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Attorney Admission / PACER

The District Court has upgraded its Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System (CM/ECF) to the Next Generation of CM/ECF (NextGen). This upgrade provides users with several new benefits.  One of these benefits is Central Sign-On, a login process which allows e-filing attorneys to use one PACER login and password to access any NextGen court (district, appellate and bankruptcy) in which they practice.

The U.S. District Court converted to NextGen CM/ECF on May 17, 2021. 

Attorneys must obtain their own PACER account and upgrade it. Your PACER account is your login to CM/ECF, and therefore you MUST have your own individual PACER account. E-filing attorneys are not able to use shared PACER accounts. Please click the PACER link below for more information regarding how to upgrade your existing PACER account or how to register for a new PACER account. After upgrading or obtaining your PACER account, you must then link your PACER account to your current CM/ECF account. Linking instructions can be found within the PACER tab below.

Note: Not all courts have implemented NextGen CM/ECF. If you file in courts that have not converted to NextGen, you must continue to use that court's CM/ECF login and password until they implement NextGen CM/ECF.

Attention: Attorneys wishing to be Reinstated after Suspension

If you are an attorney who has been suspended or disbarred and wish to practice in this Court again, prepare a motion seeking reinstatement and forward it to the Clerk’s Office where it will be entered in your attorney discipline case.  If your motion is granted, the Court will restore your CM/ECF e-filing privileges in the Central District of Illinois.  (Eff. 3/12/13; rev. 5/20/21; rev. 2/9/22)

Additional Documents:

Attorney Admissions contact information: 

PACER

Registering for a PACER Account

 

  1. Go to www.pacer.gov.
  2. Select Register for an Account > Attorney Filers for CM/ECF.

 

 

  1. Select Register for a PACER account.

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NOTE:  You can also register for an account by clicking on Manage Your Account > Register for an Account > Attorney Filers > Register for a PACER account.

 

 

  1. Complete all required boxes on the Account Information form.  Under User Type at the bottom of the form, make a select from one of the options under Individual Accounts.

NOTE: If you work for a government agency, make the appropriate selection from the Government Accounts category.

  1. Complete User Verification.

 

  1. Click Next.

 

  1. Create a Username and Password; and select Security Questions. Click Next when finished.

 

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  1. Enter payment information to be saved.  This screen is optional.

 

NOTE: Providing a credit card is optional.  If you would like to register without providing a credit card, click Next below without entering any information on this screen. For instant access to PACER, we will validate the credit card information you provide here. There is no registration charge; however, the credit card will be charged quarterly for any fees incurred. If you submit your registration request without providing credit card information, you will receive an activation code by U.S. mail in 7-10 business days.

 

  1. If you entered payment information you will be required to check the box indicating that you authorize the PACER Service Center to charge the credit card once a quarter for any PACER fees due.

 

  1. Click Next.

 

  1. Read the policies and procedures and acknowledge by checking the box.

 

  1. Click Submit.

 

  1. You have now completed the process to register for a PACER account. This account is just for viewing documents, not for e-filing. If you already have a CM/ECF account with our court, please follow the instructions for linking your new PACER account with your CM/ECF credentials.

 

If you do not have CM/ECF credentials with our court you can click the Continue button to apply for attorney admissions and/or register to e-file.  You may also apply for attorney admissions and/or register to e-file at any time through the Manage My Account link located in the upper right corner of the PACER Service Center website.

 

Upgrading Your PACER Account

If you already have your own individual PACER account and it was created prior to August 11, 2014 (also known as a Legacy account), you must upgrade your account before you can electronically file in a NextGen court.

  1. Go to www.pacer.gov.

 

  1. Hover over Manage your Account or click on My Account & Billing.

 

  1. Click on Manage My Account Login.

  1. Click on Log in to Manage My Account.

 

 

  1. Enter your PACER Username and Password.  Click Login.

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  1. Click on the Upgrade link next to the Account Type.