External users of CM/ECF, e-filing attorneys or query-only PACER customers must have a PACER login. The easiest way to obtain a PACER login is to register at the PACER Service Center’s website at www.pacer.uscourts.gov. Customers need to complete an online form to obtain the login and password. Customers can gain access to PACER within the hour by registering on-line using a credit card. For those who choose not to provide a credit card, the registration process will take several days, because the login and password are sent via U.S. mail. Customers can also provide the PACER Service Center with a credit card to automatically charge their outstanding fees each quarter.
The PACER Service Center offers online password retrieval for those customers who lose or misplace their PACER passwords. However, customers must provide the PACER Service Center with certain security information prior to losing a password through the “Account Information” section of the above web site.
Billing logs are available to customers via the Internet website. The PACER Service Center collects billing logs from each CM/ECF site on a monthly basis. Shortly after collection, the billing logs are loaded on the PACER Service Center web site, where customers can view them. The PACER Service Center web site has the ability to sort the logs in a number of ways to allow the customers to easily track charges. The PACER Service Center sends quarterly invoices to all customers with outstanding charges over $30.
The PACER Service Center Internet site is an excellent source for information. An entire section of the site (http://pacer.uscourts.gov/cmecf/) is focused on CM/ECF. There are links to all CM/ECF court sites, CM/ECF training modules, and documents that provide general information about the CM/ECF project.
The PACER Service Center generates and provides a Duplicate SSN/TIN Report to bankruptcy courts. Report output includes the duplicate SSN/TINs, the case number associated with the SSN, the debtor name, the court code for the case, the date it was filed, the chapter and a link to the docket. The first line of data for each set of matching SSN/TINs contains the information for the court that is being processed. The subsequent lines for the matching SSN/TINs provides information for matches found in other courts. The PACER Service Center also provides a report that identifies duplicate SSNs for cases that have recently converted to a different chapter.
The PACER Service Center maintains a J-Net site, which is available at http://epa.ao.dcn. This site provides courts with a wealth of information about the Electronic Public Access program.
Usage reports are available under the “Often Used” button. The reports provide information to courts on who is using the PACER systems and how much they are using it.
A feature on the J-Net site helps courts review their exempt usage reports. The report shows the specific transactions for any exempt user. Click the “View Exempt Transaction Details” button to use this new option.
The PACER Service Center manages the U.S. Party/Case Index – a national locator system for cases filed in federal courts.
A court may request a toll-free line (which is funded by EPA fee revenue) for its local CM/ECF help desk. The form is accessible under the “Telecommunications” button from the main EPA J-Net page, and then under the “Request for Inward Station Access (toll free)” button.