This manual provides instructions on how to use the Electronic Filing System to file documents with the U.S. Bankruptcy Northern District of California, or to view and retrieve docket sheets and documents for all cases assigned to this system. It assumes a working knowledge of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Adobe Acrobat. Please refer to Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Adobe Acrobat instruction manuals for specific questions regarding those applications.
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
Getting Started
Users can access ECF by navigating to: http://canb.uscourts.gov or https://ecf.canb.uscourts.gov
Step 1 The Welcome Screen is displayed.
Click [hyperlink] Northern District of California -Document Filing System
Step 2 Logins and Passwords
Registered users will use Public Access to Electronic Records (PACER) to access CM/ECF filing and for queries and reports. Registered users will see a login screen. (Note: The Login and Password fields are case sensitive.)
Note: The registered user's login and password is the electronic equivalent of their signature. All users are personally responsible for activity with their logins.
If you forget your password, please use the forgotten password link on the PACER login page.
Access to the various modules are provided by the blue Main Menu Bar at the top of the screen. Each selection is a hyperlink to another set of options or hyperlinks allowing participants to file documents, query, view or print a docket sheet, and generate reports.
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Bankruptcy |
If you are filing a new bankruptcy petition or filing any documents in a bankruptcy proceeding, click Bankruptcy from the main menu. |
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Adversary |
If you are filing a new Adversary action or filing any document in an adversary proceeding, click Adversary to proceed. |
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Query |
Query allows you to view a variety of information about a case such as a list of attorneys or current status, as well as the docket sheet. After identifying the case you want, you will see a menu of these choices. |
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Reports |
From the Reports menu, you can run a variety of reports including a Case Report and Docket Report. |
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Utilities |
This option allows you to view a log of transactions you have made in ECF. In addition, you can make Internet payments and view your Internet payment history. |
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Search |
A pop-up window appears allowing you to enter the text to be searched. |
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Logout |
Allows you to logout the system. Always use the Logout option when you have completed your work |
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Help |
This menu lists the utilities which you have permission to use. To select a utility, select the appropriate option. |
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What's New |
The release notes contain information about changes introduced by CM/ECF NextGen version. |
Parties
Consistently adding names and addresses with the same formats and abbreviations aid in the search for and retrieval of these records, which prevents duplicate entries. To avoid duplicate entries, it is important to use the following standards when adding names to the CM/ECF database.
How to Search for a Party
Before adding a party, it is recommended that one search the database for the filer to eliminate duplicate records in the system. One can search by Social Security Number, Tax Identification Number, Last Name or Business Name.
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Enter the debtor's last name and first name and click [Search]. For business filings enter the entire name in the Last/Business name field.
Note: DO NOT TYPE IN ALL UPPERCASE CHARACTERS, UNLESS THE NAME OF THE PARTY SHOULD BE IN UPPER CASE.
Names of Individuals
Capitalize the first letter of the first, middle and last names only. Enter the last name in the last name field, the first name in the first name field, and the middle name in the middle name field. (If only a middle initial is provided, enter it with a capital letter followed by a period.)
Type the generation, if there is one, in the generation field (e.g. Jr., Sr., III).
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Titles (e.g. M.D., PhD.) Use the Party text field only. Do not include titles in the generation or last name field.
Company and organization names
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Type company or organization names in the last name field. Leave the first name, middle name, and generation fields blank.
Company names with initials should be added with no spaces between the first and second initials. Example: A.B. Truck Lines
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Company names using initials such as GMAC, PG & E should be spelled out with the exception of the name that is only part of the name not the whole name.
Example: General Motors Acceptance Corp.
Example: Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
Example: RDI Financial Inc.
"The" as the first word in a name. Type it in before the name.
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Ampersands (&): Do not use the ampersand symbol in names or addresses. Type the word "and" instead of the ampersand.
Example: A and A Seed Co.
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Associates, Association, Company, Corporation, and Incorporated: Abbreviate as "Assoc." "Assn.", "Co.", "Corp." and "Inc."
"of" and "the": Use all lower case letters when in the middle of a name.
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LLC, LLP, LP, N.A., FSB, Esq: Do not add as part of the name.
Use the Party Text field only.
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Aka, faka, dba, fdba: Do not add as part of the name, add them in the alias field.
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State of Agencies: Type the two letter state abbreviations followed by the department name on the same line. Remember to indicate the state's name even if it is not part of the agency title.
Example: CA Franchise Tax Board
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County agencies: Type the county name followed by department name.
Example: San Francisco County Tax Collector, Santa Cruz County Assessor
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If county or city is the name of the party, type the "County of" or "City of" then followed by the name.
Example: County of Marin, City of San Jose
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Government agencies are to be added in the following manner:
Example: U.S. Dept. of [agency]
Example: U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
There are a few exceptions to this rule such as:
Example: USDA Rural Development [fdba Farmers Home Administration; fdba Rural Economic and Community Development Services]
Example: Internal Revenue Service
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Since a Trust or Estate is a legal entity, they should be added as they are filed, with the exception of "The" in the beginning.
Example: "The Estate of John Doe" would be entered in the last name field as: "Estate of John Doe" would be entered in the last name field as: "Trust of Jane Doe"
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Calif. Auto Dealers, Inc. is spelled out
Example: California Auto Dealers, Inc.
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A doctor, dentists, etc., should be added [if an individual] with the first name in the first name in the first name field, last name in the last name field. MD or DDS etc.. should be added in the Party Text field.
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When adding a party with a "partnership" or "a California Corporation" in the name the party text field should be used.
Example: Hancock Insurance Company, a California Corporation would be entered:
Last/Business Name Field: Hancock Insurance Company
Party Text: an California Corporation
REMEMBER TO ALWAYS SEARCH CAREFULLY BEFORE ADDING!!
Rules for Entry of Addresses
There are three address lines available for the entry of address information. Always start entering address information on "Address 1" DO NOT leave blank lines before or between address items.
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Type company name "care of " designation on "Address 1" if such information is available. If not, start entering information on "Address 1" in the following order (each of the following items should be on a separate line):
Example:
Building name (if any) U.S. Courthouse Building
Street Address (if any) 123 Main St.
Post Office box number (if any) P.O.Box 123
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Number: Use integers instead of spelling out any numbers. (i.e., use "1,2,3" or 1st, 2nd, 3rd instead of "one, two, three," or "first, second, third." Never use a lower case "L" (ie.l) in the place of the symbol for "one" or "first" (i.e.1st).
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Direction: Use capital letters with no spaces or periods when typing street directions. (e.g. N,S,E,W,NE, NW, SE, SW, 1834N Main St.)
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Suite, Apartment, Office or Room: Type the number symbol # to make these references in the address, even if the suite, apartment, office, or room "number" is a letter. Do not type a comma before, or leave more than one space before the "#" symbol.
CORRECT INCORRECT
123 Main St. #3456 123 Main St. Room 3456
22 Country Ln. #3 22 Country Ln. Apt 3
456 Winding St. #A 456 Winding St. Suite A
2254 12th St. #D 2254 12th St., # D
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Floor Number: Use an integer for the number (1st, 2nd,) and use the abbreviation (Fl.) For the word "Floor." Type the floor number on the same line as the street address. Do not include a comma after the street name. (E.g. 123 Main St. 5th Fl.)
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Zip Code: Type all nine digits of a nine-digit zip code. Use a hyphen to separate the first five digits from the last four digits. If the zip code only contains five digits type the zip code as is.
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"Care of "designation: Indicate a "care of " designation by "c/o". DO NOT USE A PERCENT SIGN (%) SYMBOL.
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Street names that are letters: When the name of a street is a letter (e.g. O St., the name should be typed as a capital letter. Do not place a period after the letter or place the letter in quotation marks.
Example:
CORRECT INCORRECT
1123 O St. 1123 "O" St.
456 G St. 456 G. St.
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Street name abbreviations: Use the abbreviations listed below with a capital letter for the first letter and a period at the end of the abbreviation. Do not type out whole words unless indicated below.
Avenue - Ave. Parkway-Pkwy.
Boulevard - Blvd. Place - Pl.
Center - Center Plaza-Plaza
Circle - Circle Road-Rd.
Court - Ct Rural Route - RR
Drive - Dr. Square - Sq.
Expressway - Expwy. Street - St.
Highway - Hwy Way - Way
Lane - Ln.
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Post Office Box: Type post office box designations as P.O. Box. Place a period after both the "P" and "O". Type one space before the word "Box". Do not type a space between the period after "P" and "O". Do not use the number symbol (#) before the number.
CORRECT INCORRECT
P.O. Box 12 Post Office Box #12
P.O. Box 45 PO Box 45
P.O. Box 367 P. O. Box 367
Documents Filed in Error
A document incorrectly filed in a case may be the result of posting the wrong PDF file to a docket entry, or selecting the wrong document type from the menu, or simply entering the wrong case number and not catching the error before the transaction is completed. Do not attempt to refile the document.
"Contact the Divisonal Office and request a correction"
as soon as possible after and error is discovered. Be sure to have the case number and document number for which the correction is being requested. If appropriate, the Court will make an entry indicating that the document was filed in error. You will be advised if you need to refile the document. The system will not permit you to make changes to the document(s) or docket entry filed in error once the transaction has been accepted.
Viewing Transaction Log
This feature, selected from the Utilities Menu, allows you to review all transactions processed with your login and password. Data are displayed in chronological order by date and time.
Selection is by date or date range only, defaulting to today.
Viewing Mailing Information
Within the Utilities menu option in CM/ECF there is a miscellaneous option to view Mailings...>Mailing Info for a case. Attorneys can look at this information to see who is receiving service electronically and who is receiving paper service.
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Only PDF (Portable Document Format) documents may be filed with the Court using the Court's Electronic Filing System. Be sure to view the PDF formatted document before sending it to ensure that it appears in its entirety and in the proper format.
Documents should contain all the appropriate caption information, including; attorney name/address header, case name, case numbers, etc.Ensure documents are in page number order when scanning and/or converting files to a PDF.
The maximum size of a pdf uploaded in the ECF system is 35MB. Scanned documents should be set to 300dpi.
Viewing a PDF File
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Start the PDF program .
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Go to the File menu and choose Open.
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Click on the location and file name of the document to be viewed.
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If the designated location is correct, and the file is in a PDF format, PDF loads the file and displays it on the screen.
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If the displayed document is larger than the screen or consists of multiple pages, use the scroll bars to move through the document.
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Click on the View menu for other options for viewing the displayed document. Choose the option that is most appropriate for the document.
Except for the creditor matrix text file, all documents filed electronically with the court must be in PDF.
The conversion process is relatively simple and can be accomplished in one of two ways depending on the word processing program you are using.
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Once your document is complete and with the document to be converted open on your screen.
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Select File from the application menu bar, then select Print (or click the printer icon from your toolbar.)
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Use the drop down box to change the current printer to PDF.
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Click Print.
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The document will not actually print; instead a Save As box will appear on your screen.
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Select the directory and folder, name your file and click save.
The PDF conversion is now complete. Your electronic original is stored in the folder you have designated.
To Save the Creditor Matrix File with a .txt Extension
STEP 1 After creating the creditor list in WordPerfect or Microsoft Word, open the file. Click File in the WordPerfect or Microsoft Word toolbar to display the drop down list.
STEP 2 Click Save As in the drop down list.
Select the Directory where the file should be saved. ( Microsoft Word users, Skip to Step 4. WordPerfect users continue.)
STEP 3 Click the drop down menu arrow in the File Type box.
- Select the file type ASCII DOS Text.
STEP 4 Microsoft Word users:
- Click the drop down box arrow in the Save As Type box.
Select the file type of Text Files(*.txt) or Text Only(*.txt).
STEP 5 Enter the file name in the File Name: box. (The system provides the same file name with a .txt extension.)
STEP 6 Click the [Save] button.
A creditor matrix contains each creditor's name and mailing address. This information is used for noticing and also for claims information when applicable. The creditor matrix must be in an ASCII file format with an appropriate text extension such as .txt before it can be successfully uploaded into the CM/ECF system
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The name and address of each creditor cannot be more than 5 lines. If a record is more than 5 lines, the 6th line will be combined with line 5 and the 7th or 8th lines will be truncated.
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Each line may contain no more than 40 characters including blanks.
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Names and addresses should be left justified.
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Spaces in the first position of a line will cause an exception report for that creditor record.
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Special characters such as ~,1/2 or ^ will cause problems. The # C/O and & characters have not been reported to cause errors.
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Account numbers or "attention" lines should be placed on the second line of the name/address.
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City, State and Zip code must be on the last line.
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Nine digit Zip codes must be typed with a hyphen separating the two groups of digits.
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All states must be two-letter abbreviations.
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Each creditor must be separated by at least one blank line.
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Do not include page numbers, headers, footers, etc.
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Do not center text, left justify only.
Hardware and Software Requirements
Minimum System Requirements
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A personal computer running a standard platform such as Windows XP, 7, 8 or Apple Computer.
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Internet Service and a compatible browser i.e Firefox and Internet Explorer.
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Software to convert documents from a word processor format to portable document format (PDF).
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A PDF- compatible word processing system such as Windows based versions of WordPerfect and Word.
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A scanner to convert documents to a pdf that are not in your word processing or petition preparation systems.
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A valid e-mail account.
Attachments
There is often a need to submit supporting documents with a pleading. When docketing an event you may attach supporting documents to the main document by clicking the Yes on the Attachments to Document radio button. (Located under the Browse Button)
Note: An attached document will be referenced in the docket text separately and the attached image will be accessible by clicking on the hyperlink within the docket text.
Step 1 Click Browse, then navigate to the drive and directory where the appropriate PDF file for the attachment is located and select it.
Step 2 Select a document type from the pick list, and/or enter a description in the description box. You cannot leave both of these boxes blank.
Step 3 Click Add to List. The path and file name are added to the List box.
To attach additional supporting documents, repeat this process.
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Click Next.
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Remember: Attachments cannot be larger than 3MB's (Approximately 20-25 pages)
Help Desk
Contact the Court at (888) 821-7606 or e-mail helpdesk@canb.uscourts.gov
Please identify the nature of the issue.
Sunday, April 28, 2024 - 1:57am
