Filing Agents

What is a Filing Agent?

Some attorneys use paralegals or legal assistants to assist in filing documents in CM/ECF. Previously, there was no way to link multiple accounts to the same attorney;thereby allowing paralegals to docket on behalf of the attorney. Now, an individual employed by a registered attorney or trustee may be a filing agent.

A registered attorney user may create filing agent accounts, assigning different levels of access to each of their support staff filing documents electronically on their behalf. Once the registered CM/ECF user has designated a Filing Agent, the Filing Agent can login to CM/ECF and file documents electronically on behalf of the registered user. Such designation and use of the Filing Agent's login constitutes the attorney's signature on the electronically filed documents. Therefore, the docket text shows the attorney's name. However, the name of the Filing Agent is captured in the CM/ECF system for recording purposes.

A Filing Agent can be assigned to multiple registered users. However, please note that a filing agent is not able to view, or file, restricted or sealed documents or docket entries.

Before the filing agent may be associated with the attorney or trustee, the filing agent must have his/her own ECF filing account.

  • If the filing agent has never had an ECF filing account, the filing agent must go to www.pacer.gov, and register for a PACER account. Then go to Manage My account, click on the Maintenance tab, and select Non-Attorney E-File Registration.
  • If the filing agent has an ECF filing account, the filing agent must link his/her own upgraded PACER account to his/her ECF filing account.

The benefits of creating a Filing Agent are:

  • Registered CM/ECF users will no longer need to share their personal CM/ECF login and password with employees, or in the alternative, have duplicate CM/ECF accounts known as "x"accounts.
  • Once the filing agent is associated to the registered user's account, the filing agent will be provided with their own login and password.
  • Filing agents assigned to a registered user are able to work in CM/ECF simultaneously.
  • All transactions entered by the filing agents can be viewed by the registered user.
  • Registered users have the authority to add or disable their own Filing Agent's accounts.

Create a Filing Agent

  1. Log into the attorney's CM/ECF account and click the Utilities menu
  2. Click Maintain Your ECF Account
  3. Select More user information button
  4. Search for the filing agent first, by entering the last name of the person you wish to add, and click on the magnifying glass icon.
  5. Click Select if the Name and Address of the filing agent found is an exact match
    • If the agent cannot be found, click on the link Create a new filing agent at the bottom of the blue window
  6. Enter the Filing Agent Information
    • Be sure to create a unique login for the filing agent, using the first initial, middle initial, and last name.

      For example:Melissa Yvette Romero = myromero or Greg Smith = gsmith

    • The CM/ECF system will automatically assign a password. If you elect to change the password, ensure you follow the password requirements. After the account has been created, the filing agent's password can be changed by the attorney that created the account.
    • The filing agent will not receive a Notice of Electronic Filing. If the attorney filer would like to establish noticing for a filing agent, the attorney must modify his or her e-mail information in the "Maintain Your ECF Account,"adding the filing agent's e-mail address as a secondary e-mail address under E-mail information.
  7. Click Submit
  8. A confirmation screen appears. Click OK indicating that the filing agent has been created.
  9. To complete the addition, click on Return to Account Screen
  10. Click Submit
  11. The filing agent's access defaults to the same access as the attorney. However, the filing agent is not automatically granted access to make internet payments on behalf of the attorney. The attorney may modify the filing agent account to allow the filing agent to make internet payments or to limit access.
  12. The filing agent has been added to the filer's account and may proceed to docket. When the filing agent logs in to CM/ECF, the filer name will display below the menu bar:

Modifying a Filing Agent

  1. Click Utilities menu
  2. Click Maintain Your ECF Account
  3. The User Account Appears. Select More user information
  4. Click on filing agent name link:
  5. Filing agent information screen appears.
  6. Click Update permissions
  7. The Filing Agent Permissions screen appears
    • Internet Payment: Default is N;select Y if the filing agent will be submitting filing fee payments on behalf of the filer.
    • Groups: The default is Attorney and E-Orders Attorney

      Note:Leave default groups (e.g., Attorney and E-Orders Attorney) selected if the filing agent is to have the same filing permissions as the attorney filer and be allowed to upload proposed orders on behalf of the attorney filer.

  8. Click on Return to Account Screen
  9. Click Submit
  10. Review permissions for the filing agent. Click OK
  11. To complete the update, click on Return to Account Screen
  12. Click Submit

Change Filers

Changing Filers

When the agent is logged in on behalf of an associated filer, the name of the filer is displayed on the menu bar. If the filing agent is associated with more than one attorney or trustee, a Change user button appears on the menu bar;this button displays a list of all possible filers;clicking a name changes the user.

View Transaction Log

View All Transactions Logged by Filing Agents

The View Transaction Log displays details of all docketing transactions that have been entered in CM/ECF by the attorney or by the filing agent for a specified time period.

The report lists the attorney filer’s name and all agents associated with the attorney filer. By selecting all the names listed under User, the attorney can view all transactions entered in CM/ECF. To view activity by a specific filing agent, select the filing agent's name and click Submit.

Deactivate a Filing Agent

When a Filing Agent is no longer authorized to act on the registered attorney user's behalf, the filing agent's login and password must be deactivated by the attorney user.

  1. Click Utilities menu
  2. Click Maintain Your ECF Account
  3. The User Account Appears. Select More user information
  4. Uncheck the box next to the filing agent name
  5. Click Return to Account Screen
  6. Click Maintain User Account
  7. Click Submit
  8. Click Submit again