ECF Registration

ECF is the Federal Judiciary's Electronic Case Filing system that allows trained and certified users to file new bankruptcy cases and other documents right from their computer. ECF also allows the user to run many fact finding reports.

In observance of Local Rule 5005-4, attorneys practicing before the court are required to obtain and use an ECF filing ID and password assigned by the court to participate in the ECF system. Creditors filing certain pleadings and papers (proofs of claim and other related documents should be filed here) may also participate in the system.

To obtain registration to the ECF system for the Eastern & Western District of Arkansas, please follow the instructions below. NOTE: Please allow at least 48 hours for processing. If you are in need of expedited ID processing, please notify the ECF Help Desk at 501-918-5590.

1. Attorneys: To obtain an ECF filing ID with the Court, an attorney must:

a. Be admitted to practice law before any federal court in the United States;
b. Be paid and active regarding his or her federal license;
c. Complete, sign and submit the Attorney Registration Form. Please ensure all forms are complete upon submission to avoid delay in processing. The registration form shall be mailed or delivered to the Clerk's office in Little Rock in an envelope marked:

Attention: ECF Help Desk
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
300 W. 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201

Registration forms may also be faxed to 501-918-5503, Attention ECF Help Desk or emailed in PDF format with scanned original signature to askecf@areb.uscourts.gov.

d. Complete Court provided training on the ECF System. For further information on training or to register for training, see the ECF Training portion of our web site. Exception: The Court currently permits attorneys who are ECF certified in another bankruptcy or federal district court to obtain an ECF filing ID and password for our Court's ECF system without additional training. Attorneys who are ECF certified in other federal courts must provide us with the name of the court where they are certified. Note: Attorneys who obtain a filing ID, but who are not admitted to the bar of either the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District or Western District of Arkansas must determine whether the requirements of Local Rule 2090-1(b) regarding pro hac vice admission apply.

2. Creditor Filers: The majority of creditors do not need an ECF filing ID. This court allows creditor filing without an ECF filing ID. Please see the creditor filing page for filing options. If a limited filing ID for the ECF system is required, a Creditor Filer must:

a. Complete, sign and submit the Creditor Filer Registration Form. Please ensure all forms are complete upon submission to avoid delay in processing. The registration form shall be mailed or delivered to the Clerk's office in Little Rock in an envelope marked:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
300 W. 2nd Street
Little Rock, AR 72201

Registration forms may also be faxed to 501-918-5503.

b. Complete the ECF Training portion of our web site. Exception: The Court currently permits Creditor Filers who are ECF certified in another bankruptcy or federal district court to obtain an ECF filing ID and password for our Court's ECF system without additional training in the District. To obtain an ECF filing ID for this Court, Creditor Filers who are ECF certified in other federal courts must provide us with the name of the court where they are certified by listing the court(s) on the Creditor Filer Registration Form.

3. Financial Management Course Providers: Effective December 1, 2013, amended Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1007(b)(7) will give an individual debtor the option of having an approved personal financial management court provider notify the court directly that the debtor has completed a post-petition instructional course concerning personal financial management. To obtain a limited filing ID for this purpose, complete, sign and submit the Financial Management Course Provider Registration Form to the address or fax number indicated on the form.

4. Auditors: Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 586(f), the U.S. Trustee for each district is authorized to contract with auditors to perform audits of certain bankruptcy cases, and the report of each audit performed shall be filed with the Court. Any such auditors may register as limited Filing Users in the System. Contact the ECF Help Desk at 501-918-5590 or Toll Free at 866-497-9068 for further information.

PACER

Attorneys and Creditor Filers who wish to view documents or reports on the Court's ECF System must have a PACER account, as well as, an ECF system filing ID. To establish a PACER account, go to www.pacer.gov.