Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

State and Federal Courts Heading to PDF

By Harry W. Salavantis
February 01, 2004

The rules for submitting documents to U.S. State and Federal Courts is changing at a rapid pace by requiring attorneys to submit documents in PDF format. PDF, the acronym for Portable Document Format, has become the standard for accessing and submitting documents electronically regardless of the program used to create the document originally.

The federal judicial system is now in the process of replacing the court's aging docketing and case management systems in favor of its nationwide Case Management/ Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) systems. The new system not only provides access to court documents in PDF, but allows attorneys to file documents over the Internet.

About 25 district courts and 60 bankruptcy courts as well as the Court of Federal Claims are now using CM/ECF systems. Most of these courts are accepting electronic submissions on disk and over the Internet. Many other district and bankruptcy courts are currently in the process of implementing CM/ECF, a process that will continue into 2005. Appellate courts are expected to begin CM/ECF implementation in late 2005. (See the charts below for a listing of courts currently operating on CM/ECF and those in the process of implementing CM/ECF.)

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.