Submission Preflight

Find the route. Inspect the file.

Guide 03 / Federal court CM/ECF

Use the court's current guidance with the final filing PDF.

Electronic filing preparation is court-specific. Start with the current local filing guidance, then inspect the actual PDF you intend to upload instead of relying on the source document or a prior filing.

By: Submission Preflight EditorialSource reviewed: August 18, 2026Version: 1.0

Primary source: PACER: PDF-Related Functionality for Public Filers in NextGen CM/ECF Release 1.6.

The PACER document is an overview. Use the current rules and filing instructions for the specific court and case before filing.

Begin with the specific court

There is no reliable universal filing limit or local procedure to carry from one court to another. Before preparing the PDF, identify the court, locate its current electronic-filing materials, and record the applicable file-size guidance and any document-specific instructions. If a case or judge has a separate order, include that in the review set.

Keep a link or saved reference to the guidance used for the filing. This makes it easier to recheck the work if a colleague takes over or the filing moves to a different court.

Inspect the final, combined PDF

The PACER resource covers PDF definition and software, conversion, viewing before upload, document size, content criteria, flattening, and viewing combined PDFs. Treat that as a preparation sequence: make the final filing PDF, then open that exact file in a current PDF viewer and inspect it before upload.

  1. Open the complete file. Check the first page, a middle page, and the final page. Confirm that pages display in the expected order and that the document is readable at a practical viewing size.
  2. Review the filing as a whole. When documents are combined, confirm that each intended part appears in the correct place and that page boundaries do not hide or duplicate material.
  3. Check size against the court's current limit. Use the actual final PDF size and the current local guidance. If the file changes, measure the changed file again.
  4. Use a deliberate conversion path. Convert from a clean source, then review the PDF for layout changes, missing material, or unreadable pages before it reaches the filing portal.
  5. Retain the reviewed version. Make it clear which PDF was reviewed. A later edit, re-scan, or re-combination creates a new file that needs its own final pass.

When the PDF needs correction

Do not solve a PDF issue by making a cosmetic change without reopening the exported file. Return to the source document or the component that needs repair, produce a new PDF, and repeat the visual and size review. For a combined filing, verify both the repaired section and the document around it.

If local guidance is unclear, use the court's published support route. Do not infer a local requirement from an old filing, a neighboring court, or an overview document. The court is the authority for its electronic filing process.

Keep the final decision with the filer and court

A careful preflight reduces avoidable surprises, but it is not a filing event. The filer remains responsible for selecting the correct event, following orders and local practice, and completing the court's electronic filing process. Review the confirmation steps in the portal before treating a filing as complete.

What this guide does not decide

This guide does not provide legal advice, interpret local rules, choose a filing event, or determine whether a court will accept a filing. The court's current instructions and its CM/ECF system remain authoritative.

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