Electronic Filing - ECF
To register, go to Registration and Updating Your Account below.
To request an exemption, send a completed Appellate ECF Exemption Form (PDF) to the Court.
Information Available on This Page
- Registration and Updating Your Account
- General Information, including FAQs
- Logging In (to file a document)
- Training
- Documentation (including User Guide)
- Forms
- Help
Registration and Updating Your Account
To register for the 9th Circuit ECF system, navigate to Appellate ECF Filer Registration and follow the instructions on the page. Registration processing can take up to 10 business days, so registering prior to the time that you want to enter your first filing electronically will assist you with filing delays. We strongly encourage you to register as soon as possible.
Note: If you are an attorney, you do not need to be admitted to the bar of this Court before you register for electronic filing, but you should concurrently apply for admission. Information on attorney admission is available at Attorney Admissions Instructions.
To update your ECF account (for example, to change your address or add additional email addresses), navigate to Appellate Filer Account Update, log in, and follow the instructions on the page.
General Information
Circuit Rule 25-5 provides details about which documents can and cannot be filed electronically. Effective December 1, 2009, the Administrative Order Regarding Electronic Filing in All Ninth Circuit Cases is no longer in effect and has been incorporated into the Ninth Circuit Rules.
Logging In
| To file a document |
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| To access a docket report |
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Training
| In-Person Training |
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In-Person Training for Appellate Electronic Case Filing is being offered the first Tuesday of each month at 12 noon Pacific Time at San Francisco's James R. Browning Courthouse. This free training session lasts for one hour, and has been approved by the State Bar of California for one hour of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit. Missed the in-person sessions? The Electronic Case Filing in the Ninth Circuit video covers the topics that are covered during the in-person training sessions.
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| Electronic Learning Modules |
| Requirements for Viewing Electronic Learning Modules |
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| IMPORTANT: The electronic learning modules were created using version 2.0 of Appellate ECF. They have not been updated to reflect the changes that were implemented in version 2.1. or version 3.0. Review the ECF User Guide to see updated illustrations of the application screens. The learning modules will soon be updated to reflect the latest version of Appellate ECF. |
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Documentation
- ECF User Guide (Updated on 11 December 2009, PDF)
- Macintosh Users and ECF (excerpt from ECF User Guide, PDF)
- Creating Cross-Document Hyperlinks (excerpt from ECF User Guide, PDF)
Forms
- Appellate ECF Exemption Form (PDF)
- Certificate of Service for Electronic Filing (Sample, PDF)
- Certificate for Brief in Paper Format (Sample, PDF)
- Notice of Appearance of Counsel or Re-Assignment of Counsel Within the Same Office (PDF)
- Court Reporter/Recorder Motion for Extension of Time to File Transcript (PDF)
Help
If you have a question about Appellate ECF and you cannot find the answer on the Court's or PACER's websites, send your question to CMECF_ca9help@ca9.uscourts.gov. If you send an email, please include information such as case numbers, filer's name, and any other information that can assist us in answering your question. You can expect a reply from the Court during the Court's business hours, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
Last Update: 18 January 2010
