Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-00017/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-00017-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

THERON KENNETH HOLSTON, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

DEBBIE MASSETTI, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:23-cv-0017 AC P 

ORDER 

Plaintiff, a former county prisoner proceeding pro se, has filed a civil rights action 

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Presently before the court is plaintiff’s request to access Public 

Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) and to electronically file documents. ECF No. 20. 

PACER is available to anyone who registers for an account.1 Because plaintiff does not 

require leave of the court to register for PACER access online, his motion for access will be 

denied as unnecessary. 

Plaintiff also appears to seek leave to file documents electronically. Although the Eastern 

District of California is an electronic management/filing district, unrepresented persons are 

required to file and serve paper documents unless the assigned District Judge or Magistrate Judge 

grants leave to utilize electronic filing. L.R. 133(a), (b)(2). A pro se party seeking an exception 

1

 Registration is available online at no cost at the following address: 

https://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/pscof/registration.jsf. 

Case 2:23-cv-00017-DAD-AC Document 22 Filed 11/17/23 Page 1 of 2
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to the rule may file a motion explaining the reasons why they should be allowed to file documents 

electronically. L.R. 133(b)(3). Plaintiff’s request sets forth the reasons he seeks permission to 

electronically file. ECF No. 20. However, the request does not make clear whether plaintiff is 

familiar with the requirements applicable to electronic filing in this court or whether he is aware 

of the hardware and software needed for electronic filing. For this reason, the motion will be 

denied without prejudice. 

If plaintiff chooses to file another motion for permission to file electronically, the motion 

must include a statement that plaintiff has reviewed the requirements for electronic filing2 and 

agrees to abide by them and that he understands that once he registers for electronic filing, he 

must file all documents electronically and not through the mail or in person at the court. 

Additionally, all notices and documents will be received by e-mail and not by regular mail. The 

motion must also address whether plaintiff has access to the following technical requirements 

necessary for electronic filing: 1) a computer with internet access; 2) an e-mail account for 

receiving notifications from the electronic filing system; 3) a PACER (Public Access to Court 

Electronic Records) account; 4) a word-processing program; 5) PDF conversion software to 

convert word processing documents into .pdf format; and 6) a scanner for exhibits or other 

supporting documents that are only in paper format. Failure to address each of these items will 

result in denial of the motion. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that plaintiff’s motion for access to PACER and 

for leave to file electronically (ECF No. 20) is DENIED without prejudice. 

DATED: November 16, 2023 

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 Information regarding the technical requirements for PDFs is available at the following address: 

https://pacer.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/files/AC-DC-BC-0160ECF-PDF-Functionality_0.pdf. 

Case 2:23-cv-00017-DAD-AC Document 22 Filed 11/17/23 Page 2 of 2