NextGen - Information for Filing Agents and their Attorneys and Trustees

NextGen Filing Agents

  • Filing Agent Action: Filing agents should review the categories below and follow the steps outlined in order to establish their ability to file in NextGen.
  • Attorney/Trustee Action:
    • For filing agents that existed prior to the conversion to NextGen, the attorney or trustee does not need to take any action; existing filing agents will remain associated with the attorney’s ECF account.
    • For filing agents created after NextGen, attorneys and trustees need to complete the steps below to associate themselves with their new filing agent.

Filing Agent: Has a CM/ECF Filing Agent Account but No PACER Account

  1. Register for a Non-Attorney PACER account.
  2. Link PACER account to CM/ECF Filing Agent account.
  3. No further action is needed by the filing agent or attorney/trustee.

Filing Agent: Has a CM/ECF Filing Agent Account and a PACER Account

  1. Upgrade your PACER account, if you have not done so already.
  2. Link PACER account to CM/ECF Filing Agent account.
  3. No further action is needed by the filing agent or attorney/trustee.

Filing Agent: No CM/ECF Filing Agent Account and No PACER Account

  1. Register for a Non-Attorney PACER account.
  2. Request “Filing Agent” access to the Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court.
    1. From the PACER.uscourts.gov homepage, login to “Manage My Account”
    2. Select the “Maintenance” tab
    3. Select the “Non-Attorney E-file Registration” link
    4. Select “Filing Agent” as the “Role in Court” when completing the registration form
    5. Submit the request
  3. When your E-file request is processed, you will receive a notification from the Court.
  4. The Attorney or Trustee who you file on behalf of must then complete the steps below.

Attorney or Trustee: Associating your Filing Agent with your CM/ECF Account
(The following information applies only to filing agent relationships that did not exist prior to February 4.)
An attorney or trustee must take the following steps in CM/ECF to associate the Filing Agent with the attorney or trustee's CM/ECF account.

  1. Click Utilities > Maintain Your ECF Account > More User Information
  2. In the Find Filing Agent field, enter the last name of the Filing Agent and click the search icon.
  3. Select Filing Agent.
  4. Click on the Filing Agent's name once it has been linked, and the Update Filing Agent Permissions box will appear.
  5. Change Internet Payment to Y.
  6. Select all of the Groups to which the Filing Agent will have permissions (these are typically the same permissions as the attorney or trustee have)
  7. Click Return to Account Screen.
  8. Click Submit.