(a)          Electronic Filing Procedures. 

                         (1)         The procedures governing electronic case filing are established by the Administrative Procedures and Technical Requirements for Electronic Filing ("Electronic Filing Procedures"), as adopted by the court and modified from time to time.

                         (2)          Attorneys and trustees must file all documents with the court using the court’s Case Management and Electronic Case Filing system (“ECF”) and are referred to as a “registered ECF filer.”                                        

                         (3)          All entities, institutions and individuals who file 10 or more proofs of claim inthe United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington in any 6-month period must electronically file all proofs of claim and claim-related documents.

(b)          Electronic Filing Constitutes an Appearance. The electronic filing of a document inECF (other than a ballot or a proof of claim) by a registered ECF filer constitutes an appearance in the case for the attorney whose ECF account is used to complete the filing. Additionally, the electronic filing will automatically add the registered ECF filer’s name and mailing address to the mailing list in the case and will create an association between the registered ECF filer and the party represented. A separate notice of appearance is not necessary.            

(c)          Authorized Signatures. 

                        (1)      Signatures Submitted by a Registered ECF Filer.

                                  (A)         A filing made through a registered ECF filer’s account and authorized by that registered ECF filer, together with that registered ECF filer’s name on the signature block, constitutes the registered ECF filer’s signature.

                                  (B)         A document filed by a registered ECF filer that includes signatures of other people (e.g., a stipulation or agreed order) shall be submitted with either: (i) the digitally scanned image of a physical signature; or (ii) an “/s/” and the typed name of the person, which is a representation that the registered ECF filer has obtained authorization to sign on their behalf.

                                  (C)         When filing a document that requires an original signature or verification, the registered ECF filer complies by filing: (i) a digitally scanned image of the original signed document containing the original ink signature; (ii) the signatory’s digital signature created using a commercially available digital signature software product that provides signature authentication; or (iii) a document indicating a signature with “/s/” and the typed name of the person provided the registered ECF filer maintains the original signed document, in hard copy or electronic form, for a period of not less than 5 years.

                       (2)      Signatures Submitted by Unrepresented Individuals.

                                  (A)         When an unrepresented individual presents a document to the clerk’s office over-the-counter, via the postal system, or via the clerk’s lobby dropbox, the document must contain an original ink signature.

                                  (B)         When an unrepresented individual electronically submits a documentto the clerk’s office for the purpose of filing, the signature requirement is met by including: (i) the typed name of the unrepresented individual followed by “/s/” on the document’s signature page which represents that the signer read and signed the document, (ii) a digitally scanned image or photo of the document’s signature page with the original ink signature which represents that the signer read and signed the actual document; or (iii) a digital signature created using a commercially available digital signature software product that provides signature authentication.

Committee Comment

The Electronic Filing Procedures can be found at: https://www.wawb.uscourts.gov