff member(s) in both fields for “Secondary email address,” separating email addresses with a semicolon. Turn on the radio button next to “to the secondary addresses.” To save, select “Return to Account screen,” and then select “Submit” to complete the changes.
Your colleague will receive a bcc copy of your CM/ECF notices sent in the same manner you receive your CM/ECF notices. There is no option to limit to a specific case or cases – only all or nothing.
VI. How To Access Audio Files
Have you opened a CM/ECF docket item for an audio file of a Courtroom Recording but had trouble figuring out how to play the audio? Your best bet is to download the file and open it with Adobe (your browser may be set to open PDFs inside the browser, so you will need to download the PDF to open it inside the Adobe program). Click on the paperclip icon to display the attachments, and double-click the mp3 file to play, which will open the audio file in your default audio player. This can be a great resource when preparing orders or preparing for a subsequent hearing.
VII. Generate a current service list for a case-wide notice.
When giving notice of a plan, motion, or application requiring case-wide notice, it is important to include the addresses of creditors reflected on the filed proofs of claim and on any requests for notice filed pursuant to FRBP 2002. Rather than reviewing the entire docket and claims register for this information, you can use CM/ECF to generate a current version of the matrix which will capture all addresses from the original matrix, proofs of claim, and FRBP 2002 requests.
Under the Utilities menu in CM/ECF, choose Mailing and then “List of Creditors.” On the next page, enter your case number and select “All” under the mailing group menu. Choose the “3 columns” format and select “Run Report.” Much like the audio files, you may need to download this document before printing if your browser is set to automatically open PDFs inside the browser instead of in Adobe or another PDF viewer. The labels can be printed on Avery 5660 address labels, which are size 1” x 2 5/8’.
If you need to perform more complicated tasks using a Word mail merge, you may choose raw data format. This will generate a pipe-delimited .txt file, which can be pasted into Excel and separated into columns using the “Text to Columns” function.
VIII. Properly Redact Your PDF
Back in the day, all you needed was a Sharpie pen to draw a black box over redacted text. Not so with digital files! Proper redaction is very important when filing a document electronically to avoid sharing sensitive, confidential, or personally identifying information.
It is insufficient to draw a black box on top of the text you want to redact. If downloaded, the box may be moved, revealing the text you intended to redact. Instead, use software with a redaction function. While other software is available, Adobe Acrobat works well and simply. (Note – redaction is not available in the free Acrobat Reader software.)
Open the document in which you need to redact text in Adobe. Go to the “Tools” menu, then select “Redact.” A new toolbar will appear at the top of the application. Select “Mark for Redaction” and select “Text & Images,” and a new pop-up will explain the following steps. Highlight the text for redaction, and a red box will appear surrounding the text. Repeat this step multiple times if there are multiple places containing text needing redaction. Once complete, click “Apply” from the toolbar – you will be prompted to confirm you wish to continue – and click “OK.” You may repeat this step as many times as necessary.
If you need to redact the same text in multiple places, you can instead select “Mark for Redaction and then select “Find Text.” This will open a new window that includes a search box, in which you can search for the SSN, bank account number, or name you need to redact. Click “Search & Remove Text” and you will receive a list of all places where the searched text appears – click on “Check All,” or, if appropriate, those individual radio boxes needing redaction. Then click “Mark Checked Results for Redaction.” This will add the red box indicating the text to be redacted. Click “Apply” from the toolbar – you will be prompted to confirm you wish to continue – and click “OK.” You may repeat this step as many times as necessary.
Using either method, Adobe will create a new file when you click “apply” that uses the original file name and adds “_Redacted” at the end of the file name. Your file is now properly redacted and ready for filing. Be sure to select the redacted file when uploading!