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CM/ECF System Update-Pacer Case Information and Document Access: Tuesday, June 6, 2017 9:00 PM CDT

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

On Tuesday June 6th, 2017 at 9:00 PM CDT, CMECF will be updated  which may affect PACER users accessing case information or documents. There will be no extensive service outage, but sessions logged on during the update may be disconnected.
The update includes the following changes:
Users who copy and paste the URLs of some queries and reports to a new tab will see the following warning screen: “Warning: The link to this page may not have originated from within CM/ECF. If you click the Continue link, you will be billed for the information provided.” Users may click the Continue link to view the information.

The following queries and reports are affected by this change:

  • The docket sheet that is accessed through the Calendar Events report and the 341 Filings module
  • The creditor, claim, and claimant histories that are accessed through the claims register
  • The mobile query
  • The claims register and associated cases reports that are accessed from the docket sheet
  • Individual claims viewed through the claims register and the claims editor
  • Alias, Attorney, Case Summary, Filer, Notice of Bankruptcy Case Filing, Party, Status, and Trustee queries
  • Documents access through the Judgment Book
  • Documents and claims access indirectly rather than by clicking on the document link
  • Full docket text access from the History/Documents query

Additional areas impacted:

  • Previously, users could modify the content of some URLs to execute the queries multiple times without having to enter new search criteria on the screen; for example, when the Case ID is included in the URL, the ID could be modified to run the report for a different case. Now if a user modifies these URLs, the above warning is displayed. Users must enter search criteria in the search box on the report selection screen to avoid the warning.
  • For a PACER user who has turned off PACER receipts, the warning message is displayed when the user clicks the NEF document hyperlink after the free look has already been used.

IMPORTANT FOR USERS WITH AUTOMATED SCRIPTS FOR DATA RETREVIAL

Additionally, companies that use automated screen scraping tools to download information from CM/ECF will be instructed by the PACER Service Center to modify the referrer HTTP header that they pass to CM/ECF so that they can continue to use their automated tools without interruption.  Acceptable values for REFERRER header are https://ecf.ilnb.uscourts.gov or https:// external

If you have any questions or issues, please send an email to developers@psc.uscourts.gov.