On November 26, 2007, the CM/ECF application for the Western District of Kentucky was upgraded to Version 3.1.1 for ECF.

Below are a few highlights of the new Version 3.1 features. To view the full documentation go to http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/announcements/general/cmecf_relnotes.html.

   Cascading Menu System - This will allow you to navigate from one ECF menu item to another by hovering over the main blue menu bar and selecting items from the cascading menus.

   Notice of Electronic Filing - Beginning with Release 3.1, only case participants will receive one free look at documents that are accessed via the Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF).

   Availability to View and/or Download all Documents from a Single Docket Entry - Users now can view all of the documents for a single docket entry at the same time

   Docket Event Search - With the new docket event search functionality, users can enter one or more characters in the docket event search field during docketing to execute more precise searches when selecting event subtypes to docket.

   Universal Event and Menu Search - The new Event and Menu Search utility, labeled Search, is available from the main blue menu bar. When clicked, a small pop-up window appears and the user can enter text to search on. Once the user enters text in the search box and clicks the Search button (or Enter on the keyboard), the results are displayed on the screen with the search string characters highlighted.

   Cross-Document Hyperlinks - CM/ECF users now can file a document that includes a hyperlink to a previously filed document(s) in the same case, or another case that resides on the CM/ECF system where the filing is being entered, or on any other courts CM/ECF system that is currently on Version 3.0 or higher.

   PACER Billing - When a PACER user accesses a document for the first time via the Notice of Electronic Filing, he/she will not incur fees for accessing the newly filed document, but access to any hyperlinked document from within the original document will incur a fee.

   Payment of Filing Fees via the Internet - The CM/ECF software was modified to allow attorneys paying filing fees via the Internet to choose whether they want to pay via credit card or Automated Clearing House (ACH), also known as DirectDebit. A new screen prompts the user to select the preferred method of payment for the current transaction. Currently the debit card function is unavailable and will be released at a later date. You will be notified via email prior to the release.

Effective December 1, 2007:

New FRCvP 5.2 and FRCrP 49.1 will go into effect regarding privacy policies.

-and-

PACER users will be allowed remote access to judgments, opinion and orders that have been marked as written opinions in social security cases. When the Report and Recommendation is adopted by orders marked as written opinion, the Report and Recommendation will also be available to PACER users. Remote electronic access to other documents filed in social security cases will remain restricted to a Filing User who is counsel of record.

I would like to encourage all users and staff to test the above features in our Training database (https://ecf-train.kywd.uscourts.gov), prior to the 11/26/2007 date.

Please direct all ECF questions to our helpdesk at 1-866-822-8305.

Thank you,
Jeffery A. Apperson, Clerk
U.S. District Court
Western District of Kentucky