District of Columbia Electronic Filing Rules

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Sealed document

These specified civil records will not normally qualify as HSDs and may continue to be filed under seal on CM/ECF.

Social security records, administrative immigration records, and civil filings subject to privacy protection under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2 and D.D.C. LCvR 5.4(f), will not normally qualify as HSDs and may continue to be filed under seal on the CM/ECF system.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Motion

The motion may be filed in CM/ECF, under seal as appropriate, without attaching the proposed HSD.

Such a motion may be filed in the CM/ECF system, under seal as appropriate, without the proposed HSD that is the subject of the motion attached.

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Applies to

Petition for admission

Petitions for admission to the Bar of this Court will continue to be accepted via PACER and will be processed by the assigned motions judge.

Summary: Petitions for attorney admission will be accepted via PACER during the suspension of in-person ceremonies.

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Applies to

Restricted document

Restricted documents will continue to be filed in CM/ECF under existing procedures but will no longer be accessible or viewable by electronic means, even by a party or person with a right of access.

Summary: Restricted documents are filed in CM/ECF but are no longer accessible electronically.

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Applies to

Highly sensitive document ?

The Court finds, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5(d)(3)(A) and Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49(b)(3)(A), for the reasons prompting the JCUS direction, that good cause exists to require that no HSDs be filed on the Court’s CM/ECF system and that HSDs instead be filed with the Court in accordance with the procedures outlined herein, consistent with the Local Rules of this Court.

Summary: Highly Sensitive Documents (HSDs) must not be filed on the Court’s CM/ECF system and must instead be filed with the Court under the procedures in the Order.

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Civil cases

In cases where a litigant proceeds pro se, electronic filing procedures generally apply only to parties who have counsel. Absent separate order of the Court, the party appearing pro se shall file documents in paper form with the Clerk’s Office.

Summary: Pro se litigants must file documents in paper form; electronic filing is not available to them.

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Civil cases

In cases where a litigant proceeds pro se, electronic filing procedures generally apply only to parties who have counsel.

Summary: Attorneys must file documents electronically.

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Required

Always ?

No document shall be transmitted to the Clerk for filing by means of electronic facsimile or email transmission except with express leave of Court.

Summary: Documents cannot be filed by fax or email without express court leave.

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Except as otherwise provided in this Rule 5.4, all documents to be filed with the Court must be filed by electronic text-searchable means in a manner authorized by the Clerk.

Summary: All documents must be filed electronically via CM/ECF unless an exception applies.

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An attorney must obtain a CM/ECF user name and password from the Clerk in order to enter an appearance electronically, to file documents electronically with the Court, or to receive documents filed electronically by other parties or matters entered electronically on the docket by the Court.

Summary: Attorneys must obtain a CM/ECF password to file and receive documents electronically.

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Applies to

Unsealed document

Every unsealed document (including an administrative record or a record of state court proceedings) must be filed electronically.

Summary: All unsealed documents must be filed electronically.

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Applies to

All ?

A party appearing pro se shall file with the Clerk and serve documents in paper form and must be served with documents in paper form, unless the pro se party has obtained a CM/ECF password.

Summary: Pro se parties must file and serve in paper form unless they have obtained a CM/ECF password.

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Except as otherwise provided in Rule 49, all documents to be filed with the Court must be filed by electronic means in a manner authorized by the Clerk.

Summary: All documents must be filed electronically via CM/ECF unless an exception applies.

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Applies to

Unsealed document

Every unsealed document must be filed electronically.

Summary: Unsealed documents must be filed electronically.

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Applies to

Criminal document ?

Unless prior written authorization for electronic filing is given by the Clerk of Court, every criminal indictment, information, complaint, search warrant, seizure warrant, arrest warrant, accompanying affidavit, return of warrant, and motion for ...

Summary: Certain criminal documents (indictments, warrants, etc.) must be filed in paper unless Clerk authorizes e-filing.

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Applies to

Order of return

order of return pursuant to D.C. Code Section 24-501(i) shall be filed in paper form (original plus one), accompanied by an electronic copy in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing, with appropriate redactions as required by the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Summary: Order of return must be filed in paper form with an electronic copy, with redactions per FRCP.

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Applies to

Pre initial appearance criminal document ?

Unless prior written authorization for electronic filing is given by the Clerk of Court, every document filed prior to the initial appearance of a criminal defendant, including but not limited to a filing related to a grand jury matter, a pen register application, an application for interception of wire or electronic communications, an application for stored electronic information or evidence, an application for tax return information, and an application for disclosure of electronically stored evidence shall be filed in paper form (original plus one) accompanied by an electronic copy in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing.

Summary: Pre-initial appearance criminal documents must be filed in paper form with an electronic copy, unless prior authorization for electronic filing is obtained.

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Applies to

Unsealed document

If a pro se party who has been given leave to file electronically or an attorney presents an unsealed document for filing in paper form, the Clerk may direct the pro se party or attorney to file the document electronically or present it in a format deemed by the Clerk’s Office to be compatible with CM/ECF filing.

Summary: Clerk may direct attorney or pro se party to file electronically; document deemed filed on original date if refiled by next business day.

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Civil cases

All documents in this case are to be filed electronically, except with prior leave of the Court upon good cause shown, and in the case of the exceptions noted below.

Summary: All documents must be filed electronically unless an exception applies.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Sealed criminal investigative application ?

the Clerk’s Office and both the USAO and DOJ adopted administrative and operational changes in processing sealed Subject Criminal Investigative Records to permit such applications to be filed by the government electronically, pursuant to Memoranda of Understanding (“MOUs”) with the Clerk’s Office, see D.D.C. LCRR 49(e)(4), using a standardized format for case captions that contained no personally identifying information but, depending on the type of application, included pertinent information about: “(1) the number of target telephone lines, subscriber accounts, and/or devices that are the application’s subject or subjects; (2) the type of target or targets (e.g., a landline, cellular, or mobile telephone; email account; cell tower; or other facility or device) subject to the application; (3) the service provider to which the order would be directed; and (4) the primary offense statute(s) under investigation.”

Summary: Sealed criminal investigative applications may be filed electronically by the government using a standardized caption format without personally identifying information.

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Applies to

Discovery materials

Except as otherwise provided by this Rule, interrogatories, depositions, requests for documents, requests for admissions, and answers and responses thereto shall be served upon other counsel and parties but shall not be filed with the Clerk until they are used in the proceeding or upon order of the Court as required below. The party responsible for service of the discovery material shall retain the original and become its custodian and, with respect to depositions, the deposing party shall retain the original deposition and become its custodian and shall make it available for inspection by any party to the action upon request. The Court may in its discretion order that all or any portion of discovery materials in a particular case be filed with the Clerk.

Summary: Discovery materials shall not be filed until used in proceeding or upon court order; custodians must retain originals.

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Applies to

Exhibits attachments ?

Any document, exhibit, or attachment, including sealed material that (A) is not in a format that readily permits electronic filing, such as a map, chart or DVD, or (B) is illegible when scanned into electronic format, is to be maintained in the possession of the attorney or pro se party responsible for the filing. Such a filing shall be made available for a party or the Court and must be identified in a Notice of Filing filed with the Court.

Summary: Documents not in a format for electronic filing or illegible when scanned may be maintained by the filer and made available upon request, with a Notice of Filing.

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A pro se party may obtain a CM/ECF user name and password from the Clerk with leave of Court. Whether leave of Court should be granted is within the discretion of the judge to whom the case is assigned. To obtain leave of Court, the pro se party must file a written motion entitled "Motion for CM/ECF User Name and Password," describing the party's access to the internet, confirming the capacity to file documents and receive filings electronically on a regular basis, and confirming that he or she either has viewed the Clerk's Office on-line tutorial or has been permitted to file electronically in other federal courts.

Summary: Pro se parties may e-file with leave of court by filing a motion for a CM/ECF password.

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Applies to

Exhibit

Any document, exhibit, or attachment, including sealed material, that (A) is not in a format that readily permits electronic filing, such as a map, chart, or DVD, or (B) is illegible when scanned into electronic format, is to be maintained in the possession of the attorney or pro se party responsible for the filing. Such a filing shall be made available for a party or the Court and must be identified in a Notice of Filing filed with the Court.

Summary: Documents not in e-format or illegible when scanned must be maintained by the filer and identified in a Notice of Filing.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Proposed jury instructions ?

Proposed instructions shall be filed on ECF.

Summary: Proposed jury instructions must be filed electronically on ECF.

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Applies to

Certificate of good standing

Certificates of good standing for attorneys will continue to be provided. Requests should be submitted electronically in accordance with directions posted on the Court's website.

Summary: Requests for certificates of good standing should be submitted electronically.

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Applies to

Written oath form

Any applicant, who had previously been scheduled for the hearing and ceremony on April 6, 2020, should submit a written oath form to attorney_admissions@dcd.ucourts.gov

Summary: Applicants previously scheduled for April 6, 2020 ceremony should submit written oath form to attorney_admissions@dcd.ucourts.gov.

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Civil cases

In a case involving a pro se party, electronic filing procedures will be followed by parties represented by counsel only. The party appearing pro se shall continue to file documents in paper form with the Clerk’s Office.

Summary: Pro se parties must file documents in paper form; electronic filing is not available to them.

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A pro se party may obtain a CM/ECF username and password from the Clerk with leave of Court. Whether leave of Court should be granted is within the discretion of the judge to whom the case is assigned. To obtain leave of Court, the pro se party must file a written motion entitled 'Motion for CM/ECF User Name and Password,' describing the party's access to the internet, confirming the capacity to file documents and receive filings electronically on a regular basis, and certifying that he or she either has successfully completed the entire Clerk’s Office on-line tutorial or has been permitted to file electronically in other federal courts.

Summary: Pro se parties may obtain CM/ECF password with leave of court by filing a motion describing internet access and e-filing capacity.

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Any document, order, or notice filed or docketed electronically by the Court or by the Clerk shall have the same binding authority as one filed on paper.

Summary: Electronically filed documents have the same binding authority as paper documents.

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Applies to

All

This Rule does not apply to cases that are filed in paper form and are not assigned to the CM/ECF system. Eventually, however, all new civil cases will be assigned to the CM/ECF system.

Summary: The electronic filing rule does not apply to cases filed in paper and not assigned to CM/ECF.

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Required

Always ?

Electronic filing through the Federal Judiciary's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system is available.

Summary: Electronic filing via CM/ECF is available for all filings.

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Pro Se litigants may submit filings to the Court either (1) by sending the filing via email to the Court's email address: dedml_intake@ded.uscourts.gov: or (2) by date-stamping and depositing papers in drop boxes located at the entrance to the Courthouse.

Summary: Pro se litigants may file by email to dedml_intake@ded.uscourts.gov or by depositing papers in courthouse drop boxes.

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Applies to

Sealed filing

Sealed submissions in criminal cases and emergency or sealed filings in civil cases may be submitted via email to the Court for prompt docketing.

Summary: Sealed and emergency filings may be submitted via email for prompt docketing.

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Applies to

Petition for admission

Petitions for admission to the bar of this Court will continue to be accepted via PACER and will be processed by the Motions Judge without the need for an in-person hearing referenced in Local Civil Rule 83.8(d).

Summary: Petitions for admission are accepted via PACER.