References to the record by PageID, following the proper cite form, display to the Court as a hyperlink to the precise page of the record where the evidence is found.   If the proper cite form is not followed, no link will be present for the Court.  Failure to provide proper PageID citations may result in the rejection of the filing.  See LCivR 10.9 and LCrR 49.11.

When viewing the document, it may be helpful to increase or magnify the zoom.  This feature is usually found under "View" on the toolbar in many programs, by clicking a magnifying glass icon, or can be accessed through keyboard strokes: 

• Hold down the Ctrl button on your keyboard, and press the plus symbol (+) on the keyboard as many times as necessary to temporarily increase the size of the view to your liking. 
• To return quickly to the prior view, hold down the Ctrl button on your keyboard and press the zero (0) key once. 
• Otherwise, to temporarily decrease the zoom gradually, hold down the Ctrl button and touch the dash (-) as many times to decrease the size of the view to your liking.

There are security features within CM/ECF which prohibit access to documents in certain types of cases; in those cases, only counsel of record may view the filed documents. These civil cases include Social Security, naturalization application, habeas corpus alien detainee and other immigration cases. Additionally, remote electronic access to documents filed in criminal cases prior to November 1, 2004, and closed bankruptcy appeal/withdrawal cases filed prior to December 1, 2003, is not available.

A proposed order may be submitted electronically, in pdf format. It can be e-filed as an attachment to a motion or stipulation, it can be within the stipulation, or it can be submitted separately. Look under Civil/Criminal as appropriate, under Other Filings, Other Documents.

The Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) contains a free-look document hyperlink. The free look at the document is only available the first time the hyperlink in the e-mail is clicked. The document hyperlink in the NEF 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 charged PACER fees to view the document. All users are advised to save or print the document during the initial viewing period in order to avoid future charges.

All e-mail from the CM/ECF system will come from: ecfhelp@miwd.uscourts.gov

The system is case sensitive.  If you have CAPS lock on, your login will likely fail.  Most court-issued logins contain lowercase letters, and among other requirements, passwords contain a combination of both upper and lowercase letters.  Type the login and password exactly as it appears.  Zero (0) and O ("oh"), as well as lowercase "l" ("el") and capital "I" ("eye") are easily confused.

Yes.  For example, the rulings in another Western District of Michigan case may affect your case.  You want to be immediately notified when something happens in that other case, even though you are not directly involved in that case.  You can!

An Electronic Learning Module (ELM) is available on this website to walk you through monitoring a case in which you are not involved.  After initiating the ELM, click the TOC (Table of Contents) button in the bottom right corner of the screen.  The TOC will display.  Click Monitor a Case from the list presented.  To collapse the TOC, click the << in the upper right corner of the TOC.  Because you are not involved in the case, your notification will be "silent," meaning your name will not appear as a recipient on the Notice of Electronic Filing that is generated when there are filings in the case.  You will receive e-mail notification of each filing, however you will not receive a free look at the document (PACER fees will apply).

When you were registered, the Court entered the address(es) provided on your E-Filing Registration form. Once registered, you can control who gets notified electronically through your account.  You can change your primary e-mail address, add additional addresses, or take away those additional addresses at any time. For example, the Court recommends that each attorney set up a central repository e-mail address so that others in your office can access the Court's e-mail. This is a safeguard so that someone in your office gets notified of Court action, even if you are not in the office and your administrative assistant has the day off.  We've found that attorneys typically also add their administrative assistant, a legal assistant and/or a paralegal (and sometimes another e-mail address that appears to be a personal or home account).  Keep in mind that adding additional e-mail addresses to your account sends those people e-mail for every filing in every case in which you, the registered attorney, are involved.  Each e-mail address will receive a free look at the document, accessed through the document hyperlink. If other attorneys, such as your partners or associates would like e-mail notification in a case, the Court suggests that they register separately and file an appearance in the particular case.

The Court expects that all lawyers will be able to comply with the local rule and that they will have access to the necessary hardware and software. Our E-Filing Help Desk staff are ready to help lawyers with any questions or concerns they may have, and advice is available through the ECF Help Desk, (616) 456-2206, (800) 290-2742, or via e-mail at ecfhelp@miwd.uscourts.gov. If the situation is such that the attorney is nevertheless contemplating an exemption, they should refer to the E-Filing Exemption Policy for guidance and requirements.

While the electronic filing system is highly reliable, the Clerk's Office has established a Help Desk to assist if problems occur. The Help Desk will be staffed weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. except Federal Holidays, and can be reached by telephone at (616) 456-2206, (800) 290-2742, or via e-mail at ecfhelp@miwd.uscourts.gov.

Electronic filing is suitable for nearly all civil and criminal cases. The only cases specifically excluded from electronic filing are those that are filed under seal.

Electronic filing streamlines the typically time-consuming and costly process of delivering legal documents to the Court and sending copies to all the parties in the litigation. The system also improves access to Court records by making documents available even when the Courthouse is otherwise closed for business. Additionally, the system provides immediate notification and service of documents filed.

The Court recognizes that some documents may not be available in electronic format, for example, items that are to be attached to your work product as exhibits. Nevertheless, many of those documents can be easily and inexpensively scanned for electronic filing.

Registered attorneys access the Court's electronic filing system over the Internet.  After establishing their identity by entering a Court-assigned login and password, attorneys enter the following information:

• The case number in which their document is being filed
• The name of the party for whom the document is being filed
• The type of document being submitted (answer, motion, etc.)

The PDF document to be filed is uploaded and is then transmitted to the Court's computer.  A Notice of Electronic Filing is issued by the electronic filing system to confirm the filing and to serve other registered attorneys.