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NextGen CM ECF

TNED NextGen Implementation

Important: E-Filing Instructions

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has now upgraded its Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System (CM/ECF) to the Next Generation of CM/ECF (NextGen). This upgrade provides users with several benefits, including Central Sign-on and the ability for e-filing attorneys to access any NextGen court within which they practice using one login and password.

Central Sign-On allows all CM/ECF users to maintain one account across all NextGen courts (appellate, district, and bankruptcy) and to sign in one time to access all the courts in which they have permission to e-file. Each user is identified with the appropriate level of access in each court. The PACER Service Center supports outside user requests for attorney admissions and e-filing recognition for various courts. Courts continue to be responsible for admitting attorneys and assigning e-filing permissions to users.

In order to file with this Court, you must complete the steps listed under “NextGen Account Information.” Your PACER Account will be your login (entry point for both PACER and CM/ECF). Therefore, you must have access to an individual PACER Account.
 

Attorney Correspondence

 

NextGen Account Information

1. Obtain your own PACER account

Obtain your own individual PACER account, if you do not already have one.
Register for a new PACER account by clicking here.
For consolidated billing and online account management, which excludes viewing and filing, firms or offices may consider using a PACER Administrative Account (PAA).
For assistance with creating a PACER account, please contact PACER at 1-800-676-6856 or visit the PACER website.

 

2. Note your upgraded PACER username and password

If you have your own individual PACER account and it was created prior to August 11, 2014 (also known as a Legacy account), you must upgrade your account before you can electronically file in a NextGen court.
Please see the learning module here on upgrading your PACER account.
CJA Attorneys should follow the instructions below
 

3. Note your current CM/ECF username and password

Note your current CM/ECF login and password. This is the login and password you currently use for filing. If you do not know your password, please contact the nearest divisional clerk's office for assistance.  You will need this information for step four.
Contact the Court - Chattanooga 423-752-5200, Greeneville 423-639-3105, or Knoxville 865-545-4228
 
 

4. Link your PACER and CM/ECF Accounts

You must link your upgraded PACER account to your TNED NextGen CM/ECF account. Users will NOT be able to file in NextGen until their CM/ECF account is linked to their upgraded individual PACER account.  Please see the link below for detailed instructions.
 
*Steps 1-3 should be completed prior to the court’s upgrade to NextGen CM/ECF.
Step 4 can not be completed until after 8:30am Monday, December 9, 2019.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have an upgraded PACER account?

Attorneys can determine if their account is upgraded or not by logging in to PACER. If they click Manage Your Account, and look next to Account Type, it will indicate if the account is “Legacy” or “Upgraded”. Upgraded PACER accounts have usernames that are at least 8 characters. You may have upgraded your PACER account recently if you practice before another court that already has migrated to NextGen, such as the Sixth Circuit.  If your username is 6 characters, you do not have an upgraded account. Go to https://www.pacer.gov/ and click on Manage My Account to upgrade your PACER account.

What happens to my CM/ECF account after the court transitions to NextGen?

After the Court upgrades to NextGen, you will link your current CM/ECF account to your PACER account. After the accounts are linked, you will no longer use your CM/ECF username or password to file in this Court.

My law firm uses a shared PACER account. Can we continue to use that account?

Not for e-filing. Each attorney must have an individual PACER account to use for electronic filing in NextGen. The law firm can create a PACER Administrative Account (PAA) to manage the billing for all of the individual accounts. Staff members who share a PACER account for read-only access may continue to share an account.

I linked my account when the Court of Appeals or another District or Bankruptcy Court converted.  Do I have to link my account again?

Yes, once the Court is live on NextGen, you must link your PACER account to your Eastern District of Tennessee District Court CM/ECF account before you can file in this Court.

I am a CJA attorney, and I currently have two PACER accounts. Will I continue to need two accounts with NextGen?

CJA Attorneys will only need one PACER account for filing and viewing in CM/ECF NextGen. If you have a separate exempt CJA account now, those exempt privileges will be added to your individual upgraded PACER account; and your current exempt account will be canceled.  Click here for instructions and more information on CJA accounts. https://www.tned.uscourts.gov/sites/tned/files/NextGen_Procedure_For_CJA_Attorneys.pdf

NextGen Frequently Asked Questions from eFilers

https://www.tned.uscourts.gov/sites/tned/files/NextGen-FAQs-1.pdf