Getting Your "Free Look" in Criminal & Social Security Appeal Cases


CRIMINAL and SOCIAL SECURITY APPEAL CASES - Once a document is filed in a CRIMINAL or SOCIAL SECURITY case and then e-mailed to e-mail addresses set up in an attorney's account, EACH e-mail recipient will get one "free look" at the CRIMINAL document. For security purposes in CRIMINAL, once the e-mail recipient clicks on the document number hyperlink in the e-mail, the user should:

1. See a login screen prompting him/her for the CM/ECF login information; the user should enter their ECF user login and password. The top of this screen should have a "ECF/PACER" heading.

2. See a second login screen prompting him/her for the PACER login information; the user should enter their PACER login and password. The top of this screen should have a "PACER" heading.

Both of the screens in 1. and 2. look the same. (The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts is aware that this is causing people frustration.) One way to avoid having to login into two screens is to check the block on the screen prompt "Make this my default PACER login" when it appears. The next time you try and obtain your free look or access PACER you will only have to enter your ECF login and password.

Users trying to obtain a free look should never see a PACER billing screen. If you do, you are being billed. If at any time you are prompted for your PACER login only when trying to obtain your free look, do not log in. You may have to clear the cache in your internet browser cache (see “How Do I Clear My Internet Cache?” below).

Also, users should never click on the docket sheet hyperlink within the Notice of Electronic Filing e-mail. If they do they will be prompted for their PACER login and password and will be billed.

For CIVIL case documents: Simply click on the document number hyperlink within your e-mail Notice of Electronic Filing message. You do not have to log into ECF in order to obtain your free look at civil case documents.