January 2008 (back to top)                                                                                       

Ongoing Docketing Issues - focus of this issue

What’s the Difference? - Credit Counseling Certificate vs. Certification of Financial Management Course, P-Amendment to Schedules D, E, and/or F (fee) vs. P-Schedule D, P-Schedule E, P-Schedule F; Motion for Relief from Stay (fee) vs. Motion for Relief from Stay (no fee), Withdrawal of document vs. Withdrawal of Claim, Notice of Hearing vs. Notice Rescheduling 341 meeting/confirmation/hearing

Payment of Unclaimed Funds

Avoid Duplicate Charges

Filing a Motion to Amend

When to Clear the Browser Cache

Amended Bankruptcy Forms

Requirements for e-Orders 

November 2007 (back to top)

Ten-year Anniversary Issue!

Today is Yesterday’s Tomorrow - brief history by the Clerk of Court

A Note from Our First CM/ECF Filer - Susan H. Shiptenko

How CM/ECF Began

CM/ECF cartoon by attorney Larry Landry

April 2007 (back to top)

What’s New? Judges Massey and Brizendine have applied for reappointment

Common Docketing Errors - verify correct courtroom or hearing location in Notice of Hearing, how to select remaining documents for an incomplete petition, cover document needed for an Amendment, place petition documents in order before scanning, enter alias correctly, verify party names on docket match bankruptcy petition or adversary complaint, remember to file Pay Advices, Summary of Schedules - don’t leave totals blank

New Procedures - revised Policy of Redaction effective 4/16/07

From the Financial Administrator - transaction errors on outstanding fees, Credit Card Security Code

Filing Requirements (list for each chapter)

How to Clean Up Temp Files

March 2007 Statistics

December 2006 (back to top)

What’s New? 341 calendars for Ch. 7 and Summons are now auto-docketed

Common Docketing Errors - B21 not filed electronically, notify the Clerk’s office if an amendment has been filed to correct a SSN, Exhibit D is filed as part of petition, Certificate of Credit Counseling filed separately, Pay Advices filed separately, Motion to Amend not for filing Amended Schedules, Motion for Relief from Stay that requests other types of relief, using “First Request to Convert from Chapter 13 to 7", when to use the event “Reconsider Order of dismissal, Motion to”.

New Procedures - Request Audio Transcript

CM/ECF - Version 3.0 Attorney Tip Sheet (Adversary, Case Opening, Involuntary Cases, Docketing, Docket Reports, Claims, PACER

Contacts for Corrections (all divisions)

March 2006 (back to top)

What’s New? The Clerk presented a Bankruptcy Law Update 2/16/06. Reminder to check the Court’s website for news and updates, notice of deficient filing distributed, and copy of changes regarding pre-confirmation amendments to Chapter 13 plans given to attorneys in attendance. Mrs. Evans brought five things to the attorneys’ attention at the request of the Clerk’s staff.

Announcements - Atlanta Intake Counter to be remodeled and CM/ECF downtime in late March or April.

Common Docketing Errors - don’t link Ch. 13 plan to petition, Pay Advices and Means Test filing, Certificate of Credit Counseling separate, apartment or suite number in address, alias needs to be before name in case upload, enter party names same on docket as petition or complaint.

New Procedures - filing amendments to Ch. 13 Plan

Remember to File Payment Advices

Filing Requirements and Document Order List - Chapters 7, 13 and 11

2005 Statistics

October 2005 (back to top)

What’s New? Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act effective 10/17/05. Use the CM/ECF TRAIN database to practice the new events

Common Docketing Errors - timely corrections, redacting SSN, Adversary party names match, no double clicking in CM/ECF, pay charges the same day, when to choose “Payment of Fees”, message about party represented by attorney in your firm, refer to Key Word Index in Guide, only upload new creditors in Creditor Maintenance, select event with Fee when appropriate, verify your attachments, link new document appropriately, select correct chapter when filing a new petition

Filing fee increase - Adversary, Chapters 7, 11, and 13

Combining different types of documents (User’s Guide, Section 5, page 5.3-5.6)

Proposed Orders - see Chambers at the Court’s website for instructions

View Your Transaction Log - Utilities option

September 2005 Statistics

Important Notice from the Clerk - Effective 8/28/05, credit card payments through pay.gov

Procedure for Electronically Filing Amendments to Amend SSN

Attorney Event List (revised 10/19/05) - related to new law listed in all CAPS (9 pages)

April 2005 (back to top)

What’s New? Timely Payment of Fees Required - Reports > Credit Card Payments Outstanding

Common Docketing Errors - Notice of Appearance (Attorney or Creditor), remember to add Aliases, confirm your address

How well do you know CM/ECF? Six questions with answers on last page

Corrections - contact list for all divisions

Voluminous Exhibits - language to use on exhibit page if not filed electronically

From the Financial Manager - three incidents that can be resolved regarding payments

March 2005 Statistics

October 2004 (back to top)

What’s New? PACER fee increased to eight cents per page effective January 1, 2005

Common Docketing Errors - Do not double-click when docketing, warning about when to select the even “Payment of Fees”, message prompt due to different user’s login being used, refer to Appendix 2 “Key Word Index of Filing Events”, uploading creditors for amended schedules or matrix, appropriate event when adding or deleting creditors, verify attachments, importance of linking your documents, restrictions for combining different documents, read the “Final Text” box to prevent duplicate text

Submitting Proposed Orders - per Judges’ instructions on their web sites

Financial Issues - Credit card program replaced August 20, 2004, don’t use BACK button, prevent duplicate charges, instructions for making payments online

September 2004 Statistics

Attorney Event List (8 pages)

NOTICE from the Clerk of Court - Change in Procedure for Clerk’s Entry of Default

Searching the Claims Register

June 2004 (back to top)

What’s New? General Order 11 provides for payment of filing fees in installments.

Common Docketing Errors - only upload “added” creditors, link amendments to petition, separate docket entries for conversion, amendments, EDO; Notice of Abandonment filed by Trustee

Payment of Fees - category added to the Bankruptcy Menu in CM/ECF (list of new events)

May 2004 Statistics

February 2004 (back to top)

What’s New? Implementation of General Order 10. Court’s system covers the first five digits of the debtor’s SSN.

Certification Regarding Review of proof of Claims (per General Order 9)

Common Docketing Errors - File the Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments the same day, motion for relief with a completed notice of hearing, correct IRS address for noticing

About ECF Filing Fees - Procedure for credits due to wrong amount entered, notify Financial Administrator of new credit card for attorney

January 2004 Statistics

Procedure for Electronically Filing Amendments to Amend (or Correct) Social Security Number

August 2003 (back to top)

What’s New? Newest version of CM/ECF delayed due to problems with response time by external users. Clerk’s Office hours changed to 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Common Docketing Errors - Order terminating EDO, create forms in order for filing, don’t use all CAPS for debtor’s name, attach proposed consent order, filing a response or objection, filing a withdrawal, upload creditors

July 2003 Statistics

How to Boot Up the Courtroom PCs and Login to CM/ECF

January 2003 (back to top)

What’s New? Processing your credit card payments online

Common Docketing Errors - Linkage, Creating parties, Case upload, Incomplete petition, Self-selecting calendars, Certificate of Service of Summons and Complaint, How to transfer venue, How to amend the creditor matrix, How to submit a proposed order in paper form

About ECF Filing Fees - Request for Assessment of Fees

Statistics for the year 2002

How to Submit Proposed Orders

How to Amend the Creditor Matrix

How to File a Motion to Transfer Venue

July 2002 (back to top)

What’s New? Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule and PACER cap

Common Docketing Errors - Opening an incomplete case, Answers/Responses, Linking hearings

June 2002 Statistics

Scanning Guidelines

Adding a Party to an Existing Case

April 2002 (back to top)

What’s New? Judge Bonapfel sworn in 4/10/02

March 2002 Statistics

Docketing News - add creditor to file a claim or amended schedules; entering the installment amount; pleadings can be filed electronically for cases that were not originally filed in ECF.

Procedures for Properly Setting Hearing Dates

Reassignment of Judges to Certain Cases

February 2002 (back to top)

Docketing News - Request for assessment of fees

January 2002 Statistics

Recurring attorney errors - amendment, using a default fee in error, Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments, entering characters and digits in receipt field, incorrect linkage, incorrect .pdf document, no creditors, blank images, incorrect docket events, missing petition pages,

Attorney ECF Event List February 2002

October 2001 (back to top)

Bankruptcy Software Update

Docketing a Withdrawal

About ECF Filing Fees (credit card authorization)

Reminders (about docketing)

ECF Filings for August 2001 (statistics for BK courts using ECF)

CM/ECF Implementation Status (BK and District courts)

Spring 2001 (back to top)

Electronic Public Access Fee

National Project Update

Update on Adobe Acrobat Writer Attorney Discount Program

Searching for Prior Cases

Calendaring Hearing in Judge Massey Cases

Trustee’s No Distribution Report Filings

Adversary Case Opening

Automatic Case Upload

New Users Manual

Applications to Pay Fees in Installments

Attorney ECF Event List