155 

APPENDIX E

ELECTRONIC FILING PROCEDURES

I. INTRODUCTION

1. In General. This Appendix sets forth the

procedures governing electronic filings. For

procedures governing electronic filings in

Vaccine Act cases, see Appendix B to these rules

(“Vaccine Rules of the United States Court of

Federal Claims”), Supplement (“Electronic

Filing Procedures in Vaccine Act Cases”).

2. Definitions. For purposes of this Appendix,

the following definitions apply:

(a) “ECF System” means the court’s online

system for electronic case filing;

(b) “ECF case” means a case designated by

the clerk as an electronic case in which

all filings in the case are made via the

ECF System;

(c) “Non-ECF case” means a case

designated by the clerk as a pro se case

in which the pro se litigant has not been

granted access to file documents

electronically in the ECF System;

(d) “Filing User” means an individual to

whom the court has granted access to file

documents electronically via the ECF

System;

(e) “filing” means any document that is filed

electronically via the ECF System or via

e-mail by a pro se litigant; and

(f) “court” means the assigned judge or,

when appropriate, the assigned special

master.

II. CASE DESIGNATION AND NOTICE

3. Scope.

(a) Newly Filed Cases.

(i) In General. All newly filed cases

will be designated ECF cases except

cases involving pro se litigants.

(ii) Pro Se Cases. All newly filed pro se

cases will be designated non-ECF

cases.

(b) Converted Cases. The court may grant a

pro se litigant access to file documents

electronically via the ECF System, and

thereby convert a pending non-ECF case 

into an ECF case.

4. Notice. The clerk will notify counsel and pro

se litigants that a case has been designated an

ECF case or a non-ECF case by filing a “Notice

of Designation.”

III. ACCESS TO FILE DOCUMENTS VIA

THE ECF SYSTEM; RESPONSIBILITY OF

FILING USERS; EXEMPTION FROM USE

5. Access.

(a) Applications. Applications for access to

file documents electronically via the ECF

System are submitted through PACER

(Public Access to Court Electronic

Records) at www.pacer.gov, and will be

granted to:

(i) an attorney who is admitted to the bar 

of this court; and

(ii) a pro se litigant only if allowed or so

required by court order.

(b) Notification. The clerk will notify a

Filing User when access to file via the

ECF System has been granted.

6. Use of ECF Account. No Filing User or

other person may knowingly permit or cause a

Filing User’s login and password to be used by

anyone other than an authorized agent of the

Filing User. Any Filing User or other person may

be subject to sanctions for failure to comply with

this provision.

7. Exemption From Filing Electronically in

an ECF Case. By filing an appropriate motion, a

Filing User or an attorney not yet registered as a

Filing User may, for good cause, seek to be

exempted from filing documents electronically in

an ECF case and to convert the case into a nonECF case.

IV. FILING REQUIREMENTS IN NONECF CASES

8. Case Initiating Documents. Complaints and

petitions, along with the required filing fee or

an application to proceed in forma pauperis,

must be submitted in paper form in

Appendix E
156 

compliance with RCFC 5.5 by mail or other 

delivery to: 

Clerk

United States Court of Federal Claims

717 Madison Place, NW 

Washington, DC 20439 

A copy of the applicable schedule of fees may 

be found on the court’s website at 

www.uscfc.uscourts.gov or may be obtained 

from the clerk’s office.

9. Filings in Pending Non-ECF Cases.

(a) ECF Filings. The court, the clerk, and

counsel of record for the United States

must file via the ECF System in NonECF cases.

(b) Filings by Pro Se Litigants.

(i) In General. Pro se litigants may

submit case filings in paper form or

via e-mail to

ProSe_case_filings@cfc.uscourts.gov.

All filings must conform to the

format requirements of RCFC 5.5.

(ii) Format of Filings via E-Mail.

(A) All documents submitted via email must be attached to the email in Portable Document

Format (“PDF”). The e-mail

subject line must include the

case name and docket number

for which the submission is

intended.

(B) Each e-mail submission must be

limited to a document that is

clearly identified as a filing

pursuant to a court rule or in

response to a court order.

(C) Only the contents of the attached

PDF file will be considered part

of the submission and processed

by the clerk. Any content in the

body of the e-mail will not be

reviewed by the clerk or

considered for inclusion in the

case record.

(D) If a document, including exhibits

and attachments, exceeds 50

pages when printed, the pro se

litigant must supply a courtesy

copy of the document in paper

form in accordance with RCFC

5.5(c), unless otherwise ordered 

by the court.

(iii)Signatures on Filings via E-Mail.

(A) To satisfy the signature

requirements of RCFC 11, emailed submissions must include 

either a written or an electronic

signature (s/[name of pro se

litigant]).

(B) Pro se litigants may not file

documents via e-mail on behalf

of any other person.

(iv) Revocation of E-Mail Filing

Privileges. E-mail filing privileges

may be revoked by the court at any

time.

V. FILING REQUIREMENTS IN ECF

CASES

10. Filings.

(a) Initial Filings. Initial papers, including

the complaint, may be filed in paper form

or via the ECF System in accordance

with the format requirements of RCFC

5.5.

(b) Subsequent Filings. Once a case has

been designated an ECF case, all

subsequent filings must be made via the

ECF System, except as provided in this

Appendix or by leave of the court in

exceptional circumstances that prevent a

Filing User from filing via the ECF

System.

(c) Exhibits and Attachments. Unless

otherwise ordered by the court, when

filing an exhibit or attachment, a Filing

User:

(i) must file the exhibit or attachment

via the ECF System along with the

main document under one entry

number;

(ii) must include only those excerpts of

the referenced exhibit or attachment

that are directly germane to the

matter under consideration by the

court;

(iii)must clearly and prominently

identify the excerpted material; and

(iv) may seek leave to file additional

excerpts or the complete document.

Appendix E cont.
157 

11. Technical Requirements

(a) Format.

(i) In General. Documents filed via the

ECF System must be:

(A) converted into PDF; and

(B) text searchable.

The ECF System will not accept PDF

files containing tracking tags,

embedded system commands,

password protections, access

restrictions, or other security

features, special tags, or dynamic

features.

(ii) Scanned Documents.

(A) Documents filed via the ECF

System must not be scanned

prior to filing unless the original

documents are unavailable in

electronic form.

(B) A Filing User is responsible for

ensuring the accuracy and

readability of a scanned

document.

(b) Size Limitations

(i) In General. A single filing may be

divided into multiple PDF files.

(ii) Number of Files. Counsel must

endeavor to limit the total number of

PDF files that constitute a single

filing, particularly when filing

appendices and administrative

records.

(iii) Size of Files.

(A) Unless otherwise ordered by the

court, each PDF file must not

exceed the size limitation

established by the court.

(B) The current size limitation is

posted on the court’s website or

may be obtained by calling the

clerk’s office.

(c) Events. Events are used in the ECF

System for filing documents and creating

docket entries on the docket sheet. A

Filing User:

(i) must select an event or events for

each filed document based on the

purpose of the document or relief

requested; and

(ii) should use the most specific event

available rather than a more generic

event.

(d) Linking Filings. A document filed via

the ECF System—such as a response or

reply—that pertains to a motion or other

filing must be linked properly in the

ECF System to the filing to which it

pertains.

12. Courtesy Copies in Paper Form. Unless

otherwise ordered by the court, if a document,

including exhibits and attachments, exceeds 50

pages when printed, the Filing User must supply

chambers with a courtesy copy of the document

in paper form in accordance with RCFC 5.5(c).

The court may order the parties to supply

courtesy copies in paper form of any filing in the

ECF System.

13. Filing Under Seal. Unless otherwise

provided in these rules or by court order, a party:

(a) must seek leave of the court to file a

document under seal via the ECF

System; and

(b) may concurrently file the document

under seal as a separate entry. The

document will remain under seal unless

and until the court denies the motion.

VI. FILING PROCEDURES

14. Notice of Filing; Service.

(a) ECF Cases.

(i) Notifying the Parties. At the time a

document is filed, the ECF System

automatically generates a “Notice of

Electronic Filing” and automatically

e-mails the notice to all parties.

(ii) Service. The transmission of the

“Notice of Electronic Filing”

satisfies the service requirement of

RCFC 5 and the proof of service

requirement of RCFC 5.3.

(b) Non-ECF Cases.

(i) Notification of Filings. A pro se

litigant may consent to receive notice

of all filings via e-mail by filing an

E-Notification Consent Form in each

active case before the court (see

Appendix of Forms, Form 15A).

Appendix E cont.
158 

(ii) Service.

(A) Service by Pro Se Litigants. A

pro se litigant filing in paper

form or via e-mail need not

separately serve his or her filings

on opposing counsel. Opposing

counsel will be served when a

filing is entered by the clerk in

the ECF System.

(B) Service by E-mail on Pro Se

Litigants.

If a pro se litigant has filed an ENotification Consent Form:

(I) the pro se litigant consents to

having his or her e-mail

address entered into the ECF

System to receive notice of

electronic filings;

(II) the transmission of the

“Notice of Electronic Filing”

satisfies the service

requirement of RCFC 5 and

the proof of service

requirement of RCFC 5.3;

(III) the pro se litigant must be

registered with PACER at

www.pacer.gov to view

electronic filings; and

(IV) the pro se litigant waives

service by first class mail.

(C) Service by First Class Mail on

Pro Se Litigants. If a pro se

litigant has not consented to

electronic service by filing an ENotification Consent Form:

(I) the clerk will serve the

litigant with all court-issued

filings by first class mail;

and

(II) opposing counsel must serve

the litigant with all of

opposing counsel’s filings in

a manner listed in RCFC

5(b) and attach to each

filing, or file within a

reasonable time after

service, a certificate of

service pursuant to RCFC

5(d)(1)(B).

15. Effect of Filing.

(a) ECF Cases. A filing by a party via the

ECF System, together with the

transmission of the “Notice of Electronic

Filing,” constitutes a filing under RCFC

5 and an entry on the docket kept by the

clerk under RCFC 58 and 79.

(b) Non-ECF Cases. A document submitted

by a pro se litigant via e-mail or in paper

form constitutes a filing under RCFC 5

once entered by the clerk in the ECF

System.

16. Official Court Record. The official court

record is the electronic recording of the document

in the ECF System as stored by the court and the

filing party is bound by the document as filed.

17. Date of Filing.

(a) ECF Cases. A document filed in an ECF

case is deemed filed on the date and time

stated in the “Notice of Electronic

Filing.”

(b) Non-ECF Cases. A document submitted

by a pro se litigant via e-mail or in paper

form is deemed filed on the date and time

received by the clerk or, if not in

compliance with the court’s rules, on the

date and time filed by leave of the judge

or special master.

18. Timeliness of Filing. Unless otherwise

ordered by the court, an electronic filing under

this Appendix must be submitted before midnight

local time in Washington, DC, to be considered

timely filed on that date.

19. Date Stamp. The filing date of each filing in

the ECF System will appear at the top of the first

page in an automatically generated banner stating

the case number, the document number, and the

date filed.

VII. SIGNATURES AND RELATED

MATTERS IN ECF CASES

20. Signature Defined. A Filing User’s login

and password will serve as his or her signature on

a filing for all purposes, including those under

RCFC 11.

21. Signature Requirements.

(a) Electronic Signature. Filings must

include a signature block, in compliance

with RCFC 11(a), with the name of the

Filing User under whose login and

Appendix E cont.
159 

password the document is submitted 

along with an “s/[name of Filing User]” 

typed in the space where the signature 

would otherwise appear. 

(b) Written Signature. A Filing User may

also satisfy the signature requirement by

scanning a document containing his or

her written signature.

(c) Noncompliance. A filing that does not

comply with this provision will be

deemed in violation of RCFC 11 and may

be stricken from the record.

22. Signatures of Multiple Parties. Documents

requiring signatures of more than one party may

be filed via the ECF System:

(a) by submitting a scanned document

containing all necessary written

signatures; or

(b) by submitting a document containing an

electronic signature for each party

(“s/[name of party]”) and the filing

attorney’s representation that the other

parties have reviewed the document and

consent to its filing.

VIII. COURT ORDERS, JUDGMENTS,

AND APPEALS

23. Filings by the Court. Any order, opinion,

judgment, or other proceeding of the court will be

filed in accordance with this Appendix.

24. Effect of Filing. A filing by the court under

this Appendix:

(a) is an entry on the docket kept by the clerk

under RCFC 58 and 79; and

(b) has the same force and effect as a paper

copy entered on the docket in the

traditional manner.

25. Notice of Filing; Service.

(a) Notifying the Parties. Notice of a filing

by the court will be accomplished in the

manner prescribed in paragraph 14 of this 

Appendix.

(b) Service. Service of a filing by the court

will be accomplished in a manner

prescribed in paragraph 14 of this

Appendix.

26. Court-Ordered Deadlines. If an order or

opinion specifies a due date for the filing of a

document, that date will control over any other

filing deadline listed on the docket for that 

document. 

27. Notice of Appeal. A notice of appeal to the

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal

Circuit:

(a) may be filed electronically via the ECF

System by a Filing User; but

(b) should be filed in paper form, along with

the required filing fee, by a pro se litigant

who has not been granted access to file

via the ECF System.

IX. PRIVACY

28. Personal Information.

(a) In General. Counsel and pro se litigants

are advised that any personal information

in a filing that is not otherwise protected

will be available over the Internet

through PACER.

(b) Including Personal Information in a

Filing. In compliance with the EGovernment Act of 2002, counsel and

pro se litigants should not include

personal information in any filing unless

such inclusion is necessary and relevant

to the filing.

(c) Excluding or Redacting Personal

Information in a Filing. The following

personal identifiers should be excluded,

or redacted when inclusion is necessary,

from all filings, unless otherwise ordered

by the court:

(i) Social Security or taxpayeridentification numbers—if an

individual’s Social Security number

or a taxpayer’s identification number

must be included in a filing, only the

last four digits of the number should

be used;

(ii) names of minor children—if the

name of a minor child must be

mentioned in a filing, only the initials

of the child should be used;

(iii) dates of birth—if an individual’s date

of birth must be included in a filing,

only the year should be used; and

(iv) financial account numbers—if a

financial account number is relevant

to a filing, only the last four digits of

the number should be used.

Appendix E cont.
160 

(d) Using Caution When Including Other

Sensitive Information. Counsel and pro

se litigants should exercise caution when

filing documents containing:

(i) a personal identifying number, such

as a driver’s license number;

(ii) medical records;

(iii) employment history;

(iv) individual financial information; or

(v) proprietary or trade secret

information.

29. Deciding When to Include, Redact, or

Exclude Personal Information. Counsel are

strongly urged to discuss with all clients the use

of personal information so that an informed

decision about including, redacting, or excluding

such information may be made.

30. Responsibility to Protect Personal

Information. It is the sole responsibility of

counsel and the parties to protect any personal

information included in a filing; the clerk’s office

will not review filings to ensure that personal

information has been adequately protected.

X. PUBLIC ACCESS; TECHNICAL

FAILURE; HYPERLINKS

31. Reviewing Filings. The public may review

filings in the clerk’s office. A person may also

access filings in the ECF System by obtaining a

PACER login and password (see

www.pacer.gov).

32. Technical Failure of the ECF System.

(a) Relief by Motion. If a filing via the ECF

System is deemed untimely as the result

of a technical failure of the ECF System,

the Filing User may seek appropriate

relief from the court.

(b) Deeming the Clerk’s Office

Inaccessible. If the ECF System is

inaccessible for any significant period of

time, the clerk will deem the clerk’s

office inaccessible under RCFC 6.

33. Hyperlinks.

(a) Type. Filings via the ECF System may

contain the following types of

hyperlinks:

(i) hyperlinks to other portions of the

same document;

(ii) hyperlinks to documents already

filed in the court’s ECF System; and

(iii) hyperlinks to a location on the

Internet that contains a source

document for a citation.

(b) Cited Authority. Hyperlinks to cited

authority may not replace standard

citation format. Complete citations must

be included in the text of the filed

document.

(c) Limitation. Neither a hyperlink, nor any

site to which it refers, will be considered

part of the record. Hyperlinks are simply

convenient mechanisms for accessing

material cited in a filed document. If a

party wishes to make any hyperlinked

material part of the record, the party must

include the material as an attachment to

the filing.

(d) Disclaimer. The court accepts no

responsibility for, and does not endorse,

any product, organization, or content at

any hyperlinked site, or at any site to

which that site may be linked. The court

accepts no responsibility for the

availability or functionality of any

hyperlink.

Rules Committee Notes

2007 Adoption 

Appendix E replaces former General Order 

No. 42A (“Interim Procedures for Electronic 

Case Filing”), issued on November 4, 2004, and 

establishes electronic case filing as a mandatory 

procedure applicable to all new cases filed in the 

court except for those cases involving pro se

litigants. For supplemental procedures governing 

electronic filings in cases under the National 

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, counsel 

shall refer to the Office of Special Masters 

General Orders, which can be found on the 

court’s website. Former Appendix E (“Procedure 

in Carrier Cases”) has been redesignated in these 

rules as Appendix I. 

2011 Amendment 

Paragraph 1 has been amended to include a 

cross-reference to the separate procedures 

governing electronic filings in Vaccine Act cases 

set forth in the Supplement to Appendix B 

(“Vaccine Rules of the United States Court of 

Federal Claims”).

Appendix E cont.
161 

2012 Amendment 

Paragraph 25 has been amended to eliminate 

the requirement that parties file paper copies of 

notices of appeal in electronic cases.

2015 Amendment 

Paragraph 4 has been amended by deleting 

the statement that all ECF cases will be listed on 

the court’s website. 

Paragraph 8 has been amended to allow a 

plaintiff not appearing pro se to file a complaint 

electronically.

2016 Amendment 

Paragraph 9(b) has been amended to clarify 

that single filing may not exceed 11 separate 

Adobe PDF files. 

In addition, paragraph 12 has been amended 

by deleting as no longer necessary former 

paragraph 12(b) which provided that the clerk 

“will serve the ‘Notice of Electronic Filing’ (but 

not the underlying filing) on case participants 

who are not Filing Users by e-mail, hand 

delivery, facsimile or first-class postage prepaid 

mail.”

Paragraph 17 also has been amended to 

clarify that the ECF system automatically 

generates a filing date stamp at the top of first 

page of each filing. 

Finally, paragraph 23(a) has been amended to 

delete the reference to former paragraph 12(b).

2017 Amendment 

Paragraph 9(b) has been amended to remove 

the specific limitation on the number of Adobe 

PDF files that constitute a single filing.

2019 Amendment 

Paragraph 20 has been amended to clarify 

that a document requiring the signature of more 

than one party must contain either a scanned 

written signature of each party or an electronic 

signature of each party along with the filing 

attorney’s representation that the other parties 

have reviewed the document and consent to its 

filing. 

2020 Amendment 

 Paragraph 2(c) has been amended to define a 

Filing User as an individual, rather than as a

member of the court’s bar, to whom the court has 

granted access to file documents electronically in 

the ECF System.

 Paragraph 5 has been amended to reflect that 

applications for access to file documents 

electronically in the ECF System are submitted 

through PACER and that access may be granted 

to an individual who is not represented by an 

attorney only if allowed or so required by court 

order. 

Paragraph 9 has been amended to include 

additional technical requirements related to 

document format, event selection, and linking 

filings. In additional, paragraph 9(b) has been 

amended to substitute the phrase “a portable 

storage disc or drive” for CD-ROM.

Finally, new paragraph 32 has been added to 

address hyperlinks in filings. 

2023 Amendment 

 Appendix E has been amended to require the 

court, the clerk, and counsel of record for the 

United States to file via the ECF System in nonECF cases, and to provide pro se litigants with 

alternative means of submitting filings and 

receiving notice of filings electronically.

In addition, Paragraph 13 (“Filing Under 

Seal”) has been amended to allow exceptions to 

this rule beyond Vaccine Act cases.

Paragraph 28 has also been amended to 

clarify that taxpayer-identification numbers 

should be excluded, or redacted when inclusion is 

necessary, in all publicly available filings unless 

otherwise ordered. 

Appendix E cont.