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Attorney Renewal and Government Certification

On Monday, October 7, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia 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: the ability for e-filing attorneys to access any NextGen court they practice in using one login and password.  Effective March 22, 2021, Attorneys wishing to remain in good standing with this Court’s bar will be required to renew their bar membership electronically using this upgraded system.

To access the upgraded system, you must have a PACER account and register for e-filing.  Your PACER account will be your login; therefore, you MUST have your own individual PACER account.  E-filing attorneys will not be able to use shared PACER accounts.  Please click the PACER tab below for more information regarding how to upgrade your existing PACER account or how to register for a new PACER account.  After upgrading or obtaining your PACER account, you must then link your PACER account to your current CM/ECF account. Linking instructions can be found within the PACER tab below.

Once you have successfully registered for e-filing, the Court will be able to electronically notify you regarding renewal of your bar membership at least 60 days before the required date of filing.  Renewal notices are generally sent May 1st of each year to those attorneys needing to renew.  You must register for e-filing in order to receive further renewal notices.

PACER

Registering for a PACER Account

If you do not have your own PACER account, follow the steps below to register for an account.

  1. Go to https://www.pacer.gov.
  2. Click on Register for an Account then click on Attorney Filers for CM/ECF.
  3. Click on Register for a PACER account.
  4. Complete the PACER registration form.  For User Type: If you are an attorney in private practice, select INDIVIDUAL.  If you are a State or Federal Government attorney, select the corresponding field.
  5. Click Next
  6. Create a Username and Password and select Security Questions.  Click Next when finished.
  7. Enter the Payment Information (optional).
  8. Read the policies and procedures and acknowledge by checking the box.
  9. Click Submit.

If you already have a CM/ECF account, please follow the instructions in the Linking PACER Account to Existing CM/ECF Account tab to link your new PACER account to your existing CM/ECF account for e-filing.

If you don't have a CM/ECF account, please follow the instructions in the E-Filing tab to register for e-filing.

If you have any questions, please contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856.

Upgrading Your PACER Account

If you have your own individual 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.  Follow the steps below to upgrade your account.

  1. Go to https://www.pacer.gov.
  2. Click on My Account & Billing then click on Manage My Account Login.
  3. Click on Log in to Manage My Account.
  4. Enter your current PACER username and password then click Login.
  5. If the Account Type lists “Legacy PACER Account (Upgrade)”, then click on Upgrade; otherwise, there no need to upgrade.
  6. Follow prompts to update/enter all necessary information in each tab.
  7. Click Submit.

NOTE:  Once the upgrade is complete, you can no longer use your old PACER username and password.

If you already have a CM/ECF account, please follow the instructions for Linking PACER Account to Existing CM/ECF Account to link your upgraded PACER account to your existing CM/ECF account for e-filing.

If you don't have a CM/ECF account, please follow the instructions in the E-Filing tab to register for e-filing.

If you have any questions, please contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856.

Linking PACER Account to Existing CM/ECF Account

E-Filing

E-filing is required for accessing the upgraded system (NextGen CM/ECF) for filing documents and renewing your bar membership with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Follow the steps below to register for e-filing for this Court.

  1. Go to https://www.pacer.gov.
  2. Click on My Account & Billing then click on Manage My Account Login.
  3. Click on Log in to Manage My Account.
  4. Enter your new/upgraded PACER login and password.
  5. Select the Maintenance tab and select Attorney Admissions/E-File Registration.­
  6. Select U.S. District Courts as the Court Type from the drop-down list.
  7. Select District of Columbia District Court as the Court from the drop-down list then click Next.
  8. On the What would you like to apply/register for? screen:
    • Attorneys already admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia needing to e-file select E-File Registration Only.
    • MDL attorneys select Multi-District Litigation.
    • Attorneys from State or Federal Government agencies select Federal Attorney.
    • Pro Hac Vice attorneys whose motion pursuant to LCvR 83.2(d) has been granted select Pro Hac Vice.
    • Pro Bono attorneys practicing pursuant to LCvR 83.2(g) select E-File Registration Only.
    • CJA attorneys practicing pursuant to LCrR 57.22 select E-File Registration Only.
    • Attorneys needing e-filing for miscellaneous cases only select E-File Registration Only.
  9. Review the Filer Information section and make changes, if needed.
  10. In the Additional Filer Information section:
    • Pro Hac Vice attorneys MUST fill out the Pro Hac Vice Case Number field.
    • MDL attorneys MUST fill out the Multi-District Litigation Case Number field.
    • Pro Bono attorneys MUST enter 'pro bono' in the Other Names Used field.
  11. Complete the Delivery Method and Formatting section and click Next.  Note: This is used for electronic notification in cases in which you are involved.  Complete this section even if you will not be actively practicing in federal court.  Email address information comes from your existing PACER information.  Check the box to use a different email if desired.  Email Frequency and Email Format are required and are also used for electronic notice in cases in which you are involved. In the Email Frequency drop-down list, select Once Per Day for a daily summary notification or At The Time of Filing for individual notice. In the Email Format drop-down list, select HTML unless you are having difficulty with your emails.
  12. Set default Payment Information if desired (not required).  Click Next when finished or to bypass this screen.  You can add a credit card or ACH payment method or designate your existing card as the default method for each of the following fee types: Autobill PACER fees, E-filing fees default, and Admissions fees default.
  13. Check the two boxes for the E-Filing Terms of Use.
  14. Click Submit.  The Court will review your e-filing request for eligibility.  You may be contacted for further information or to correct deficiencies, if any exist.  If your eligibility is confirmed, your account will be activated, and you will be able to file.

If you have any questions, please contact the PACER Service Center at 1-800-676-6856.

Attorney Admissions

Application for Admission

Applying for Admission

Admission Closing and Ceremony Dates

Attorney Renewal and Government Certification

In compliance with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia's Local Rule 83.9(a), each member of the bar of this Court shall renew his or her membership every three years by filing with the Clerk of the Court a renewal certificate and pay a renewal fee in the amount of $25.00.

Pursuant to LCvR 83.9(c) attorneys failing to file the required renewal certification and pay the renewal fee will be provisionally removed from the list of members in good standing.  If the certificate and renewal fee are filed within five years from the due date, the name of the attorney provisionally removed will be restored to the list of members in good standing.  Should nothing be filed within five years from the due date, the attorney's name will be removed permanently from the membership list, without prejudice.  To become a member in good standing with the Court again, the attorney will have to reapply for admission to the bar as a new member.

Notification of the renewal requirement and the renewal certificate are electronically mailed to the last known e-mail address of all applicable attorneys prior to the renewal date.

Attorney Renewal

  • If you are an attorney who would like to maintain an Active bar status, follow the steps below.
  1. Fill out the Attorney Renewal Form.
  2. Print the renewal form to PDF. This saves the Attorney Renewal Form as a non-fillable PDF.  Do not proceed to step three with a fillable PDF.
  3. Proceed to electronically file your renewal form and pay the renewal fee by using the instructions here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/AttyRenewalECFTutorial2021.pdf

Government Certification

  • If you are a Government attorney who would like to certify for the first time or renew your certification, follow the steps below.
  1. Fill out the Government Certification Form.
  2. E-mail the form to attorney_admissions@dcd.uscourts.gov
  3. Register for e-filing (go to the E-Filing tab above).
  •  Renewal fees are waived for State/Federal Government attorneys.

Certificates of Good Standing

In order to confirm your membership of the required Bar in accordance with LCvR 83.2, please provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the District of Columbia Bar, or the Bar of any state in which you maintain your principle office. The certificate must be issued within a year of the date of your application.

To request a Certificate of Good Standing with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, complete and submit the Certificates of Good Standing Request Form, and an invoice will be emailed to you for payment through Pay.gov (see the Paying an Invoice with Pay.gov tab below).

Paying an Invoice with Pay.gov

eBilling is a pay.gov application that allows the Clerk’s Office to send and manage electronic payments.  For step-by-step instructions on paying an eBill with pay.gov, see instructions below.

  1. From your email, open Pay.gov Accessing your U.S. government electronic bill for DCD eBilling.
  2. Click the link in the email to access Pay.gov.
  3. Enter the Access code from the email in the Access code field to view the bill and click Submit.  The eBills are viewable whenever you log in to Pay.gov.  No access code is required.
  4. Enter 20001 for the DC District Court’s zip code. The security answer can be found in the Pay.gov Accessing your U.S. government electronical bill for DCD eBilling email.
  5. Click View Bill to view bill.
  6. Click Pay Bill to pay bill.
  7. Select payment type ACH or Debit or credit card. Click Next.
  8. Enter your name, billing address, and card number information. Click Review and Submit Payment.
  9. Review your credit card information, enter and confirm your email address.  At this time, additional email addresses may be entered in the CC field.  Payment confirmation emails will be sent to those email accounts.
  10. Accept the authorization agreement by selecting the checkbox. Click Submit Payment.
  11. After you submit payment you will receive a Pay.gov payment confirmation email.

FAQs

1. What is my membership status in the U.S. District Court? How can I find my bar number?

A: Please visit our Court’s website for attorney information lookup: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/bar-memberattorney-information-lookup.

Note: if no information shows up, the attorney is not admitted into the U.S. District Court and should check with the DC Bar.  If you believe your results are incorrect, please send an e-mail to attorney_admissions@dcd.uscourts.gov for verification.

 

2. My membership status says “Provis”. What does this mean? What should I do?

A: If your membership status says “Provis”, this means that you are in a provisional status and need to renew your membership with the court’s bar in order to be in good standing.

 

3. What attorneys are required to renew their memberships?

A: Only government and fully admitted attorneys are required to renew their memberships.  Pro Hac Vice attorneys should not renew their membership with this court.

 

4. I am a Pro Hac Vice attorney and I paid the submission fee to renew my membership. What should I do now?

A: Pro Hac Vice attorneys do not have to renew their membership.  You may contact the finance office at 202-354-3100 to request a refund.

 

5. How do I renew my membership with the U.S. District Court?

A: Please complete and submit your renewal form and pay the $25 fee.  Instruction can be found here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/AttyRenewalECFTutorial2021.pdf.

 

6. Where can I find my renewal code?

A: The renewal code is in your attorney information lookup results.  Please visit our Court’s website for attorney information lookup: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/bar-memberattorney-information-lookup.

 

7. When is my renewal due?

A: Renewals are due every 3 years from your last renewal date.  Please use attorney information lookup to check your last renewal date, which can be found here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/bar-memberattorney-information-lookup.

 

8. I am trying to submit my renewal form and keep receiving a syntax error.  What should I do?

A: Please enter your renewal code in the “Renewal Code” field on the Attorney Renewal Form.  Your renewal code is in your attorney information lookup results.  Please visit our Court’s website for attorney information lookup: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/bar-memberattorney-information-lookup.

 

9. When I go to electronically file my document in CM/ECF, I do not have access to the “Civil” option. What should I do?

A: Please proceed to register to electronically file.  Instructions can be found here:

https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/NextGEN_Tutorial_for_Registering_for_E-filing_1.pdf.

 

10. I am a government attorney.  How do I register to electronically file in the U.S. District Court?

A: First, complete the renewal form found on this page: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal.  Once you have completed the document save it as a pdf and e-mail it to attorney_admissions@dcd.uscourts.gov. Lastly, register to E-File via PACER.  Instructions may be found here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/NextGEN_Tutorial_for_Registering_for_E-filing_1.pdf.

 

11. How do I link my PACER account to my U.S. District Court account?

A: If you have your NextGen CM/ECF username and password you may link your account yourself and receive immediate access to E-File.  Please see the instructions here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/Link_an_Upgraded_PACER_Account_to_a_NextGen_CMECF%20FINAL.pdf.  If you do NOT have your NextGen CM/ECF username and password, please proceed to register to E-File so we may link the accounts for you.  Instruction can be found here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/NextGEN_Tutorial_for_Registering_for_E-filing_1.pdf.

 

12. I submitted an E-Filing request. How long will it take to be processed? Can I have it expedited?

A: E-Filing requests take 2-3 business days for processing.  E-Filing requests are processed in the order that they are received, therefore we are unable to expedite requests.

 

13. How do I update or change my address in the U.S. District Court?

A: Effective October 7, 2018, a change of address request must be submitted via PACER.  Please note that this can only be done if you have linked your NextGen CM/ECF account to your PACER account.

You can update attorney information in the NextGEN CM/ECF account at: https://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/pscof/login.jsf.

  • Click on Maintenance- Update Personal Information to update your name, prefix, and suffix.
  • Click on Maintenance- Update Address Information to update your firm name, address, and phone numbers.
  • Click on Maintenance- Update E-Filer Email Noticing and Frequency to update your email address(es).

 

14. How do I apply for full admission in the U.S. District Court?

A: The Application for admission can be found here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/ApplicationForAdmission2020_FILL.pdf.  Once you have completed the document save it as a .pdf and submit it via PACER.  Please see the tutorial here: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sites/dcd/files/NextGENTutorialforApplyingforAdmission.pdf.

 

15. Is the U.S. District Court still holding admissions? Do I need to come to an in-person swearing in?

A: All in person admission ceremonies have been postponed until further notice, however, we are still holding admissions.  Please see the following Standing Order for more details:  COVID-19 Standing Order 20-68: Fourth further extension of postponed court proceedings due to ongoing exigent circumstances caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

 

16. I applied for admission, but my application status says “unknown”.  What should I do?

A: An application for admission’s status remains “unknown” until it is processed.  Once it has been processed and the application meets all requirements, you will receive a link for payment along with additional instructions.

 

17. Due to COVID, are original signatures still required on Applications for Admission and Sponsor’s Affidavit?

A: Yes, original signatures are still required.

 

18. I submitted my application, oath and paid the fee.  When will I be granted admission?

A: We are still following admission deadlines.  This means that admissions are continuing to be held once a month, on the first Monday of every month.  However, admission is not finalized until final approval from the assigned motions judge.

 

19. How do I reset my PACER password?

A: For information on resetting your password, click here: https://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/pscof/forgotPassword.jsf?csoLogin=true.