Pursuant to General Order, an individual not represented by a lawyer (a "pro se" litigant) and, with pre-approval, counsel, may use the Electronic Document Submission Web Portal to submit a document for filing on the court's electronic filing system (CM/ECF). Alternatively, pro se litigants may submit filings to the Clerk's Office by mail, hand-delivery, or drop-box.
Counsel are permitted to file documents via the Electronic Document Submission Web Portal in limited circumstances and only with prior approval of the Clerk's Office.
Web Portal Requirements
Any document submitted through the Web Portal must comply with all relevant federal and local rules and the General Order. Additional information for pro se litigants is available here. Failure to comply with these rules may result in your document being rejected for filing. Use of the Web Portal is a privilege which may be revoked by the Court or Clerk if abused.
A document submitted for filing through the Web Portal is deemed filed upon receipt. DO NOT submit a duplicate paper copy of the filing to the Clerk's Office by other means.
Who may use the Web Portal?
If you do not have a lawyer representing you in your case, you may submit a document for filing using the Web Portal. You can submit a new case through the Web Portal, or you can file into an existing case in the Southern District of Indiana. If you are represented by a lawyer, your lawyer must file your documents on your behalf using CM/ECF.
Counsel are permitted to file documents via the Web Portal with advance approval from the Clerk's Office in circumstances in which CM/ECF is unavailable. (For example, it would be appropriate for counsel to seek leave to use the Web Portal if filing an appearance in a sealed case, or in other circumstances in which filing in CM/ECF is not an option.)
Am I required to use this Web Portal to file my document?
Though you are not required to use the Web Portal to file your document, the Court strongly recommends that you do so. Using the Web Portal will not only save you time and the expense of postage or a trip to the Clerk's Office, but the Clerk's Office will receive your document nearly instantaneously. If, in spite of these advantages, you prefer not to use the Web Portal to file your document you may deliver your document to the Clerk's Office by mail, hand-delivery, or drop-box.
What do I need to use the Web Portal?
You need a saved PDF of your document that is less than 35 MB. In addition, the Web Portal will ask you to provide certain information about yourself, including your name, address, and telephone number. If you are filing into an existing case, you will need your case number (e.g., 1:25-cv-9999-ABC-DEF), and the division in which your case is pending. (A case beginning with the number "1" is pending in the Indianapolis Division (see sample case number, above), "2" is for the Terre Haute Division, "3" is for the Evansville Division, and "4" is for the New Albany Division.)
What document format is accepted?
Documents uploaded through the Web Portal must be in PDF format, and must be smaller than 35MB. PDF files larger than 35MB should be broken down into smaller files prior to submission. Videos, photos, and/or web files (e.g., .png, .jpg, .tiff, .html, etc) are not accepted and will not be filed. Links to documents created in Google Drive, DocuSign, or similar applications are not accepted and will not be filed.
I understand that all documents submitted for filing must be signed. How do I sign my document?
You can sign your document in an electronic format ("s/Name") or you can sign a paper copy of your document and submit a scanned copy of the signed paper.
What about service of my filing on the opposing party?
Submitting your document to the Court for filing through the Web Portal does not alter your responsibility to effect service of your filing as required by Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 4 and 5.
What is the "filing date" for a document submitted through the Web Portal?
The document will be deemed "filed" upon upload through the website, and Clerk's Office will treat the date of submission as the "filed date" for any document received through the Web Portal. Documents submitted through the Web Portal will be docketed into CM/ECF by Clerk's Office staff upon receipt. The filed date will be the date of submission via the Web Portal, not the date the document is filed into CM/ECF.
What if there is a technical problem with the Web Portal?
In the event of a technical issue, please let the Clerk's Office know by phone (317) 229-3700. If you are attempting to file after hours or on a weekend or a holiday, please call the Clerk's Office on the next business day. You should then submit the proposed filing by mail or in person at the Clerk's Office. DO NOT email your filing to the Clerk's Office or Court staff. Any emailed documents sent to any @insd.uscourts.gov email address will be disregarded by the Clerkâs Office.