Attorneys must be admitted to practice in the Northern District of Ohio in order to file electronically.

NextGen CM/ECF registration for e-filing and notification is required in the Northern District of Ohio unless otherwise ordered by the Court. Register online at www.pacer.gov. The user’s login and password required to submit documents to the electronic filing system serve as the user’s signature on all electronic documents filed with the Court.  They also serve as a signature for purposes of Fed. R. Civ. P. 11, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Local Rules of this Court, and any other purpose for which a signature is required in connection with proceedings before the Court. 

Please refer to the Attorney Info page for admission requirements.

Fees for Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)

1. Except as provided below, for electronic access to any case document, docket sheet, or case-specific report via PACER: $0.10 per page, not to exceed the fee for thirty pages.
2. For electronic access to transcripts and non-case specific reports via PACER (such as reports obtained from the PACER Case Locator or docket activity reports): $0.10 per page.
3. For electronic access to an audio file of a court hearing via PACER: $2.40 per audio file.

Fees for Courthouse Electronic Access

4. For printing copies of any record or document accessed electronically at a public terminal in a courthouse: $0.10 per page.
1. Automatic Fee Exemptions:

• No fee is owed for electronic access to court data or audio files via PACER until an account holder accrues charges of more than $30.00 in a quarterly billing cycle.
• Parties in a case (including pro se litigants) and attorneys of record receive one free electronic copy, via the notice of electronic filing or notice of docket activity, of all documents filed electronically, if receipt is required by law or directed by the filer.
• No fee is charged for access to judicial opinions.
• No fee is charged for viewing case information or documents at courthouse public access terminals
  Further information regarding fees can be accessed at https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/fees/electronic-public-access-fee-schedule

There are a variety of training options for those interested in learning more about CM/ECF. Tips sheets and training materials are available online on the Court's web site. In conjunction with local bar associations, the Court frequently presents CLE training programs related to electronic filing. In addition, the Clerk's Office regularly offers demonstrations and hands on training at its court houses. The Clerk's Office is also willing, on a limited basis, to send trainers to provide demonstrations or hands on training at law firms. Call the Clerk's Office for more details or to make arrangements for training:
  • Akron: 330-252-6015
  • Cleveland: 216-357-7007
  • Toledo: 419-213-5500
  • Youngstown: 330-884-7419

Electronic filing extends the time in which attorneys can file beyond the clerk's office's typical intake hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The system is available for filing and retrieving documents 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, with minor exceptions for normal system maintenance. Be aware, however, that help desk assistance is only available form the Clerk's Office during normal business hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and those seeking to make after hours filings do so at their own risk.