If you have paid the required filing fee when you submitted your complaint, the court will issue a summons and send it to you. 

Once your complaint is filed and you have paid the required filing fee, you will need to have a copy of the complaint delivered to each person you have named as a defendant. The way in which a copy of the complaint is delivered to the defendant(s) is called "service". The Clerk's Office can provide assistance on how to do this. If you did not pay the required filing fee, the court will review your Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis and decide if you can proceed without paying the filing fee. The court will also review your complaint to determine whether a copy of the complaint should be delivered to the defendant(s). If the court decides that you do not have to pay the filing fee and determines that the complaint should be delivered to the defendant(s), the court will direct how service will be effected.  Typically, the court directs the Clerk's Office to serve the defendant(s).

NEF is an acronym for Notice of Electronic Filing.  An NEF contains:

• Case Number
• Case Title
• Date and time the document was filed
• The docket number of the document that was filed
• The docket text for that filing
• A list of parties who were served electronically

You will receive a copy of a NEF with each filing you send or bring to the court.  Each time the court files a document in your case you will receive a copy of that court-filed document and a NEF. 

Only the original signed document must be submitted to the Clerk's Office.  If you wish to receive a copy back, you must include a copy with your original filing.

Each document that you file with the court must contain your signature and a certificate of service. A certificate of service indicates to the court that you have delivered a copy of the document to the other parties. The certificate of service states the name and address of the attorney or party served with the document, the manner of service, and the date of service.

You may find legal materials at local law libraries and public libraries. You can find links to the Federal Rules and Local Rules on the home page.

No, you may not file a criminal case against anyone. The United State's Attorney's office is responsibile for filing federal criminal cases. Allegations of criminal behavior should be brought to the attention of the local police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or another law enforcement agency.

Unless you are an attorney, you may not file using the court's CM/ECF system. Your documents should be submitted via U.S. mail or delivered in person to the Clerk's Office. 

Yes, a case is commenced by filing a complaint and paying the required filing fee. You should refer to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this court's Local Rules for information about the proper form of your complaint. The court requires a Civil Cover Sheet to be submitted with your complaint.

No, the entire filing fee must be paid or you must file an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis.

Yes, filing a case on your own without an attorney is referred to as filing "Pro Se".  You should be aware that if you proceed pro se, you will be required to follow the same rules as an attorney.

You should have your case number ready to provide. If you do not have your case number, the case can be identified by the name of a party in the case. 

You may also contact the Clerk's Office in writing at: