The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is embracing the digital world, joining a growing number of federal appellate courts that are going beyond electronic copies of opinions to post e-copies of other court papers online.
Starting today, the court is requiring lawyers to file all documents electronically, a move that allows 24-hour access to those documents. The court has permitted voluntary electronic filing since June and provided training sessions.
Paper copies of some documents must still be submitted to the court, in addition to electronic filing. Those documents include briefs, dispositive motions and memoranda of law. The D.C. Circuit published an administrative order in May announcing mandatory electronic filing.
The spokesman for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Dick Carelli, said two other federal appellate courts set up mandatory e-filing earlier this year—the 9th and 10th circuits. The 4th Circuit has been using mandatory electronic filing since June 2008. The 1st Circuit is expecting to require mandatory electronic filing by January 2010.
Carelli said there’s an expectation that electronic filing will help court employees better manage cases. Many federal district courts around the country already require it.
There is no plan in the D.C. Circuit—not now at least—to post audio of oral argument online.
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