Accessing the CM/ECF System
To access the database, click on the E-Filing link on either the left or bottom menus of the District of Oregon website and select CM/ECF Login.
The CM/ECF welcome screen looks like this:
Click on the "District of Oregon - Document Filing System" link to navigate to the login screen for the civil and criminal live database. (Note: The United States District Courts initiated electronic filing in 1990. More information about how to locate civil and criminal case information older than 1990 may be found in Section 12 of this manual.
Logging Into CM/ECF
The CM/ECF Login
For electronic filing, you must enter the system using your CM/ECF login and password.
The Court displays system news on this page from time to time, including notices of any planned system downtime for maintenance (see red box above).
Alternatively, if you wish only 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. If a client code is entered for a transaction, that client code will be reflected 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.
Connecting a CM/ECF Login with a PACER Login
During your session, if you deviate from electronically filing a document, the system will prompt for a PACER issued login and password. If you check 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 you will not have to enter the PACER login again. You may remove the default association between the current PACER login and the CM/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 existing default account.
Utility Menu Options
The Utility menu contains a CM/ECF Login link for entry of a CM/ECF court-generated login and password if you have first entered the system using a PACER login and password and now need electronic filing functionality or the ability to maintain your 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.
Login and Password Review
To run reports or queries, or to view documents and docket sheets:
Enter using a PACER login and password.
To electronically file or maintain a User Account:
Enter using a Court-generated CM/ECF login and password.
To view documents in Social Security cases from e-mail notifications:
You must be recognized as a Registered User and associated with the case as counsel or party of record before opening the document from the e-mail notification message. To accomplish this connection, you must:
- Open a second browser window BEFORE clicking on the hyperlinks within the e-mail notification;
- Enter the system via the second window using the Court-generated CM/ECF login and password; then
- Click back into the e-mail notification window; and
- Click on the hyperlinks (using the PACER login and password) to view the electronically filed document. Silently, the system will now recognize you as a Registered User and will check your association in the target case.
To view documents in Social Security cases:
The system must recognize the requestor as a Registered User and associated with the case before viewing the document. To accomplish this connection, you must:
- Initially enter using a Court-generated CM/ECF login and password; then,
- Click on Reports or Queries.
If you have established a PACER default login, the PACER login screen will appear. You should then enter a PACER login and password, and navigate to the document for viewing.
If you have established a default PACER login with your CM/ECF User Account, the documents will be displayed.
To view criminal case documents filed PRIOR to November 1, 2004, from e-mail notifications:
You must be recognized as a Registered User and associated with the case before opening the document from the e-mail notification message. To accomplish this connection, you must:
- Open a second browser window BEFORE clicking on the hyperlinks within the e-mail notification;
- Enter CM/ECF via the second window using the Court-generated CM/ECF login and password; then
- Click back into the e-mail notification window; and
- Click on the hyperlinks (using the PACER login and password) to view the electronically filed document. Silently, the system will now recognize the requestor as a Registered User and will check your association in the target case.