Electronic How To

CM/ECF Help Desk:
Phone: (866) 236-5100 or (509) 458-3410
Email: ecfinfo@waed.uscourts.gov

The NextGen CM/ECF system examines PDF files prior to uploading them to a case within the system. Follow the guidelines listed below to ensure that documents you are filing in CM/ECF are successfully uploaded to the system.

PDFs with the following content WILL BE REJECTED:

Does not comply with PDF format standards
Contains JavaScript
Encrypted or password-protected
Contains scripts which can launch an external application
Contains internal attachments
Contains audio and video content
Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Safari browser
Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for printing”

PDFs with the following content WILL BE ACCEPTED:

Contains hyperlinks to external web sites
Meets the PDF-A standard
Contains optical character recognition (OCR) meta-data
Comprised of scanned documents
Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Chrome browser
Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for Electronic Distribution”

***The simplest way to address most PDF upload rejections is to flatten the PDF and then upload it into CM/ECF.*** Those steps are as follows:

Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat or another tool.
Print the PDF file to your PDF printer (File>Print>select Adobe PDF or another PDF printer listed in the drop-down list).
Save the printed PDF and upload into CM/ECF.

Electronic filing modules, guides, references and resources can be found below.

Attorney Guide to Opening a Civil Case

Attorney's Guide to Opening a Civil Case

Electronic Filing References

ECF Administrative Procedures Updated October 8th, 2025

Electronic Case Filing User Manual Updated April 16, 2021

ECF Checklist

Electronic Case File Access and Privacy

Civil Case Opening Checklist (PDF)

Entering Party Names (PDF)

Creating Cross-Document Hyperlinks

Redacting Documents

Docket text will list parties that may access an Ex Parte Order

Instructions for Filing Large Documents

Filing Non-Scannable Exhibits

Filing Non-Public Documents

Filing an Appeal

Filing an Appeal - NEW Beginning September 9, 2024

Filing Procedures when the Court Declares a CM/ECF System Outage/Unavailability

Outage/Unavailability of CM/ECF

If the Court declares the CM/ECF filing system to be unavailable as defined in the ECF Administrative Procedures, the Clerk’s Office will post a Notice of CM/ECF System Outage/Unavailability on this website’s homepage and send an e-mail to registered users to alert users to the outage. The Clerk's Office will also post a Notice when access to CM/ECF has been restored.

Filing via E-mail

Filing via email will commence on the date and time stated in the Court’s Notice declaring the unavailability of the CM/ECF system and will end upon the Court’s Notice of the resolution of the system outage. Any documents sent to this email address outside of the time period identified in the Court's official Notices will not be considered filed by the Court.

PDF documents filed via email must conform to all current requirements as outlined in the Local Rules and ECF Administrative Procedures.

During the time periods identified in the Court's official Notices of a CM/ECF System Outage/Unavailability only users that have previously registered may file their pleadings via email to the following address: filing@waed.uscourts.gov.

*Pursuant to General Order 2025-13, all non-public documents are to be filed in paper format at the clerk's offices of the Eastern District of Washington.

Documents filed via email will be considered filed upon the date of receipt by the Court. They will be docketed by court staff during business hours once the CM/ECF Outage/Unavailability has been resolved.