Yes, breaks are given. There are several restaurants within walking distance of the courthouse. The Miami cafeterias are as follows:

• Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse - Constitution Cafe (786-431-1013);
• James Lawrence King Federal Justice Building - Michelle’s Cafe (305-577-3339).

Vending machines are located in the courthouse and Jurors are also welcome to bring their own lunch.

Yes, there are limits to CM/ECF filing privileges. These limits generally include the requirement that users must be registered and approved to file electronically, and their registration can be revoked for various reasons, including misconduct. Passwords are provided to enable CM/ECF electronic filing and data entry. Additionally, extracting data from CM/ECF using any unauthorized program, script, or method is strictly prohibited and could result in criminal prosecution or civil lawsuits.

Yes, CM/ECF and PACER require separate logins and passwords. Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, which means you must link your CM/ECF and PACER accounts. Once your accounts are linked, you can use your PACER login for both systems. This means that after linking your filing credentials, you will only need to use your PACER account credentials to file documents and view case information in this court.

Note: Your CM/ECF login for the Florida Southern District Court cannot be used to access the Bankruptcy Court’s CM/ECF system. Contact the Bankruptcy Court at 305-714-1800 for assistance with a Bankruptcy login/password

For information on a where a defendant that is in federal custody is located, please go to www.bop.gov for inmate location information. Please have their name, date of birth and/or prisoner number ready. Once you find the location, there will be a link to that federal detention facility with information on visiting hours, visiting regulations and contact information for the prison.

Only the designated local counsel can electronically file the motion in CM/ECF. However,
Section 3C of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures, allows the designated local counsel to
“authorize” an employee of his/her office to use their password, but local counsel is ultimately
“responsible for all documents filed with their passwords, whether by Users or any other
person.”

No, only authorized attorneys who are admitted to the Southern District of Florida Court bar and have completed the required CM/ECF training may gain access to the filing section of CM/ECF to file documents.

Prospective jurors and seated jurors and witnesses with subpoenas shall be permitted to bring in their cellular phones (with or without their integrated cameras) and electronic book readers of any kind, including but not limited to Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and any type of electronic tablet reading device.

No. Rule 4(b)(1) of the Rules Governing the Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline
of Attorneys prohibits attorneys seeking admission pro hac vice while also being admitted
to practice in the Southern District of Florida. Furthermore, Rule 3 indicates that
“Attorneys who are not in good standing of the bar of this Court may not practice before the Court.”

If you practice in Districts that have all upgraded to CM/ECF NextGen, you can link your logins to your PACER account.  This will allow you to file in those Districts with only your PACER login.  Please visit https://pacer.uscourts.gov/help/faqs/nextgen-cm-ecf for more information. 

No, you cannot show up for a class without registering. If your name is not on the class roster, a CM/ECF
Username and Password will not be generated. Please note that the court is not currently offering in-
person or law firm training.

The CM/ECF attorney training course is available exclusively online. To access the online training, visit
https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-training-registration. Then, go to the “Online Based Attorney
Training” section, or you may register by CLICKING HERE. The system will guide you through the
registration and training process.

Click here for the CM/ECF NextGen Administrative Procedures and CM/ECF Electronic New Civil Case
Opening Manual which are available for download on the website. Once you receive your login and
password, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the CM/ECF system by reviewing
the materials provided on the website.

If you have any CM/ECF-related questions, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for
assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
Federal Holidays.

For any PACER-related inquiries, please reach out to the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856 or send
an email to pacer@psc.uscourts.gov.

Yes, access your email information located within Utilities/Maintain Your Account section. Click on either 'Add New Email Address' or select a secondary email address to modify. In the Configuration Options section select “no” on the question that reads “Should this e-mail address receive notice for all cases in which this individual is a participant?” Hold the CRTL key and click on the case(s) you want to remove from the noticing list, and then click 'Remove selected cases.' Once you are finished, click on ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then ‘Submit.’ On the following screen, click ‘Submit’ a second time.

Yes, as of 4/5/2010 it is mandatory for all authorized CM/ECF users to file their initial pleadings electronically. A copy of the Administrative Order is available on our CM/ECF Resources page.

Yes, your staff can utilize your User Name and Password. However, as the registered attorney, your name will appear as the signatory of the electronically filed document and all certification responsibilities remain with you, the attorney of record.

Yes, the public can access case data in CM/ECF unless it has been sealed by the Court. The public access component of CM/ECF will require a user to enter a PACER login and password. The general public can also go to the Court and use the systems available in the Clerk’s Office to access any un-sealed cases. Please note that, through PACER, there is a charge for this service.

The certification and/or PHV Motion can be electronically signed by the PHV attorney, but the
motion itself must be filed by the designated local counsel. Pursuant to Section 3J(1) and (2) of
the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures, “[a] document requiring an attorney’s signature that is
filed electronically using his/her login and password shall be considered signed when the
attorney’s name is on the signature block,” and this applies to those documents “that
require original signatures or that require either verification or a sworn declaration.”

Yes, the CM/ECF system only accepts documents in PDF format.

No, you do not need to re-register for a new CM/ECF login and password if you are changing firms. However, you will need to update your mailing address and phone number as well as your email address.

No, only if a pleading or paper required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5 is to be served on other parties is served by a method other that CM/ECF, does that pleading or paper require a certificate of service.  See Local Rule 5.2(a).

Pursuant to 28 United States Code § 955, the Clerk's Office staff is prohibited from giving information which may be characterized as legal advice. Whether or not designated local counsel has to appear at hearings would require an interpretation of the applicable rules governing attorney admission and pro hac vice status, which the Clerk’s Office is without authority to do so. We recommend you review Rule 4 of the Rules Governing the Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline of Attorneys and consult the judge presiding in your case.

Pursuant to Section 3K(4) of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures, “[n]o certificate of service
is required when a party files a document electronically unless the document is served other than
through CM/ECF.”

Attachments and exhibits which are filed electronically in CM/ECF should be in text searchable PDF format whenever possible (the Court realizes documents such as maps, diagrams, and pictures will not be text searchable). However, pleadings/main documents filed electronically in CM/ECF must be in text searchable PDF format (See Administrative Procedure Section 3G(5)).

CM/ECF is continually being updated and, as such, your web browser needs to be set to automatically check for new versions of stored pages every time you launch the browser. Specifically for Internet Explorer, go to the ‘Tools’ option on your pull-down menu and select ‘Internet Options.’ Click on the ‘General’ tab and then click the ‘Settings’ button found in the Temporary Internet Files section. Select the radial button next to ‘Every time I start Internet Explorer.’ Click the ‘OK’ button and then ‘OK’ again. Close all your programs and reboot your PC. This should fix the problem!

In most filings, the CM/ECF system generates a Notice of Electronic Filing. This email message contains a hyperlink to the document being filed. Those attorneys that have electronic filing capabilities will receive notices instantaneously through the email address they have provided.

Proceedings for the transfer of an action under this section may be initiated by
(i) the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation upon its own initiative, or
(ii) motion filed with the panel by a party in any action in which transfer for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings under this section may be appropriate. Before cases are designated multidistrict litigation and transferred to one federal court, the Panel convenes a hearing and notifies all parties of the place and time of the hearing. The Panel’s order of transfer is based on a record of such hearing at which material evidence may be offered by any party to an action in any federal court that would be affected by the transfer.

You have two options to access the Court’s docket. First, you can view the docket or purchase a docket sheet from the Clerk’s Office Intake Section. Second, you can access the docket through PACER, which allows you to view federal court records; however, you must  first register for a PACER account. PACER is available 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. If you need assistance, the PACER Service Center is available to help you at (800) 676-6856 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by email at pacer@psc.uscourts.gov.

If you need to be excused or have your jury service postponed for any length of time, you must complete your questionnaire and mail it along with your written request for excusal immediately. The Court will review your request and you will receive a written response to your request for excuse. If you have not heard back from the Court by 10 days prior to the reporting date, please call the Jury Office at (800) 865-1775, Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 5:00PM.

If the PDF document is text-searchable (imbedded with Optical Character Recognition (OCR)), in Adobe select ‘Edit’, then ‘Find’ and enter the word(s) you wish to locate in the document. CTRL-F is a short cut to this same feature within Adobe and many other programs used to search for text. Please note, if the PDF document is not text-searchable, searching within the document is not possible. However, there are ways to convert a PDF image document to be text-searchable with Adobe Pro software. Currently, PDF documents cannot be converted to OCR using Adobe Reader.

Within Adobe Pro, select ‘View’ from the drop-down menu, select ‘Tools’, then ‘Recognize Text.' Choose the desired pages to convert to OCR text searchable format. Once the PDF document has been made text-searchable, you will have the ability to search for a word or phrase within a PDF document.

Your family may call the Jury Office Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m., and our staff will give you the message. The number to call is the same as on the summons, (800) 865-1775.

First, log in to CM/ECF and select the ‘Reports’ link from the blue menu bar. A sub-menu appears with a link for ‘Docket Sheet.’ Once you click on this link, then you will need to log in to PACER. After you have successfully logged into PACER, you will have numerous search options to preview a specific Docket Sheet.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. Ensure that your accounts are linked before proceeding with these instructions.

Here are the instructions for adding, updating, or removing a secondary email address in CM/ECF: To begin, go to (https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf) and click on the CM/ECF Login link. Enter your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement before clicking Continue. Click on ‘Utilities’ and then select ‘Maintain Your Account.’ Click on the ‘Email Information’ button located at the bottom of the screen. Follow the instructions below if you would like to add, update, or remove a secondary email address.

To Add a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on ‘Add new email address.’
• Type the email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Update a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to update.
• Type the new email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Remove a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to remove.
• Delete the email address in the box under configuration options on the right side of the screen.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. Ensure that your accounts are linked before proceeding with these instructions.

Here are the instructions for adding, updating, or removing a secondary email address in CM/ECF: To begin, go to (https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf) and click on the CM/ECF Login link. Enter your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement before clicking Continue. Click on ‘Utilities’ and then select ‘Maintain Your Account.’ Click on the ‘Email Information’ button located at the bottom of the screen. Follow the instructions below if you would like to add, update, or remove a secondary email address.

To Add a Secondary Email Address:
- Click on ‘Add new email address.’
- Type the email address in the configuration options field.
- Choose any case-specific options.
- Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Update a Secondary Email Address:
- Click on the email address you want to update.
- Type the new email address in the configuration options field.
- Choose any case-specific options.
- Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Remove a Secondary Email Address:
- Click on the email address you want to remove.
- Delete the email address in the box under configuration options on the right side of the screen.
- Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

If your case was INCOMPLETE/ERRONEOUSLY filed, and you have paid the filing fee, you DO NOT have to pay again upon refiling the case. You can apply your previous payment to a new transaction. First you must start over with the case opening process. Have your Pay.gov Agency Tracking Receipt ID/# from the previous case available to process this transaction. Once you get to the payment/filing fee option screen, you will select the 'Incomplete/Erroneous Filing' option and follow the prompts.

To update your contact information or address, you must first file a Notice of Change of Address, Email or Law Firm Name in all OPEN CASES pursuant to Local Rule 11.1(g). If an attorney is no longer representing a party or has not been terminated from a case, the attorney must file the necessary document in the case according to Local Rule 11.1(d)(3). After filing the Notice, log in to your PACER account at Pacer.gov (link is external), click on "Manage My Account" at the top of the screen, select the "Maintenance" tab, click "Update Address Information," enter the reason for the update, and apply the update to either all cases, closed cases, open cases, or none.

Please note that choosing the "All Cases" option may alter your previous firm or agency information for open, closed, and terminated cases, especially if you're switching law firms or agencies. We recommend that you DO NOT select the option to apply updates to ALL CASES if you've previously represented a party in a case or if your representation has been terminated. By selecting "All Cases," the information regarding your previous firm or agency will be updated in those cases, potentially giving the impression that your new firm represented your former clients.

Finally, apply updates to selected courts by selecting the appropriate PACER billing court(s) and clicking "Submit."
If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF. The primary purpose of your original/legacy CM/ECF login credentials is to link your CM/ECF and PACER accounts. If you need assistance with retrieving and resetting your original/legacy CM/ECF login and password for account linking, please call the CM/ECF Help Desk. They provide telephone support to CM/ECF users from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, at 1-888-318-2260.
If your account is already linked and you need to reset your PACER password (NextGen), this must be done through PACER. For questions or assistance, please contact the PACER Service Center at (800) 676-6856, available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. Ensure that your accounts are linked before proceeding with these instructions.

To Update your Primary Email Address:

First file a Notice of Change of Address, Email or Law Firm Name in all your pending cases/open cases in CM/ECF. Changes to your primary email address MUST be updated through your PACER account.

To do this, go to PACER.gov (link is external) and log in to your PACER account. Click Manage My Account at the top of the screen. Next, click on the Maintenance tab. Then, select Update Address Information. Enter the Reason for Update and select where to apply the updates (choose one): All Cases; Closed Cases; Open Cases; None (the preferred option is to select Open Cases). Apply updates to Selected Courts: Pacer Billing; select appropriate Court(s). Finally, click Submit.

Here are the instructions for adding, updating, or removing a secondary email address in CM/ECF: To begin, go to (https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf) and click on the CM/ECF Login link. Enter your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement before clicking Continue. Click on ‘Utilities’ and then select ‘Maintain Your Account.’ Click on the ‘Email Information’ button located at the bottom of the screen. Follow the instructions below if you would like to add, update, or remove a secondary email address.

To Add a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on ‘Add new email address.’
• Type the email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Update a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to update.
• Type the new email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Remove a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to remove.
• Delete the email address in the box under configuration options on the right side of the screen.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

To clear your cache and cookies on most web browsers, open your browser settings and go to "History" or "Privacy." Then select "Clear Browsing Data" and ensure that "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are checked before clicking "Clear Data." Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl+Shift+Delete" on most computers to access this option directly. Just make sure that "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are selected. If none of the step was helpful, please contact your IT department or seek assistance using the help feature located in the web browser.

If the PDF document is text-searchable (imbedded with Optical Character Recognition (OCR)), in Adobe select ‘Edit,’ then ‘Copy’ (or CTRL-C) and ‘Paste’ (or CTRL-V) within your desired program. Please note, if the PDF document is not text-searchable, copying text within the document is not possible. However, there are ways to convert a PDF image document to be text searchable with Adobe Pro software. Currently, PDF documents cannot be converted to OCR using Adobe Reader.

Within Adobe Pro, select ‘View’ from the drop-down menu, select ‘Tools’, then ‘Recognize Text.' Choose the desired pages to convert to OCR text-searchable format. Once the PDF document has been made text-searchable, you will have the ability to copy and paste from Adobe to your word processing software.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. Ensure that your accounts are linked before proceeding with these instructions.

To Update your Primary Email Address:

You cannot delete your primary email address, but you can update your email through your PACER account. The first step is to file a Notice of Change of Address, Email or Law Firm Name in all your pending cases/open cases in CM/ECF. Changes to your primary email address MUST be updated through your PACER account.

To do this, go to PACER.gov (link is external) and log in to your PACER account. Click Manage My Account at the top of the screen. Next, click on the Maintenance tab. Then, select Update Address Information. Enter the Reason for Update and select where to apply the updates (choose one): All Cases; Closed Cases; Open Cases; None (the preferred option is to select Open Cases). Apply updates to Selected Courts: Pacer Billing; select appropriate Court(s). Finally, click Submit.

Here are the instructions for adding, updating, or removing a secondary email address in CM/ECF. To begin, go to (https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf) and click on the CM/ECF Login link. Enter your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement before clicking Continue. Click on ‘Utilities’ and then select ‘Maintain Your Account.’ Click on the ‘Email Information’ button located at the bottom of the screen. Follow the instructions below if you would like to add, update, or remove a secondary email address.

To Add a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on ‘Add new email address.’
• Type the email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Update a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to update.
• Type the new email address in the configuration options field.
• Choose any case-specific options.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

To Remove a Secondary Email Address:

• Click on the email address you want to remove.
• Delete the email address in the box under configuration options on the right side of the screen.
• Click ‘Return to Person Information Screen’ and then click ‘Submit.’ You will need to click ‘Submit’ a second time on the following screen.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Launch Acrobat Reader, select the ‘Help’ menu option and then select ‘About Acrobat Reader.’

Unless otherwise directed by a judge, proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, jury instructions, and proposed orders shall be filed initially as an attachment to a motion, notice, or other filing. However, the final version of the proposed document in Word format must be emailed to the appropriate judge at the email address listed in the Administrative Procedures. The email subject line and the name of the attachment should include the case number, followed by a short description of the attachment.

If you forgot to attach the proposed order, draft a ‘Notice of Filing Proposed Order.' File the Notice within the Notices category and select Notice (Other). Upload your notice as the Main Document and your proposed order as the Attachment. Be sure to link your Notice to the document it relates to (i.e. Motion, Stipulation, etc.). Please note that the Administrative Procedures on the CM/ECF Resources page has instructions for Proposed Documents. Please visit http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/CMECF and refer to these instructions for all future filings.

Pursuant to Rule 4(b) of the Rules Governing the Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline of Attorneys:

(b) Appearance Pro Hac Vice.

Effective December 1, 1994. Amended effective Jan. 1, 1996; April 15, 2007; April 15, 2010; December 1, 2014; December 1, 2015; December 1, 2017; December 3, 2018; December 1, 2022.

A sample motion is located on our website [https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/pro-hac-vice-appearance ].

Call the CM/ECF Help Desk at 888-318-2260.

For any questions related to CM/ECF, please reach out to the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays. If you need assistance outside of these hours, you can find helpful information on our website at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/policies-procedures or review the FAQs at https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/all-faqs/CMECF.
For assistance with PACER, please call 1-800-676-6856 or access the PACER website at http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov. You can also send an email to pacer@psc.uscourts.gov (link sends e-mail).

If the attorney wishes to participate on a case, receive emails and be listed on the docket, simply filing the initial pleading to open the case will ensure that the attorney is added to the case and will receive emails from that point forward. A second way to add counsel on a case is to file a Notice of Appearance within CM/ECF if the attorney is not listed on the case or if the attorney is appointed after the case has already been active. A third way is to log in to CM/ECF with the attorney’s User Name and Password and file an answer or a motion. The attorney will be prompted within CM/ECF to make the association between the party and the attorney during the filing process. Correctly making this association will ensure that the attorney is listed properly on the docket as counsel of record for that party. This will then ensure that the attorney will receive emails on the case.

Each attorney of record in a case will receive an email message containing a hyperlink to a document that has been filed. Please note that this does NOT include a pro se litigant who has not consented to receive Notices of Electronic Filing. One free copy is available to each attorney of record and any secondary address listed under the email information screen. The hyperlink to access the document will expire after the earlier of these two events: the first use or 15 days. Any time that same hyperlink is accessed after it has expired; the user will be asked for a PACER login and will be charged to view the document. All users are advised to print or save the document during the initial viewing period in order to avoid future charges.

Attention: Do not click on the link in the NEF, until AFTER you are logged into PACER/CM/ECF.

Since January 25, 2020, all attorney users sign in with their PACER account linked to their CM/ECF Southern District of Florida account.  Any attempt to view the PSI report before logging into PACER and CM/ECF may result in the loss of your "one free look." All restricted documents reside in CM/ECF.  Please note that all attorneys do NOT have access to view PSI reports in CM/ECF. PSI reports are restricted documents, only accessible to select attorneys as determined by Probation.
Only the Notice of Electric Filing (NEF) sent to attorney’s PRIMARY email address (not a secondary email address) will be able to access the PSI. The link in the NEF will NOT open if accessed from a secondary email address.
After clicking on the PSI’s document link number within the NEF, the system may ask for your PACER log-in and password if you did not previously sign-in.  Only authorized users can view PSI Reports.  Probation conveniently notes the authorized users within the docket text of these entries.

There are several ways in which you can convert a word processing document to a PDF document. Most word-processing programs have a built-in ability to publish a document to PDF format. Others programs have the ability to create PDF documents by “printing” to a file and selecting the “printer” called Adobe PDFWriter or Adobe PDF.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. Ensure that your accounts are linked before proceeding with these instructions.

Log into your CM/ECF account and select "Utilities." Then, Select "Certificate of Good Standing – Electronic PDF." To pay for your certificate, you will be automatically redirected to pay.gov, where you can pay the current fee (see Fee Schedule) via check or credit card. Once your payment is processed, your request cannot be canceled, and a refund will not be issued. Your certificate will be emailed within 2 business days to your primary email address on file in CM/ECF.

Before submitting your request, please ensure that your primary email address is correct in PACER. If your primary email address is incorrect, you will not receive your certificate. It is your responsibility to maintain current contact information with the Clerk (see LR 11.1(g)). Click here to go to CM/ECF.

Note: If you need certificates for multiple attorneys, you must log in to each attorney’s CM/ECF account to order their certificate of good standing.

The Clerk’s Office accepts cash bonds between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Method of Payments accepted:

• Cashier’s Check
• Money Orders
• Trust Account Checks
• Cash

NOTE: NO personal checks and NO credit cards accepted.

User Names and Passwords are automatically generated via email once the attorney has successfully completed the CM/ECF training. As long as the training has been successfully completed by 5:00 p.m., an email will be sent within three business days.

If the attorney is not counsel of record but wants to receive emails about the case, they can be designated as an “interest.” To do this, log in to CM/ECF by clicking here: https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf and click on the ‘Utilities’ feature in the menu bar.

Next, select the link “Maintain Your Account” and then click on the “Email Information” button. On the following screen, click on the primary email address to reveal the configuration options. Enter the case number for which you want to receive notifications (NEFs) in the appropriate field under “Case-specific options” – “Add additional cases for noticing.” After entering the case number, click the “Find This Case” button. When the case list appears, select the case, and click the “Add case(s)” button.

To confirm that the case has been added, look for a display box underneath “These cases will send notice per filing.” This box will list the case numbers linked to the primary email designated for receiving email notifications. You may need to scroll through the list to find the case number you just added. Once you locate it, you should see “(interest)” at the end of the case information, which will confirm that the process was completed correctly.

When you have finished updating your account, click on “Return to Person Information Screen.” Click on “Submit,” then ‘‘Submit” on the following page.

Please note that the one free look (one free copy) does not apply to any cases in which you are added as an “interest.”

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

CLE credits were offered for attending in-person CM/ECF attorney training. Currently, the court is not offering any in-person or law firm training sessions. The CM/ECF attorney training course is available exclusively online. To access the online training, visit https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-training-registration. Then, go to the “Online Based Attorney Training” section, or you may register by CLICKING HERE. The system will guide you through the registration and training process.

Please note that if you take the online CM/ECF computer-based training, you will not receive the CLE credits.

Go to http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov and click on the ‘Registration’ button. If you need further information, please call the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856.

You can register as long as you are a member in good standing of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida Bar and a member in good standing of The Florida Bar. Go to our website at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov then select the link titled “Training Registration” found under the CM/ECF header. On the following screen, select option 1 for Computer Based Training or option 2 for Hands-on Training and follow the screens to complete your registration.

A document explaining who is being removed or substituted and why must be created and converted into a PDF format. Since all changes in representation must be approved by the Court, a Motion to Withdraw as Attorney or Motion to Substitute Attorney needs to be submitted. Once you log in to CM/ECF, you can select the appropriate event under “Motions and Related Filings”.

When the Clerk’s Office sees that this motion has been approved by the Court, they will remove the attorney from the case. Until this is completed, the Court will still consider the attorney as a participant in the case and the system will continue to send him/her the notifications.

A document explaining who is being removed or substituted and why must be created and converted into a PDF format. Since all changes in representation must be approved by the Court, a Motion to Withdraw as Attorney or Motion to Substitute Attorney needs to be submitted. Once you log in to CM/ECF, you can select the appropriate event under ‘Motions and Related Filings.' When the Clerk’s Office sees that this motion has been approved by the Court, they will remove the attorney from the case. Until this is completed, the Court will still consider the attorney as a participant in the case and the system will continue to send him/her the notifications.

Please note the following steps for authorized CM/ECF users: You must be admitted of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida Bar and complete the online CM/ECF computer-based training. If you are not an authorized CM/ECF user, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260.

To receive notices by email instead of U.S. mail, please follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the user has an active CM/ECF account that allows for electronic filing. If they do not have an account, they must complete the CM/ECF attorney training course. After completing the training, a login and password will be generated within three business days. Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your CM/ECF and PACER accounts after receiving your CM/ECF login and password.
2. If the user's CM/ECF account is linked and active, go to the Court’s docket to verify the attorney’s contact information. Ensure that an email address is listed and that it does not indicate “inactive” next to it. If the email status is inactive or no email is listed, follow the steps below to update it:

• Go to https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf, click on “Log in to CM/ECF”, login with your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and accept the redaction agreement before clicking “Continue”.
• Click on “Utilities” and then select “Maintain Your Account.”
• Click on the “Email Information” button located at the bottom of the screen to add an email. A list of configuration options will appear. Ensure that the “Yes” radio button is selected for the question, “Should this email address receive notices?” Selecting “Yes” will correct the email showing as inactive. Adjust the remaining options according to your preferences.
• Once you are finished, click “Return to Person Information Screen,” and then click “Submit.” You will need to click “Submit” a second time on the following screen.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

If you update your email through your PACER account, you still need to file a Notice of Change of Email in all of your pending cases in CM/ECF. Changes to your primary email address must be updated through your PACER account. Go to PACER.gov and log in to your PACER account. Click Manage My Account at the top of the screen. Click Maintenance tab. Click Update E-Filer Email Noticing and Frequency. Complete. Apply updates to Selected Court. Click Submit. [Updates to secondary email addresses must be made in CM/ECF NextGen.] Please see Updating Your Information under Attorney Resources.

Note: The Clerk’s Office is not responsible for updating email addresses. If you are a member of the Southern District of Florida Bar and you have not registered for CM/ECF in our District, please click here.

To update your personal/contact information, you must first file a Notice of Change of Address, Email or Law Firm Name in all OPEN CASES pursuant to Local Rule 11.1(g). If an attorney is no longer representing a party or has not been terminated from a case, the attorney must file the necessary document in the case according to Local Rule 11.1(d)(3). After filing the Notice, log in to your PACER account at Pacer.gov (link is external), click on "Manage My Account" at the top of the screen, select the "Maintenance" tab, click "Update Address Information," enter the reason for the update, and apply the update to either all cases, closed cases, open cases, or none.

Please note that choosing the "All Cases" option may alter your previous firm or agency information for open, closed, and terminated cases, especially if you're switching law firms or agencies. We recommend that you DO NOT select the option to apply updates to ALL CASES if you've previously represented a party in a case or if your representation has been terminated. By selecting "All Cases," the information regarding your previous firm or agency will be updated in those cases, potentially giving the impression that your new firm represented your former clients.

Finally, apply updates to selected courts by selecting the appropriate PACER billing court(s) and click "Submit."

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

To become an authorized CM/ECF user, you must be admitted of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida Bar and complete the online CM/ECF computer-based training. After completing the training, you will receive a login to file electronically in CM/ECF within 3 business days. For more information, please visit CM/ECF Training Registration.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, and you are required to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. This means you will have to link your accounts after you receive your CM/ECF login and password to gain access.

Click here for the CM/ECF NextGen Administrative Procedures and CM/ECF Electronic New Civil Case Opening Manual which are available for download on the website. Once you receive your login and password, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the CM/ECF system by reviewing the materials provided on the website.

If you have any CM/ECF-related questions, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is a plugin that Firefox or Internet Explorer will automatically launch when you try to access a document stored in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Reader, your computer will show you a set of applications from which to choose a program that will read the file. None of them will work, which is why you must download the Adobe Reader from Adobe Systems’ website. To download a free copy of Acrobat Reader, click here.

Petit jury service is two weeks “on call." Petit jurors are generally called in two or three times during this period. Court is not in session for jury selections on weekends. Grand jurors generally serve one to three days a month for 18 months.

You should complete and mail the Questionnaire immediately. The law requires that you mail the completed questionnaire within 10 days, but this will allow less time for processing, especially if you are requesting a postponement or excuse from service.

Central Violations Bureau (CVB) Tickets: For information on how to pay your ticket, where to mail your payment and all other general ticket information, please go to www.cvb.uscourts.gov.

To save a PDF file opened in the browser window, click on the browser file menu at the top of the screen and then on “Save As…”. Another way is to utilize the Adobe toolbars within the browser by clicking on the picture of the disk, “Save As Copy."

Your name was selected randomly from the voter registration list in your county.

When a document is filed electronically, CM/ECF will generate a Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) to the filing party, any party who is a user, parties otherwise authorized to receive NEF’s (pro hac vice attorneys) and the assigned judge. If you are not a registered user, it is the responsibility of the filing party to provide the party with a paper copy of the electronically-filed document. The filing party must also include a copy of the NEF to provide the recipient with proof of filing.

The Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) will show at the end of the filing process. This page states what was done, what time it occurred and who was notified. This NEF will be sent to all parties associated with the case and, once you receive the email, if you click on the associated links, the information should appear.

You can also view the history of the transactions you’ve made in CM/ECF by using the View Your Transactions Log utility. To do this, log in to CM/ECF and click on 'Utilities' feature from the blue menu bar, and then click on the 'View Transaction Log.' On the following screen, enter the date when your document was filed and click on “run report.” You can also view a filing by logging in to PACER using your Pacer login and password and query the case docket.

There are two ways to sign a PDF document for electronic filing:

1. The preferred method is using "/s/." Please refer to the Administrative Procedures for the correct format of the electronic signature “/s/,” click here: Policies & Procedures.
2. If the document is signed in ink, you'll need to scan it into PDF format before filing it electronically.

To avoid receiving a Clerk’s Notice to Filer regarding a Login/Signature Block Violation, it is important to ensure that the name of the attorney e-filing the document matches the name in the document's signature block. Additionally, the attorney’s full name must be spelled exactly as it appears in the attorney’s CM/ECF account. Failing to do so will violate Section 3J(1) of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures and LR 5.1(b).

Please also note that documents filed conventionally (in-person) must have original signatures in ink, including the Notice of Conventional Filing form that attorneys are required to complete.

There could be several reasons why you are not receiving the NEFs. Please check the following options:

1. Ensure that the attorney of record is listed in the docket, and that it includes "ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED" at the bottom of the name and address. If "ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED" does not appear on the docket below the name and address, contact the CM/ECF Help Desk for assistance. If “ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED” appears, please proceed to step 2.

2. Check the docket and verify that your email address is correct. If it is incorrect, first file a Notice of Change of Address, Email or Law Firm Name in all your pending cases/open cases in CM/ECF. Changes to your primary email address MUST be updated through your PACER account. To do this, go to PACER.gov (link is external) and log in to your PACER account. Click Manage My Account at the top of the screen. Next, click on the Maintenance tab. Then, select Update Address Information. Enter the Reason for Update and select where to apply the updates (choose one): All Cases; Closed Cases; Open Cases; None (the preferred option is to select Open Cases). Apply updates to Selected Courts: Pacer Billing; select appropriate Court(s). Finally, click Submit.

3. Check the docket to see if the email address is listed or inactive. Verify the attorney contact information to ensure that an email address is listed under their contacts and that it does not indicate “inactive” next to it. If the email status is inactive or no email is listed, follow the steps below to update it:

A) Go to https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf. Enter your NextGen CM/ECF login and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement before clicking Continue.
B) Click on “Utilities” and then select “Maintain Your Account.”
C) Click on the “Email Information” button located at the bottom of the screen to add an email. A list of configuration options will appear. Ensure that the “Yes” radio button is selected for the question, “Should this email address receive notices?” Selecting “Yes” will correct the email showing as inactive. Adjust the remaining options according to your preferences.
D) When you are finished, click “Return to Person Information Screen,” and then click “Submit.” You will need to click “Submit” a second time on the following screen.

4. If you are listed on the docket and the email address is correct and active, contact your organization’s technical support or review your email settings to verify whether your server restricts email from the CM/ECF System. Additionally, ensure that the NEF is not in a bulk mail folder (junk folder). Review your Blocked Mail, Spam Mail, and Quarantined Mail as well. To ensure that the NEFs are received in your inbox, you need to mark the Court’s email address as “safe.” All NEFs are sent from cmecfautosender@flsd.uscourts.gov.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Electronic access to documents in Social Security cases and immigration matters is limited to the attorneys or parties in the case in order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Social Security cases and immigration matters only allow “case participants” to access the documents through PACER. The system will prompt you to log in. Always enter your CM/ECF credentials for NextGen.

If you are case participants in the case and are unable to access a document, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

You can search for docket events by clicking the “Search” button located on the right side of the CM/ECF toolbar. When prompted to search for menus and events, type in a word or phrase and click “Search.” The system may provide you with a list of docket events that match your query. If your docket event is listed, you can click on it to begin the filing process.

If you cannot find the docket event using the Search feature, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays.

Please call 800-865-1775, Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM and ask for the Jury Administrator if you need information regarding any special accommodations.

Yes, CM/ECF is compatible with Macintosh computers, meaning you can use a Mac to access and file documents through CM/ECF. However, it's recommended to use a browser like Firefox on your Mac, as some features might not work optimally with the Chrome browser alone.

The Internet IP address for e-mail notifications has changed. If you experience any difficulty in receiving e-mail (Notices of Electronic Filing) from the CM/ECF system, please make sure your ISP, e-mail provider or your IT department has listed the following IP addresses for e-mail delivery. The ISP must configure with your firewall or mail filtering applications to allow the following IP addresses to deliver the notices:

• 63.241.40.200
• 199.107.16.200
• 206.18.112.200
• 63.241.40.202
• 199.107.16.202
• 206.18.112.202
• 63.241.40.204
• 199.107.16.204
• 206.18.112.204
• 63.241.40.205
• 199.107.16.205
• 206.18.112.205

Domain Name: *.uscourts.gov
Please pass this information along to the department or organization that handles your e-mail so the access list and spam filters can be updated. This information applies to all United States Courts CM/ECF systems in all districts. Larger e-mail providers (such as Yahoo, AOL and Gmail) have already been notified. If you use one of their services, e-mail delivery should not be affected.

Please note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF. Moving forward, your CM/ECF login credentials will primarily be used to link your CM/ECF and PACER accounts. This means you must first link your accounts after you receive your CM/ECF login and password to gain access. Additionally, your username and password are case-sensitive, so ensure to enter them exactly as they were provided to you in the email from the Court. If you continue to experience issues with your username and password, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

If your account is already linked and you need to reset your PACER password (NextGen), this must be done through PACER. For questions or assistance, please contact the PACER Service Center at (800) 676-6856, available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Yes, anyone receiving a Notice of Electronic Filing will get one free look at the document and will be able to print and/or save it to their computer for future use. However, if they click on the link to the docket or attempt to access the document after this free look, they will need a PACER account and will be subject to PACER fees.

Once a document is submitted and becomes part of the case docket, the CM/ECF system will not permit the filing party to make changes to the document or docket entry filed in error since the transaction has been accepted. If an error is discovered by the Clerk’s Office during the quality control process, the Clerk’s Office will docket a ‘Notice of Instructions to Filer’ informing the filer of the error and how to proceed. The Clerk’s Office will not modify, strike or delete attorney entries unless directed by the Court. To fix your mistake, you must first file a ‘Notice of Striking.’ The Notice of Striking must be linked and refer to the “wrong” document. After you file the Notice of Striking, then immediately re-file the correct document. You can also contact the Help Desk at 1-888-318-2260 for further assistance.

To get a cash bond refunded to you, please fill out the Motion for Disbursement of Bond form.

Often this error occurs when the user utilizes the Back button on the browser. The easiest way to avoid receiving this error is to never use the Back button while filing your documents. In CM/ECF click on the blue menu bar and start the filing process over again and avoid using the back button. If your original submission contained an error, you must contact the Help Desk for further instructions on how to correct it.

You may find details about your original submission by viewing your transaction log. In CM/ECF click on the 'Utilities' feature from the blue menu bar, and then click on the 'View Transaction Log.' On the following screen, enter the date when your document was filed and click on “run report.” Or you can view the PDF document by logging in to PACER using your Pacer login and password and query the case docket.

This issue frequently occurs with scanned documents. If the main document or attachments are larger than the 50 MB limit, it should be divided into logical sections. This means you can split the large file into several smaller files, ensuring that each attachment does not exceed the 50 MB limit.

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays.

All documents filed with the system must be in PDF format. These documents are identifiable by “.pdf” at the end of the document name.

Most likely, your internet browser cache needs to be cleared. For any PACER-related inquiries, please reach out to the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856 or send an email to pacer@psc.uscourts.gov.

If the attorney is not officially listed on the docket but wants to receive emails about the case, they can be designated as an “interest.” To do this, log in to CM/ECF by clicking here: https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf and click on the ‘Utilities’ feature in the menu bar.

Next, select the link “Maintain Your Account” and then click on the “Email Information” button. On the following screen, click on the primary email address to reveal the configuration options. Enter the case number for which you want to receive notifications (NEFs) in the appropriate field under “Case-specific options” – “Add additional cases for noticing.” After entering the case number, click the “Find This Case” button. When the case list appears, select the case, and click the “Add case(s)” button.

To confirm that the case has been added, look for a display box underneath “These cases will send notice per filing.” This box will list the case numbers linked to the primary email designated for receiving email notifications. You may need to scroll through the list to find the case number you just added. Once you locate it, you should see “(interest)” at the end of the case information, which will confirm that the process was completed correctly.

When you have finished updating your account, click on “Return to Person Information Screen.” Click on “Submit,” then ‘‘Submit” on the following page.

Please note that the one free look (one free copy) does not apply to any cases in which you are added as an “interest.”

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Yes, so long as you retain membership in “good standing of the bar of any United States Court,
or of the highest Court of any State or Territory or Insular Possession of the United States.” Rule
4(b)(1), Rules Governing the Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline of Attorneys.

All funds posted in the Southern District of Florida would have been transferred to the District in which the case was adjudicated. You must contact the Clerk’s Office in the District in which the case was decided.

All attorneys do not have access to view PSI reports in CM/ECF. PSI reports are restricted documents, only accessible to select attorneys as determined by Probation. Probation conveniently notes the authorized users within the docket text of these entries. If you are authorized to view PSI reports, see the instructions for logging into CM/ECF prior to viewing PSI reports.

No, you will be expected to call in for the rest of the two weeks, and may be needed on another trial.

The Federal Court does not excuse persons who have served in County or Circuit Court. However, after you have served in Federal Court you will be excused from jury service in this Court for two years.

No. Rule 4(b)(3) of the Rules Governing the Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline
of Attorneys requires that the pro hac vice motion “designate at least one member of the bar of
this Court . . . who is authorized to file through the Court’s electronic filing system . . . .
accompanied by a written statement consenting to the designation.” The Rule only requires the
designation of “at least one” who is a member of the bar of this Court. However, only the
movant who designates the local counsel and only the local counsel so designated who files the
motion may appear pro hac vice and act as designated counsel, respectively, once the motion is
granted.

Transfers under 28 U.S.C. §1407 become effective with the filing of the Panel’s transfer order in the clerk’s office of the designated transferee court. You must make all future filings in the Southern District of Florida once the Transfer of the Case becomes effective.

Any attorney can sign the documents so long as they are filed by the designated local counsel.
Section 3C of the CM/ECF Administrative Procedures provides that “[w]hen a User files a
document electronically using his/her login and password, that document shall be considered
signed by the attorney to whom the login and password were issued.”

Yes! You can right click on any hyperlinked docket entry number on a docket sheet, having options to ‘Open in new tab’ or ‘Open in a new window’ the PDF document.

Yes, the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by jury in both civil and criminal cases. Your participation as a juror makes that possible. Any person who fails to show good cause for noncompliance could be fined up to $1,000.00, imprisoned up to three (3) days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. section 1866(g).

The law protects jurors’ employment. Employers are prohibited from threatening or terminating employees on account of their jury service. We encourage you to speak with your employer as soon as possible about your upcoming jury service, so that the necessary arrangements can be planned for in advance.

Appropriate dress, casual business attire, is required. Shorts, jeans and t-shirts are not considered appropriate. Our courtrooms are generally very cool and you may wish to bring a sweater or light jacket. Since you will be passing through a metal detector, please leave excess metal and jewelry at home to speed up your entry into the building.

When a document is accessed, the next screen will display information regarding the number of billable pages and the related cost. To accept the charges, click on the ‘View Document’ button.

This is called “flowing.” Depending on the font, the printer selected, and other characteristics of the content, a document may undergo some changes when it’s rendered into PDF. Adobe has a set of technical documents posted on their site http://www.adobe.com that refer directly to ways in which you may attempt to address flowing problems.

Pursuant to Federal Statutes all persons arrested must appear before the Duty Magistrate Judge the next available business day (excluding weekends and holidays). Usually he/she will appear before a Magistrate Judge the next business day.

The fee is applied for accessing a docket sheet and any documents accessed from the link on the docket sheet.

Please indicate the change on the Questionnaire and include your telephone number and we will correct our records.

When creating PDF documents for the purpose of filing in CM/ECF, it is recommended they be converted directly from the word processing program. Usually only very large Word documents converted to PDF will have size limitation problems. You will more frequently run into size issues when scanning documents. Keep in mind that you can separate large files into multiple smaller files. To check the size of the file, right-click on the file and select properties.

Jurors are paid $50 per day plus mileage from the juror's home address to the courthouse address. Federal employees only receive reimbursement for mileage. Lunch is not provided. Payments are mailed to your home from the courthouse every week.

Most internet browsers support 2 ways to view Adobe documents. One option is to view the PDF document within the browser, using the back button to go back to the docket sheet. The other option is to view the PDF document within the Adobe software, which will open the PDF document in a separate window outside of the browser in use.

If you wish to view the documents within the internet browser, in Adobe, select ‘Edit’ from the drop-down menu, click on ‘Preferences,’ then ‘Internet’. Please make sure that both the first box (‘Display PDF in Browser’) and the third box (‘Allow FastWeb View’) is checked.

If you wish to view the documents within Adobe, outside of the internet browser, uncheck the first box (‘Display PDF in Browser’) and the third box (‘Allow FastWeb View’).

Some browsers may not support these preferences. If this is the case, in Adobe, select ‘Edit’ from the drop-down menu, click on ‘Preferences,’ then ‘Internet’. Please make sure that both the first box (‘Display PDF in Browser’) and the third box (‘Allow FastWeb View’) are both unchecked.

The Federal Courts recommend using Adobe 10 or higher for best results in viewing or accessing PDF documents in the most recent versions of CMECF. All earlier versions of Adobe are not recommended and users may experience errors or other technicalities that could prevent the ability to view or print PDF documents from CMECF.

For best results, the Federal Courts have approved the following browsers with latest versions of CMECF - Microsoft Edge, Firefox/Mozilla 15.x and Safari 5.1.

For report data retrieved from the CM/ECF system, billable pages are calculated in two ways. A formula is used to determine the number of pages for a HTML formatted report. The information extracted from the CM/ECF database, such as the data used to create a docket sheet, is billed using a formula based on the number of bytes extracted. For a PDF document, the actual number of pages is counted to determine the number of billable pages. For report data retrieved from the CM/ECF system that is printed, the print job will not always match the number of pages billed. All users are charged equally for the same information regardless of the browser settings or printer configurations.

Call (800) 865-1775 Monday through Friday between 8:00AM to 5:00PM and Jury Staff will research the participant number by your name.

Here is some pre-content text

• A personal computer
• Word-processing software
• Internet access and a browser
• An email address
• Scanning equipment may be useful
• High speed internet connection via DSL or cable modem
• Software to convert documents into a PDF format (it is recommended to avoid “freeware” PDF creation utilities)

Please refer to the User’s Manual for additional information.

For a list of documents that must be filed conventionally, please refer to the CM/ECF NextGen Administrative Procedures by clicking here: Policies & Procedures. This list includes the documents that require conventional filing, as well as the form for the Notice of Conventional Filing that attorneys must complete.

It means that the CM/ECF System is unable to complete your request. Please contact the CM/ECF Help Desk at 1-888-318-2260 and inform them of the error.

You will not be asked to report unless you are needed to participate in a jury selection. Jurors are expected to call the toll-free number listed on the summons after 5:30 p.m. the day before the term of service begins and continue to call each night for two weeks, to determine when you are required to report to the courthouse. The recording on the toll-free number will call jurors in by their participant number which is located on the upper right hand side of the summons. If the recording does not instruct you to report for jury duty, you must continue your normal activities such as work or school. You can also click here to check your reporting status on-line.

This is a warning that the PDF document may pose security risks or functional issues because of its structure or the presence of executable code. It’s important to address these issues to ensure safety and proper functionality. Please follow the steps below to correct the issue.

The PDF file needs to be flattened prior to uploading it to CM/ECF.

Print to PDF (Windows)

1. Open a file in a Windows application.
2. Choose File > Print.
3. Select Adobe PDF as the printer in the Print dialog box.
4. Click Print, type a name for your file, and click Save.

Print to PDF (Mac OS)
The Adobe PDF printer is not available on Mac. However, you can use the Save As Adobe PDF option to print a file to PDF on Mac.

1. Open a file in a Mac OS application.
2. Click the PDF button and select Save As Adobe PDF.
3. Choose the Adobe PDF Settings and click Continue.
4. Type a name for your file and click Save.

Alternatively, try compressing your PDF in Adobe Acrobat:

1. Open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
2. Click on File, then select Print.
3. In the Print pop-up window, select Adobe PDF from the Printer drop-down menu.
4. Click on the Properties button next to the Printer drop-down menu.
5. In the Adobe PDF Document Properties pop-up window, click on the Paper/Quality tab.
6. Click the Advanced button in the bottom-right corner.
7. Under Graphic, next to Print Quality, click on 1200 dpi and select 300 dpi from the drop-down menu.
8. Click the OK button twice to return to the Print pop-up window.
9. Click the Print button.
10. Enter your file name and click the Save button.
11. Log in to CM/ECF and file your document.

Note: After the upgrade to CM/ECF NextGen v1.6, PDFs with the following content will be REJECTED:
- Does not comply with PDF format standards
- Contains JavaScript
- Encrypted or password-protected
- Contains scripts that can launch an external application
- Contains internal attachments
- Contains audio and video content
- Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Safari browser
- Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option “Best for printing.”

PDFs with the following content will be ACCEPTED:
- Contains editable forms
- Contains hyperlinks to external websites
- Meets the PDF/A standard
- Contains optical character recognition (OCR) metadata
- Comprised of scanned documents
- Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Chrome browser
- Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option “Best for Electronic Distribution.”
If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

To clarify, an inactive email means that the email is not operational and will not receive any notifications (NEFs). To correct an "Inactive" email on your account, please follow these steps:

1. Visit www.flsd.uscourts.gov.
2. Click on the E-Filing (CM/ECF) link.
3. Enter your PACER username and password and acknowledge the redaction agreement.
4. Click "Continue."
5. Click on "Utilities."
6. Select "Maintain Your Account."
7. Click on "Email Information."
8. Click on the primary email address link.
9. In the Configuration options on the right side of the screen, ensure that “Should this e-mail receive notices” is set to “YES.” If it is set to “NO,” select the “YES” radio button.
10. Click the “Return to Person Information Screen” button on the left.
11. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click "Submit," then “Submit” on the following page

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Complete the Questionnaire, or have someone assist you, and explain the circumstances on the back of the Questionnaire in the area labeled “Remarks." Ask the person who assisted you to sign their name under the statement in “Remarks” on the reverse of the form.

If the attorney is not officially listed on the docket but wants to receive emails about the case, they can be designated as an “interest.” To do this, log in to CM/ECF by clicking here: https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf and click on the ‘Utilities’ feature in the menu bar.

Next, select the link “Maintain Your Account” and then click on the “Email Information” button. On the following screen, click on the primary email address to reveal the configuration options. Enter the case number for which you want to receive notifications (NEFs) in the appropriate field under “Case-specific options” – “Add additional cases for noticing.” After entering the case number, click the “Find This Case” button. When the case list appears, select the case, and click the “Add case(s)” button.

To confirm that the case has been added, look for a display box underneath “These cases will send notice per filing.” This box will list the case numbers linked to the primary email designated for receiving email notifications. You may need to scroll through the list to find the case number you just added. Once you locate it, you should see “(interest)” at the end of the case information, which will confirm that the process was completed correctly.

When you have finished updating your account, click on “Return to Person Information Screen.” Click on “Submit,” then ‘‘Submit” on the following page.

Please note that the one free look (one free copy) does not apply to any cases in which you are added as an “interest.”

If you require further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

If you have forgotten your password, please reach out to the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. They can help you by resending your Username and Password.

Please be note that the Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, which requires you to link your PACER and CM/ECF accounts. You must complete this linking process after receiving your CM/ECF login and password to access your account.

For sizable attachments, consider dividing them into smaller attachments and filing the series of attachments electronically. For documents that have not been created in a word processing software, the attachments will need to be scanned and then divided into several smaller attachments for filing electronically. Please refer to the Administrative Procedures for further information regarding attachments and exhibits that cannot be created and filed electronically. In addition, you can contact the Help Desk at 1-888-318-2260 for further assistance.

Certificates of Attendance are available each day in the Jury Assembly Room upon request, or the Court can provide you one on the last day of your service, covering all days you served.

The Court seeks to have as many documents as reasonably possible filed electronically. The Court recognizes, however, that some documents may not be available in electronic format (i.e., medical records). Nevertheless, many of these documents can be easily scanned for electronic filing. Documents or objects that cannot reasonably be scanned, such as certain exhibits, will be filed and served in the traditional manner. Advance planning will help avoid the need to make last minute decisions on such matters.

Portable Document File (PDF) format is a file format used to present documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document, including the text, fonts, graphics and other information needed to display it. It can be viewed with a PDF viewer, such as Acrobat Reader. In addition to its cross platform advantage, a PDF document matches very closely the format of the original document in which the PDF document was created.

A ‘link’ or a ‘hyperlink’ is a shortcut to another website or web page. It can be represented by a word, phrase or a number underlined in blue.

The Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system allows courts to maintain electronic case files and offer electronic filing online, making all case information immediately available. CM/ECF is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except for routine or emergency maintenance that should be posted on the court's website).

Multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases are civil actions involving one or more common questions of fact. The purpose of this transfer or "centralization" process is to avoid duplication of discovery, to prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, and to conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary. Transferred actions not terminated in the transferee district are remanded to their originating transferor districts by the Panel at or before the conclusion of centralized pretrial proceedings.

CM/ECF users are not charged for filing documents using CM/ECF or for viewing calendar information and written opinions. In addition, attorneys of record and parties in a case receive one free electronic copy of all documents filed electronically. Please note that this does NOT include a pro se litigant who has not consented to receive Notices of Electronic Filing. The cost is limited to those individuals that are utilizing the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) to obtain case and docket information. The results of any search for case specific information such as docket sheets, the PDF copies of filed documents and the cases report, are charged $0.10 per page.

CM/ECF is utilized for filing documents electronically via the internet. The User Name and Password needed for CM/ECF is assigned by the Court. Each attorney needs a separate CM/ECF and PACER account. PACER is utilized for viewing filed documents and Docket Sheets. PACER case information is available 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. PACER account specialists are available to assist you at 1-800-676-6856 between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM CT Monday through Friday or by email at pacer@psc.uscourts.gov.

A Petit jury is the trial jury for both civil and criminal cases. The Petit jury listens to evidence offered during a trial and returns a verdict. A Grand jury does not appear in trial, but listens to evidence presented by an attorney for the government and determines from the evidence if sufficient probable cause exists for bringing formal criminal charges against an individual.

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, known informally as the MDL Panel, or the JPML was created by an Act of Congress in 1968 – 28 U.S.C. §1407. The job of the Panel is to 1) determine whether civil actions pending in different federal districts involve one or more common questions of fact such that the actions should be transferred to one federal district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings; and 2) select the judge or judges and court assigned to conduct such proceedings.

MDL Case Proceedings for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL):

1. Attorneys who are not members of the Southern District of Florida and want to obtain filing privileges and appear in the master MDL case should file a Certificate of Understanding, which is usually attached to the first Pretrial Order. Be sure to include a cover letter with the name of the party you represent in the case. Mail the completed Certificate of Understanding and cover letter to ATTN: MDL Clerk, Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr U.S. Courthouse, 400 North Miami Avenue, Room 8N09, Miami, FL 33128.
2. Attorneys should review the Pretrial Orders in the master MDL case for instructions and the judge’s preferences concerning case management.
3. Attorneys rarely file documents with the SDFL in SDFL cases that have been transferred to another court where an MDL is proceeding.
4. If directed by the Court to file in an associated case, your filings will ONLY appear in that particular case unless instructed by the Court to also file in the master MDL case.

** Remember: If counsel from a transferor district wishes to have his/her case transferred to a litigation in SDFL, they must request this from the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) first unless they are requesting that the judge transfer the case via another statute. Upon notification of the request, the JPML will review the case and probably issue a Conditional Transfer Order in that particular case or group of cases. They should not initially file a case in SDFL unless there is appropriate jurisdiction to file there.

When an attorney leaves the firm, both the attorney and the firm need to consider the implications to the CM/ECF noticing system. For those cases that will remain with the attorney, the attorney needs to electronically file a Notice of Change of Address in all pending cases they have with the Court and update their contact information through their PACER account. Please see Updating Your Information under Attorney Resources.

For those cases that will remain with the firm, the firm needs to electronically file a Notice of Substitution of Counsel or a Notice of Change of Counsel to ensure that the Court docket accurately reflects the proper attorney of record so that the new attorney of record will receive email notifications.

Please bring your jury summons, photo identification and your parking lot stub when you report. You may also want to bring a book, magazines or study materials with you.

Notice: The court is not currently providing any in-person or law firm training sessions.

The CM/ECF attorney training course is available exclusively online. To access the online training, visit https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-training-registration. Then, go to the “Online Based Attorney Training” section, or you may register by CLICKING HERE. The system will guide you through the registration and training process.

Click here for the CM/ECF NextGen Administrative Procedures and CM/ECF Electronic New Civil Case Opening Manual which are available for download on the website. Once you receive your login and password, it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the CM/ECF system by reviewing the materials provided on the website.

If you have any CM/ECF-related questions, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260 for assistance. The Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

For any PACER-related inquiries, please reach out to the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856 or send an email to pacer@psc.uscourts.gov

The system will not accept documents that have security measures turned on (i.e., password protection). Remove the security features from the document and submit your document again.

Trials are usually held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., weekdays.

Some browsers may not support certain preferences with Adobe. If this is the case, in Adobe, select ‘Edit’ from the drop-down menu, click on ‘Preferences,’ then ‘Internet.' Please make sure that both the first box (‘Display PDF in Browser’) and the third box (‘Allow FastWeb View’) are both unchecked.

You can obtain detailed instructions on opening a new civil case from our CM/ECF page. Please visit https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/policies-procedures and click the link Electronic New Civil Case Opening Guide to view or download. Also refer to the CM/ECF Format for Adding Parties for Attorneys manual prior to opening your new civil case.

A map of the Courthouse with the designated parking facilities was provided with your summons. Alternatively, you can click here to view a map of the Courthouse area.

The motion must be filed by counsel admitted to practice in this District, although it may be
drafted by either the local counsel or movant so long as the requisite certification and consent are
included in the motion as required under the Rules. Rule 4(b)(1) and (3), Rules Governing the
Admission, Practice, Peer Review, and Discipline of Attorneys.

Contact the Clerk's Office CM/ECF Help Desk at 1-888-318-2260.

Please contact the Probation Officer handling the PSI on the case.  Their contact information is listed on the CMECF docket sheet.

Pursuant to Local Rule 11.1(g), it is the attorney’s responsibility to keep their contact information current. Email information, including email information for additional recipients on the account, needs to be kept up-to-date in order for the CM/ECF system, which relies on email notifications, to function effectively. Local Rule 11.1(g) requires all attorneys to update their contact information including email address within seven (7) days of a change. The failure to comply shall not constitute grounds for relief from deadlines imposed by Rule or by the Court. All Court Orders and Notices will be deemed to be appropriately served if directed either electronically or by conventional mail consistent with information on file with the Clerk of Court.

Pursuant to Local Rule 11.1(g), it is the attorney’s responsibility to keep their contact information current. Email information, including email information for additional recipients on the account, needs to be kept up-to-date in order for the CM/ECF system, which relies on email notifications, to function effectively. Local Rule 11.1(g) requires all attorneys to update their contact information including email address within seven (7) days of a change. The failure to comply shall not constitute grounds for relief from deadlines imposed by Rule or by the Court. All Court Orders and Notices will be deemed to be appropriately served if directed either electronically or by conventional mail consistent with information on file with the Clerk of Court.

First, ensure that you are using the correct Username and Password. The Florida Southern District Court has transitioned to NextGen CM/ECF, which requires you to link your CM/ECF and PACER accounts. Once you have linked your filing credentials, you will only need to use your PACER account credentials to file and view documents in this court.
If you need further assistance, please contact the CM/ECF Helpdesk at 1-888-318-2260. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays.
For assistance with PACER, please call 1-800-676-6856 or access the PACER website at http://www.pacer.psc.uscourts.gov. You can also send an email to pacer@psc.uscourts.gov (link sends e-mail).

All documents must be submitted in Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format). If the file you are trying to upload has any other extension on it except “.pdf,” the file is not in the proper format. Another reason why you may be receiving this message is because the user is failing to indicate the full path name for the PDF file that they want to upload. You need to provide the full path name (i.e., c:\My Docs\Documents\Motions.pdf) during the upload process.

Electronic access to Social Security Administration, Immigration case, and PSI Report documents are limited to parties in the case. In addition, sensitive documents from criminal cases (like arrest warrants) are not available for public viewing until they are returned executed.

PSI reports are restricted documents and only select attorneys designated by Probation may view PSI reports. For instructions to view the PSI Report, click on the tab label 'CM/ECF,' click the 'CM/ECF Help Desk' link, and Click the 'Accessing PSI Reports in CM/ECF – FAQs' link.

The link in the NEF will only open if accessed from the attorney’s PRIMARY email address. The link will not open if accessed from a secondary email address used to monitor NEFs.

There may be several reasons why a document cannot be viewed online. The first step when troubleshooting this problem is to ascertain if there is a blue hyperlink under the docket number.

• If there is a hyperlink but the document cannot be viewed, it may be an indication that the case is sealed. Additionally, some plea agreements, for example, will not be available to the public and can only be viewed by those parties specifically associated to the case.
• If there is no hyperlink under the docket number, it is possible that there is no document attached. It is possible that a full description has been created within the docket text. In addition, Endorsed Orders do not have documents attached. Judges may also do a “Text Only” or “Paperless” entry with no document attached.
• Lastly, it is possible that your notices are formatted for text instead of HTML. To confirm the HTML format, first select the ‘Utilities’ feature from the blue menu bar. Then select the ‘Maintain User Information’ button and, lastly, the ‘Email Information’ button. Review the ‘Format Notices’ selection to ensure that it’s set for HTML.

PSI reports are restricted documents and only select attorneys designated by Probation may view PSI reports. If you are an authorized user, you must log into CM/ECF before you click on the link contained in the NEF. Your CM/ECF log-in will verify whether you have been granted permission to view the document. See instructions for logging into CM/ECF prior to accessing PSI reports.

Before clicking on the link in the NEF, you must log into PACER linked to the Southern District of Florida before clicking on the link contained in the NEF.
Your PACER login linked to your CM/ECF login will verify whether you have access to view the PSI report.  Any attempt to view the PSI report before logging into CM/ECF may result in the loss of your “one free look.” For more information on PACER fees, refer to http://www.pacer.gov.
All attorneys do NOT have access to view PSI reports in CM/ECF. PSI reports are restricted documents only accessible to select attorneys as determined by Probation.

This Court tries both civil and criminal cases. You may be selected for either or both.

No, the Clerk’s Office will not maintain a paper case file as the electronic record will be the official record of the Court. Documents that require original signatures or that require either verification or a sworn declaration under any rule or statute, shall be filed electronically with the originally-executed documents maintained by the filer. The filer shall retain the paper document containing the original signature(s) for a period of one year after resolution of the action, including final disposition of all appeals. Please refer to the Administrative Procedures for further information.

Yes, jurors reporting to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach should bring their parking stubs to the Jury Assembly Room for validation. The designated parking in Ft. Pierce is free. Jurors reporting to the Key West Courthouse will need to complete a form for reimbursement of parking expenses.