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 websites
- 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.