ECF Tips and Tricks

Print All ECF Tips & Tricks Rev. 04/12/2013

• 1.  Adding Parties  

  When adding a represented party in ECF, do not enter an address unless the party is the debtor (including in an adversary proceeding as a plaintiff or defendant), an adversary defendant, or a creditor when filing a claim. Per Rule 7005, represented parties other than debtors are served through their attorneys. Adding their address in ECF results in their receiving notices, increasing noticing costs to the judiciary and other parties.

• 2.  Blank Screen - Bankruptcy/Adversary Headings but No Menu Items  

  If you can see the Bankruptcy and Adversary headings but there are no categories underneath them, you probably didn’t pay a filing fee and got locked out. Go to Utilities-Internet Fees Due and pay, then you should be able to file again. If you still do not see the menu items on the Bankruptcy or Adversary menus, right click, and choose Refresh.

• 3.  Blank Screen - No Bankruptcy or Adversary Headings  

  If you can see Query, Reports, and Utilities, but not Bankruptcy or Adversary, you probably logged into PACER, not ECF. Log out and try again using your ECF login and password. If the categories are still missing, try clearing your cache.

• 4.  Claims - How to electronically file a Proof of Claim [ePOC]  NEW!

  You may electronically file a proof of claim without requiring an ECF login and password. The Official Bankruptcy Form B10 (Proof of Claim) will be produced and supporting documents can be attached. You will be able to print or electronically save your form after filing, and you will know the claim number assigned to you. Click here for a link to further information in the court website.

• 5.  Clearing Browser Cache  

  Pages you view on the Internet (including ECF screens and documents) are stored in temporary files for quick viewing. If these temporary files are not deleted on a regular basis, they can create problems including the opening of a second window within ECF when a menu option is selected, inability to use the backspace and delete keys, and old versions of updated documents being displayed. You can tell that you are having cache-related problems when one of the aforementioned problems occurs or when an ECF menu category (e.g., Bankruptcy) remains outlined even though you have selected another menu category (e.g., Reports).

  Therefore, it is recommended that you regularly clear your Internet browser cache and the temporary storage area on your hard drive. You may want to confer with your information technology resource person about the best way to accomplish this.

• 6.  Computer Problems  

  If you must file a document but are unable due to technical issues at the court, your office, or your Internet Service Provider, you may file in paper with a "Certification re: Inaccessibility and Request to File" per LBR 5005-4(b)(5).

• 7.  Emails - Notices from ECF are Not Being Received  

  If you’re not receiving e-mail notices from ECF, it could be due to one of the following:

  Your e-mail address has changed and you have not changed it in ECF, or it was entered incorrectly in ECF. To correct this, go to Utilities-Maintain Your ECF Account, click Email Information, correct the address, click Return to Account Screen, and click Submit.
  
  Your email account is full. Most Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) limit the amount of email you may store on their server. Contact your ISP to determine the limit and delete the emails you no longer need.
  
  Your Internet Service Provider has a spam blocker. For AOL 9.0, check the Anti-Spam preferences to verify that BKECF_LiveDB@orb.uscourts.gov is listed in the AOL address book. Otherwise, contact your ISP.
  
  

  To recover your missing email notices, you can click on Reports-Docket Activity, make sure the box labeled "Only cases to which I am linked" is checked, enter the date range for the missing emails, and click Run Report.

• 8.  Emails - Requesting No Further Notices  

  ECF participants have complained that they receive email Notices of Electronic Filing (NEF’s) of documents in which they have no interest. In particular, ECF participants receive NEF’s in bankruptcy main cases if they are associated with the adversary proceeding, even if the adversary is closed and they have withdrawn from or were never involved in the main case.

  To avoid receiving notices for bankruptcy cases when you are only involved in the related Adversary Proceeding, go to Utilities - Maintain Your ECF Account. Click the Email Information button. On the screen, choose the radio button Send notices for adversary proceedings in which I am directly involved but not for their related bankruptcy cases. Click Return to Account Screen and on the next screen you must click Submit for any changes to become effective.

  If your client’s involvement with a case has ended, you may remove your client and yourself from the case by e-filing the text-only event Miscellaneous-Request for No Further Notices.

  Another option available to you is to learn to manage your NEF’s using the Rule Agent that typically comes with your e-mail software. For example, you can instruct the Rule Agent to route NEF’s with certain subject line keywords to Trash or another folder. For more information, contact your IT support professional or e-mail software provider.

• 9.  Errors - Taking Corrective Action  

  If you have made an error in ECF, please call the Help Desk before attempting to correct it. This will ensure that error is fixed in the most efficient way and you are not working at cross purposes with the court.

• 10.  Events -Finding Correct Event (Menu Item) to File a Document in ECF  

  It is very important to use the correct event (menu item) in ECF. Not only does it ensure that the item appears on the docket correctly, it often helps the court manage the case by setting or terminating a deadline or case flag, stopping a discharge from automatically being entered, setting a hearing, linking correctly to a response, objection or notice, complying with statistical reporting requirements, etc.

  To locate the correct event, a Search option is available on the blue menu bar. Users can search for menu items and events by a word or word fragment. Clicking on the desired option begins the filing process.

  Alternatively, when you are in a category with many events such as Motions/Applications, entering a key word in the text box above the list will result in the full list being replaced by a list of just those events with the key word. Clicking on an event in the "Available Events" list will cause the event appear in the "Selected Events" list. After choosing one event, if you are docketing a multiple part motion, use the event search to find your next event, then hold down [Ctrl] and click on the entry; this entry will now also appear in the "Selected Events" list. Once the desired events are in the "Selected Events" list, click Next to proceed with filing.

  If you are still not sure of the correct event, please call the Help Desk. Do not guess!

• 11.  Fees - Document Filed in Error  

  You can avoid fee errors as follows:
  
    Always verify that you are filing a document in the correct case by looking at the case number and debtor’s name displayed on most ECF screens, and opening and viewing your pdf document before pasting it into the ECF field.
  
   If a fee document is stricken or the court advises you to refile it, use one of the following events: Motions/Applications - Relief from Stay Refiled with No Fee or Miscellaneous - Refile Fee Event with No Fee or Claims Actions - Refile Transfer of Claim with No Fee or Creditor Claimant Entries- Refile Transfer of Claim with No Fee.
  
   If you have an error when filing a case or document, do not refile until you verify that the case or document was not filed. You can verify by checking the Docket Report, doing a query on the debtor's name, or calling the court.
  
   If you have filed a document in error that requires a fee, please call the Help Desk and report the problem. The Help Desk will let you know whether a refund can be issued.

• 12.  Fees - Installments  

  You may file an installment fee case in ECF using Open a BK Case or Case Upload, and change the amount in the fee field to the amount to be paid with the filing. Be sure to file LBF #110 using Bankruptcy - Motions/Applications - Pay Filing Fee in Installments. Any subsequent installment fee payments must be made outside of ECF via check or money order.

  Please be aware that anyone filing a Chapter 13 Petition must pay at least $125 with the petition. The amount not paid with the petition must be paid within 45 days of the date of filing.

• 13.  Fees - Locked Out of ECF for Nonpayment  

  If you didn’t pay a filing fee on the day you filed a document or the subsequent day, you may be “locked out” of ECF. If you are locked out, you can log into ECF, but your Bankruptcy and Adversary menus will be blank. To remove the lockout, simply go to Utilities-Internet Fees Due, pay the fees, and then your filing privileges will be restored. If after payment, your menus do not appear, you may need to clear your cache. If that isn’t successful, call the Help Desk.

• 14.  Fees - Reconciliation  

  ECF has a report that can be used to reconcile credit card charges for filing fees. On the blue menu bar in ECF, click on Utilities/Internet Payment History. Type in the desired date range. The report will list all payments that have been made for filing fees either using the credit card module in ECF or by making a payment at the Clerk’s Office. If you want to import this information into a spread sheet or database, use the Internet Payment History Raw Data report. Instructions are available on the screen where you enter in the date range.

• 15.  Fees - Transaction Errors  

  If you get an error message while attempting to pay your fees through the Pay.Gov panel screens, keep in mind that your ECF transaction has likely been docketed regardless. The last screen available to you when docketing is always the Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF). If the event is a fee-based event, the Pay.Gov panel will superimpose itself over part of this final screen.

  In the unlikely event that Pay.Gov gives you an error message, don`t assume that your ECF docketing was incomplete. Look at the NEF screen; go on PACER to confirm the entry; or simply call us at the Help Desk to confirm it for you. Avoid refiling the same fee-based document because then you are faced with two fees instead of one.

  Sometimes a transaction error from Pay.Gov is itself an error. To confirm that the payment was actually accepted, go to Utilities-Internet Payment History and verify that the completed transaction is recorded there. If the fee is still owing, it will be listed under Utilities-Internet Payments Due.

• 16.  Filing on Behalf of Another Attorney  

  When filing on behalf of another attorney in the firm, it is recommended you sign the document in the format “/s/ Joseph Attorney for Belinda Counsel” where Belinda Counsel is the attorney of record and Joseph Attorney is filing a document on her behalf. When e-filing, Joseph Attorney should uncheck the box so that he will not associate himself to the client(s) as he will then become an attorney of record along with Belinda Counsel.

• 17.  Financial Management Course - Proof of Compliance  

  The clerk accepts the certificate of completion from the provider filed without Official Form #B23 as sufficient proof of compliance.

• 18.  Forms - Ensuring You Use the Current Version of a Required LBF  

  The Court announces new LBFs via e-mail to ECF users and inserts the LBF # and last revision date in the title of related events (menu items) in ECF. Such changes are also posted to the main page of the court’s website and court bulletin boards, usually 4-6 weeks in advance. Clicking the LBF button, available on various ECF screens, will take you to the forms page of the court’s website where you can find all LBF’s in fillable pdf format. You usually need not wait until the mandatory date to begin using a form; if you begin using it immediately, there is less chance you will forget to use it when mandatory.

• 19.  Linking to A Related Document in ECF  

  When linking to a related document, you are prompted to “select the category to which your event relates”. If you are unsure of the category, simply click the first item on the list, hold the [Shift] key, and click the last item on the list. This will select all categories and thus bring up all docket entries in the case.

• 20.  Mailing List Options in ECF  

  Creditors can register preferred addresses with the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC).
  Mailing matrices are accessed from Utilities-Mailings:
  
  

  List of Creditors. This list is accessed either from the Query menu or from Utilities-Mailings. Preferred addresses are displayed, undeliverable and duplicate addresses are noted, and PACER charges are incurred. When run in 3-column format, addresses submitted by the debtor for which the preferred address was substituted are also separately listed. This option lists creditors, debtors, any debtor’s attorney, the trustee, and the U.S. Trustee, but it does not include attorneys for other parties. This document may be printed onto Avery 5260 adhesive labels.

  Mailing Matrix by Case. Use this option to ensure service on all parties and creditors. This option is available in ECF but not PACER, and is accessed from Utilities-Mailings. Preferred addresses are displayed, undeliverable and duplicate addresses are noted, and no PACER charges are incurred. If the default “All” is selected, all parties and creditors and their attorneys are included. It is also possible to narrow the label selection to certain parties, creditor committee members, only creditors who have filed claims, etc.

• 21.  Orders - Default Judgments and Judgments  

  When submitting a proposed judgment or default judgment, use Upload Order-No Separate Motion and choose Default Judgment, Judgment, or Judgment (Stipulated) as the Order Description. This is necessary for the judge to get the correct order language when signing the order.

• 22.  Orders - Orders Authorizing Sales or Auctions  

  When submitting a notice and order of sale or auction (including LBF’s #753.50, 753.55, 760, and 760.5), please allow a week for court processing before the notice is issued by the Bankruptcy Noticing Center. Proposed orders which do not allow sufficient time between the date the notice is issued and the proposed sale or auction will be rejected by the court.

• 23.  Orders - Requirements  

  When uploading an order, make sure you have met the following requirements:
  
  1. At least 4" of blank space at the top. Pleading paper may be used as long as all numbers and lines of the pleading paper format are within 3/4" of the left margin of the paper.
  
  2. The body of the order is followed by 3 centered pound signs (###).
  
  3. On the left side of the last page, include the signature of the individual presenting it, preceded by the words“Presented By” and followed by the presenter’s name, address, telephone number, and capacity.
  
  4. There is no signature line for the judge.
  
  5. Include a list of names and addresses of only contesting parties who are not, and whose attorneys are not, ECF Participants.
  
  6. Be sure when using a fillable pdf (e.g., LBF), you save the finished document in Adobe. Do not print to PDF or publish to PDF a document which is already in PDF, as this may create problems when the judge applies the order language (e.g., the text of the order will “scrunch” and be unreadable).
  
  7. The proponent of the order or judgment, unless the proposed order is submitted on an LBF, must certify compliance with the requirements of LBR 9021-1(a)(2).
  
  8. Refer to LBF #9021 for a list of motions for which no order should be drafted or uploaded unless permitted or directed by the court, as the court usually enters a form order or otherwise grants the requested relief.

• 24.  Orders - Stipulated Orders/Judgments  

  When submitting a stipulated order or judgment, do not file a separate stipulation or motion unless: (1) the motion involves a fee (e.g., compel abandonment of property or withdrawal of reference, which must first be filed as a motion); or (2) you need to stop or delay the imminent entry of a court order (e.g., discharge), in which case file the stipulated order first as a motion using the appropriate event, then upload the same document as an order and link to the motion.

  In all other situations, the stipulation/motion language should be included in the body of the stipulated order/judgment or follow the “###” denoting the end of the order. All required signatures must be designated using “/s/ Name”. The order must be uploaded using Upload Order - No Separate Order.

• 25.  Password - Changing your Password in ECF  

  Click on the Utilities heading.
  
  Under Your Account heading, click Change Your Password.
  Enter your new password.
  Re-enter your new password.
  Click Submit.
  
  If you want your login changed, contact the Help Desk and specify the desired login.

• 26.  Password - Forgotten ECF or PACER Password  

  The ECF login page now has a link to help you reset a lost ECF or PACER password. You must know your ECF login or the email associated with your ECF user account. The link to reset your password will be emailed to you.

• 27.  PDF - Attachment is Duplicated  

  If you are trying to attach several different pdf’s as attachments, but the end result is that the same pdf is attached multiple times, the problem may be that you are not waiting for each attachment to fully upload before proceeding to the next one.

• 28.  PDF - Checking the Dimensions of a Scanned or Converted PDF  

  Any document which will be served by the court through the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) must not exceed 8.65 x 11.15 inches, or it will be rejected by the BNC and stricken by the court. It is important to ensure that your PDF conversion software and scanner are producing PDF’s which do not exceed 8.5 x 11 inches. When the document is open in Adobe, the dimension appears in the bottom left of the screen. If a scanned document exceeds 8.65" x 11.15", to resize it you need to Print to PDF: Select File > Select Print, and then change your defaulted printer to Adobe PDF (Page Scaling should be “Fit to Printable Area”).

• 29.  PDF - Combining PDF’s into One Document  

  Any documents to be filed with a docket entry that total 10,500 KB (10.5 MB) or less make up a Primary Document which is to be filed as a single PDF. Any required local bankruptcy form(s) must be the first page(s) of the Primary Document. Affidavits, declarations, certifications, and memoranda are also considered part of the Primary Document, and are not considered attachment(s), unless the entire PDF would exceed 10,500 KB (10.5 MB). The certificate of service filed with the document showing service on interested parties must always be the last page of the Primary Document. You may want to consult your IT resource about the best way to combine multiple PDFs.

• 30.  PDF - Data on Fillable PDF is Not Dark Enough When Printed  

  To darken the data on a fillable pdf (e.g., Order Confirming Chapter 13 Plan) before printing it in paper, click "Print". When the Print box displays, click the "Advanced" button at the bottom. When the Advanced Print Setup screen displays, click the box to check "Print as image" and verify the dpi is at least 300, which should be sufficient to darken the print. Then click "OK" twice to print.

• 31.  PDF - ECF Error Message "Document contains code . . . can't be accepted"  

  If you receive the error message "Document contains code which may cause external action such as launching an application. PDF document can't be accepted", it means the PDF contains JavaScript which ECF doesn't allow for security reasons.

  If using a fillable PDF, such as one of the court’s Local Bankruptcy Forms, start with a clean form (one that does not have variable data from another filing). If the PDF is a proposed order or judgment that will be submitted to the court via Order Upload, or a motion for relief from the automatic stay filed on LBF #720.08, be sure to save the form in Adobe using "Save As".

  If converting a word processing document to PDF, print to PDF (by selecting print and using Adobe PDF as your printer).

• 32.  PDF - File is Too Large to Upload or Upload is Very Slow  

  Any document to be filed as part of one event, but that also exceeds 10,500 KB (10.5 MB), must be broken up for filing into a Primary Document that also has one or more attachments. Attachments are the smaller PDFs that must be created for any portion of a document which is over 10,500 KB (10.5 MB). Each attachment must also be no larger than 10,500 KB (10.5 MB), and there cannot be more than 15 attachments per Primary Document. If there are more than 15 attachments, the document must be filed as multiple documents. The certificate of service filed with the document showing service on interested parties must never be an attachment by itself; it must always be the last page of the pleading portion of the Primary Document.

  
  
  • To determine the size of your document, while you have the document displayed in Adobe Acrobat, click on File and Document Properties or press [Ctrl][D].
  
  
  • To break a document into smaller segments, simply follow the normal procedure for converting to PDF, making sure that the print range is set to "Pages:" and then entering the page number range (e.g., 1-15, 16-30, etc.). Be sure to give each section of the document a different name (e.g., petition1.pdf, petition2.pdf, etc.) When uploading, make sure each PDF is fully uploaded before attaching the next one.

  To keep the size of pdf files as small as possible for faster uploading:

  
  
  • When converting a word processing document to pdf, use "Print to PDF" (by selecting "Print" or choosing Adobe as the "printer") rather than "Publish to PDF" or other pdf converters included in your software. These converters are useful for preserving complex formatting features such as hyperlinks, but they create larger files.
  
  
  • When scanning, choose the scanner setting of black and white (not gray scale or color) and set the resolution to 300 dpi. Never scan a document which you created; instead, convert to PDF using Adobe, which creates much smaller files.

  You might also investigate the upload speed of your Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISP's typically set the speed for download faster than upload. When shopping for an ISP, inquire about upload and download speeds.

• 33.  PDF - Print versus Publish  

  Many word processing packages have a "Publish to PDF" feature. While this is useful for preserving complex formatting such as hyperlinks, it is not recommended for use with any ECF document that will be acted upon by a subsequent user, including: (1) Any proposed order or judgment that will be submitted to the court via Order Upload, which should be flattened before submission by choosing "Print" and selecting Adobe PDF as the printer; and (2) A motion for relief from the automatic stay filed on LBF #720.80, which must be saved in Adobe using "Save As". In most instances, word processing documents should be converted to PDF by choosing "Print" and then selecting Adobe PDF as the printer.

• 34.  Reaffirmation Agreements - Merging Cover Sheet and Agreement  

  Some filers have had difficulty with data when merging Official Form #B27, the Reaffirmation Cover Sheet, with Form #B240A. Problems can be avoided as follows: After separately completing each form, “print” the final forms to PDF and then merge the files.

  The New Jersey Bankruptcy Court has created a program with common language questions which, when answered, populate both the Official Form #B27 Reaffirmation Cover Sheet and the Form #B240A Reaffirmation Agreement. This program is available at www.njb.uscourts.gov.

• 35.  Reaffirmation Agreements - When Set for Hearing  

  The court sets the following reaffirmation agreements for hearing:
  
  A Chapter 7 reaffirmation agreement that is not signed by an attorney, whether or not it involves a credit union. File using the event Reaffirmation without Attorney Cert. An exception is when the debtor is reaffirming a consumer debt secured by real property; such an agreement must be filed using the event Reaffirm Consumer Debt Secured by Real Prop and will not be set for hearing by the court.
  
  A Chapter 7 reaffirmation agreement that is signed by an attorney but involves undue hardship, unless it involves a credit union. File using the event Reaffirmation with Attorney Cert and answer the hardship question accurately.
  
  A Chapter 12 or 13 reaffirmation for debtor attorney fees. File using the event Reaffirmation Agreement for Debtor Attorney Fees in a Chapter 12/13 Case.
  
  

• 36.  Relief from Stay - Filing Combined Motions for Relief from Stay and Relief from Co-Debtor Stay  

  It is permissible to combine a motion for relief from stay and a motion for relief from co-debtor stay. To electronically file, choose both “Relief from Stay” and “Relief from Co-Debtor Stay” on the motion pick list as follows: Click Relief from Co-Debtor Stay, press the [Ctrl] key, and while holding it down, click Relief from Stay.

• 37.  Retention of Filed Documents  

  Per LBR #5005-1(e), an electronically filed document described in FRBP 1008 or a properly completed, signed, and filed LBF #5005 with respect to the document and a scanned electronic replica of the signed document must be maintained by the filing ECF Participant or the firm representing the party on whose behalf the document was filed in its original paper form until the later of the closing of the case or the fifth anniversary of the filing of the document. If LBF #5005 is used, a scanned copy must be filed with the court.

• 38.  Service - Determining Who Was Served  

  To determine who was served with a filed document, you must look two places:
  
  
  1. To determine who was served electronically via ECF, go to the Docket Report while logged into ECF (not PACER) as follows:
  Click on Reports on the ECF Main Menu Bar.
  Click on Docket Report.
  
  Enter the case number and click “Include links to Notice of Electronic Filing” if it is not already checked. Click Next.
  
  Find the document of interest and click on the silver ball to the left of the document number, then click Display Receipt.
  
  The NEF appears. Scroll to the bottom and find the heading Notice has been electronically mailed via ECF to: for a list of parties served via ECF.
  
  2. To determine who was served by the filer or the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (whether by mail, fax, e-mail, or EDI), look at the filed certificate of service. For documents served by parties, it may be part of the original document or a separate docket entry entitled Certificate of Notice linked to the original document. A BNC Certificate of Notice will be a separate docket entry linked to the order, judgment, notice, etc. and is generally docketed within two business days of the filing of original document. The list of those served accompanies a copy of the document, and delineates all who were served, and how.

• 39.  Service - Determining Who Will Be Electronically Served  

  To comply with the court’s local rules, when filing a document other than a Local Bankruptcy Form (LBF), you must list only the names and addresses of those who were conventionally served; it is no longer necessary to list parties served electronically via ECF. To determine who falls into which categories, click on Utilities-Mailings...-Mailing Info for a Case.

• 40.  Signatures - Designating Signatures on E-Filed Documents  

  When filing a signed document, the e-filer must designate each signature in the format “/s/ Name” in each required place on the document. E-filers may also designate their own signature by affixing a stamp of their scanned handwritten signature.

• 41.  Uploading Eorder Documents  

  You may encounter a situation where your uploaded Eorder document is rejected. A short message will appear with an exception code displayed in red. Listed below are the various exception codes with suggested methods for reformatting the PDF so that it will be compatible with E-Orders.

    PDFfmt: You may have selected a non PDF document. Open the document with a PDF viewer to make sure it is a properly formatted document. The court recommends the use of the Adobe Acrobat Reader for this test. If it is not in PDF format, use your PDF software to convert it. Try uploading again.

    PDFpwd: The uploaded PDF document has security features enabled which may be in the form of a password. Open the document and deselect or turn off any security related feature such as a password, protected signatures, or encryption and save the document and try uploading it again.

    PDFjsc: There may be an embedded web link or section of javascript program code that may redirect the reader of the document to an unsafe web page. Open the document with Adobe Acrobat and print the document to a file by selecting File/Print/Printer Name= Adobe PDF. Save the new document. This method is called flattening the document. Try uploading again.

   PDFfail:An unexpected program failure occurred which cannot be attributed to any particular document formatting error. Try uploading the document again. If it fails again please contact the court's Help Desk at 503-326-1510; 541-431-4004; 866-777-0442.

   PDFsize: The document has been found to exceed the page dimensions of 8.5 by 11 inches in portrait mode. You can check the page dimensions of the PDF document with Adobe Acrobat Reader by right clicking anywhere on the document page. Then select Document Properties, then select the Description tab. Page size (dimensions) will be revealed in this window. To repair the document
  1) rescan the original 8.5 by 11 inch document with a scanner configured to produce 8.5 by 11 inch PDF, or
  2) Open your document, choose File/Print; change your printer name to Adobe PDF, then print. Save the new document. Try uploading again.

   PDFlen: You can determine the actual character/byte size of your PDF document by right clicking anywhere in the document. Then select Document Properties and Description. 4MB bytes is actually 4,194,304 characters. Your document size is greater than 4MB. Determine if you can remove blank pages, and unnecessary text. Save the document, check the Description for the size and try again.
  Another option is to use the Acrobat Pro PDF Optimizer. Open the document with Adobe Acrobat Pro, click on pull down option Advanced, and then on the PDF Optimizer menu option. Save the document to a new name, and then try again.
  Another option may be to "flatten" the document. Open the document with Adobe Acrobat and print the document to a file by selecting File/Print/Printer Name= Adobe PDF. Save the new document. Try uploading again.

    PDFfont:You may have changed or added fonts to an original PDF form provided by the court with a PDF editor. Not all fonts are compatible with PDF utility programs used by the ECF system. The best solution is to always start with a new form from the court's website. Do not use a form you have saved. Do not change the fonts or font size when inserting your text.
  Another method is to "flatten" the document Open the document with Adobe and print the document to a file by selecting File/Print/Printer Name= Adobe PDF. Save the new document. Try uploading again.

    PDFstamp: The court's electronic stamping program is not compatible with your PDF document. Open the document with Adobe Acrobat and print the document to a file by selecting File/Print/Printer Name= Adobe PDF. Save the new document. Try uploading again.