Western District of Washington Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proofs of claim and claim-related documents

Entities filing many proofs of claim must file them electronically.

the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington in any 6-month period must electronically file all proofs of claim and claim-related documents.

CRITICAL

Court does not accept fax filings.

The court will not accept documents transmitted by facsimile.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Pro hac vice application

Pro hac vice application must be electronically filed by local counsel.

Local counsel must review, sign, and electronically file the applicant’s pro hac vice application.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Paper submissions

Paper documents over 50 pages must also be submitted in electronic PDF format on USB or CD, with segmentation if over 10MB and clear labeling.

Documents submitted on paper and exceeding 50 pages including exhibits shall also be provided to the clerk’s office in electronic PDF format on a USB flash drive or CD-Rom disk at the time of filing. USB flash drives and CD-Rom disks provided to the court will not be returned to the filer. If the PDF file is more than ten megabytes in size, it must be separated into ten-megabyte segments. Each PDF file shall be clearly labeled to identify the sequence of documents to be filed.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Order

Original orders ready for judge's signature must be uploaded as 'Received Unsigned Order' in the electronic case filing system.

Original orders that are ready for the judge’s signature, including orders filed pursuant to Local Bankruptcy Rules 9013-1(f)(2), 9013-1(g)(2), and 9013-1(i) shall be filed electronically by uploading the order through the court’s electronic case filing system as a “Received Unsigned Order”.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed order

Proposed orders under specified rules must be filed electronically as an attachment to the motion.

Proposed orders filed in accordance with Local Bankruptcy Rule 9013-1(d)(1)(D) and 9013-1(i) shall be filed electronically as an attachment to the motion.

CRITICAL

Applies to

All documents

Attorneys and trustees must file all documents electronically through ECF.

Attorneys and trustees must file all documents with the court using the court’s Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system (“ECF”) and are referred to as a “registered ECF filer.”

CRITICAL

Electronic filing is mandatory for attorneys and optional for self-represented parties.

Electronic filing is mandatory for attorneys and optional for those representing themselves (“pro se”).

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed order

A Word version of all proposed orders must be emailed to linorders@wawd.uscourts.gov at filing, with a subject line including case number, name, and motion title.

Pursuant to this District’s Electronic Filing Procedures, the moving Party must also email a Microsoft Word version of any proposed order to linorders@wawd.uscourts.gov at the time of filing. The subject heading of the email should include the case number, the case name, and the title of the motion, and not simply “Proposed Order.”

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Joint motion

Should the parties elect to utilize LCR 37(a)(2), the moving party is directed to file the joint motion on CM/ECF under the “Expedited Joint Motion for Discovery Pursuant to LCR 37(a)(2)” event.

Should the parties elect to utilize LCR 37(a)(2), the moving party is directed to file the joint motion on CM/ECF under the “Expedited Joint Motion for Discovery Pursuant to LCR 37(a)(2)” event.

CRITICAL

If your claim arose in King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom or Island Counties, mail your completed forms, the originals and all copies to: Clerk, U.S. District Court 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310 Seattle WA 98101-1271

If your claim arose in King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom or Island Counties, mail your completed forms, the originals and all copies to: Clerk, U.S. District Court 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310 Seattle WA 98101-1271

CRITICAL

If your claim arose in Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, or Wahkiakum Counties, mail your completed forms, the originals and all copies to: Clerk, U.S. District Court 1717 Pacific Ave, Room 3100 Tacoma WA 98402

If your claim arose in Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, or Wahkiakum Counties, mail your completed forms, the originals and all copies to: Clerk, U.S. District Court 1717 Pacific Ave, Room 3100 Tacoma WA 98402

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Jury instructions

Proposed jury instructions must be served on all parties, filed in the docket, and emailed as a Word or WordPerfect compatible file to the judge's e-mail orders address.

All proposed instructions must be served on all parties, filed in the docket, and attached as a Word or WordPerfect compatible file to an e-mail sent to the e-mail orders address of the assigned judge pursuant to the court's electronic filing procedures.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency motion

Counsel must electronically file emergency motions unless the entire case is sealed.

Counsel must file emergency motions electronically unless the case is sealed in its entirety.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Notice of intent to transfer or remove

Respondents must file the notice of intent to transfer or remove on the docket, and file a follow-up notice on the docket once the transfer or removal is completed.

Respondents shall also (1) file the notice of intent to transfer or remove on the Court's docket; and (2) file a notice on the docket if the transfer or removal is completed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel must e-file documents unless the court orders otherwise or the clerk directs otherwise; unrepresented parties may e-file but are not required to.

Unless otherwise specifically ordered by the court or directed by the clerk, all counsel are required to electronically file documents through the court’s electronic filing system and to comply with the electronic filing procedures for the district. Unrepresented parties may, but are not required to, electronically file documents.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Pro hac vice application

Local counsel must file this application electronically.

This application, which can be downloaded from the court’s website, must be filed electronically by local counsel.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Traverse

A traverse filed through CM/ECF must use the "Reply to Response to Motion" filing event.

A traverse filed through CM/ECF shall be filed using the “Reply to Response to Motion” filing event.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Joint instructions and joint statement of disputed instructions

Joint Instructions and any Joint Statement of Disputed Instructions must be filed and emailed as a Word- or WordPerfect-compatible attachment to the assigned judge’s email orders address under the court’s electronic filing procedures.

The “Joint Instructions” and any “Joint Statement of Disputed Instructions” shall be filed and shall be attached as a Word or WordPerfect compatible file to an email sent to the email orders address of the assigned judge pursuant to the court’s electronic filing procedures.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Habeas return

The return must be filed in CM/ECF using the "Response to Habeas Petition" filing event.

The return shall be filed using the “Response to Habeas Petition” CM/ECF filing event.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Applies to

Pro hac vice application

Pro hac vice applications must be filed electronically by local counsel.

This application, which can be downloaded from the court's website, must be filed electronically by local counsel.

CRITICALCivil cases

All filed documents must comply with the court’s Electronic Filing Procedures for Civil and Criminal Cases.

All documents filed with the court shall be in accordance with the Electronic Filing Procedures for Civil and Criminal Cases adopted by General Order of the court. The Electronic Filing Procedures are available on the court’s web site at www.wawd.uscourts.gov and from the Clerk’s Office.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Habeas petition or 2255 motion

The party in custody must send the clerk an original completed petition or motion form for filing.

The party in custody shall send to the clerk an original completed petition or motion form for filing.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Counsel must e-file documents through the court's system; unrepresented parties may but are not required to e-file.

(a) Electronic Filing and Signing – Unless otherwise specifically ordered by the court or directed by the clerk, all counsel are required to electronically file documents through the court’s electronic filing system and to comply with the electronic filing procedures for the district. Unrepresented parties are authorized, but are not required to, electronically file documents. The court’s Electronic Filing Procedures for Civil and Criminal Cases can be found on the court’s website at www.wawd.uscourts.gov.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Exhibit list

An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court before the trial date at the specified address.

An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court prior to the trial date. Please email to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov

CRITICAL

Applies to

Proposed order

At filing, the moving party must email a Microsoft Word version of the proposed order to the specified address.

Pursuant to the WAWD’s Electronic Filing Procedures, the moving party must email a Microsoft Word version of a proposed order to pechmanorders@wawd.uscourts.gov at the time of filing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Exhibit list

An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court as directed by the Judge; contact the Courtroom Deputy for further direction.

An exhibit list in Microsoft Word format must be emailed to the Court per the Judge’s instructions. Contact the Courtroom Deputy for further direction

WARNING

Applies to

Exhibit

Non-trial exhibits must be filed electronically and linked to the related pleading.

Exhibits, other than trial exhibits, are to be filed electronically with each exhibit linked to the pleading to which it relates.

WARNING

Applies to

Trustee documents

Documents required to be provided to the trustee under 11 U.S.C. §§ 521(a)(1)(B)(iv) and (e)(2)(A)(i) and Fed. R. Bankr. P. 4002(b)(2) and (3) must not be filed with the court.

These documents are not to be filed with the court but instead these documents shall be delivered to the trustee in the manner described in subsection (2) below.

WARNING

Applies to

Original order

Original orders should not be filed in advance of the hearing nor electronically uploaded in the court’s electronic case filing system, except as permitted in Local Bankruptcy Rule 9013-1(f)(2).

Original orders should not be filed in advance of the hearing nor electronically uploaded in the court’s electronic case filing system, except as permitted in Local Bankruptcy Rule 9013-1(f)(2).

WARNING

Applies to

Notice of unavailability

Notices of unavailability are not required and should not be filed because they do not affect the schedule or deadlines.

As stated in LCR 83.2, “[n]otices of unavailability are not required.” Please do not file them with the Court, as they have no effect on the case schedule or other court deadlines.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Jury instructions

Proposed jury instructions should be filed on ECF and emailed as a Word version to the specified address.

Proposed jury instructions should be filed on ECF and submitted via email as a Word version to cartwrightorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.

WARNING

Prisoners at facilities covered by the initiative may satisfy the mailing requirement by submitting documents to the appropriate facility person for electronic transmission to the Court.

NOTE: If you are housed at a Department of Corrections facility subject to the Prisoner Electronic Filing Initiative pursuant to General Orders 02-15 and 06-16, you may fulfill this mailing requirement by submitting your documents to the appropriate person at your facility who will transmit your documents electronically to the U.S. District Court.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Emergency motion

Pro se parties who opt not to e-file should, if possible, bring emergency motions to court during normal business hours rather than mail them.

Pro se parties who choose not to file electronically should, if possible, bring their emergency motions to the court during normal business hours to avoid the delay of mailing.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Rule 26 initial disclosures, discovery requests and responses, and expert witness reports

Rule 26 initial disclosures, discovery requests and responses, and expert reports generally should not be filed unless used in the proceedings or filing is ordered by the court.

Rule 26 initial disclosures and discovery requests and responses must not be filed unless they are used in the proceedings or the court orders filing. Nor should expert witness reports be filed unless ordered by the court or unless a report is being submitted for use in the proceedings.

WARNING

Applies to

Jury instructions

The Court prefers proposed jury instructions to be filed on ECF and a Word version to be emailed to the specified address.

It is the Court's preference that proposed jury instructions be filed on ECF and a Word version of the instructions submitted via e-mail to settleorders@wawd.uscourts.gov.

INFO

Electronic notice must comply with Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-1 and the court's Electronic Filing Procedures.

Notice given electronically shall comply with Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-1 and the court’s Administrative Procedures for Filing, Signing and Verifying Pleadings and Papers by Electronic Means (“Electronic Filing Procedures”), as each is amended from time to time.

INFO

Applies to

Trial exhibit

Trial exhibits should be submitted on paper unless otherwise ordered.

Trial exhibits should be submitted on paper, in accordance with Local Bankruptcy Rule 5005-2(a), unless otherwise ordered by the court.

INFO

Applies to

Petition

Pro se petitioners may file their § 2241 petition in hard copy (paper) rather than electronically.

3. Paper Filings. A pro se petitioner that files their petition in hard copy will be sent a hard copy scheduling order by the Clerk’s Office in accordance with Paragraph 4 below.

INFOCriminal cases

Applies to

Cooperation materials

Cooperation materials may be filed electronically via CM/ECF to keep them off the public docket.

materials relating to a defendant’s cooperation, e.g. U.S.S.G. § 5K1.1, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e) memos, or Fed. R. Crim. P. 35(b), and supporting documents may be filed electronically via CM/ECF pursuant to General Order 12-23 of this court so they do not appear on the publicly available docket.