ECF Frequently Asked Questions
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What if I need to amend schedules other than D, E or F?
All other schedules may be amended without a fee. Schedules are amended by submitting the new schedules entitled Amended, signed by the debtor(s), and clearly noting the nature of the amendment (change) using a bolded or italicized font, or underlining the change(s). (See forms)
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What if I have an emergency filing after business hours?
To file an emergency bankruptcy petition with the Clerk after regular business hours, or for any other type of emergency filing, please refer to Local Bankruptcy Rule 5001-2(c), the ECF Help Desk page on our website, as well as the Emergency Filing section of the Self Help Manual. In addition, the Clerk's office has a help desk eMail box which is monitored during regular business hours. For electronic filers, the CM/ECF system is available 24 hours a day.
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What if I am unable to attend the Creditor's Meeting on the date/time scheduled?
If you are unable to attend the Creditor's Meeting on the date/time it is scheduled, you must contact the case trustee assigned to your case if a Chapter 7 or 13 case, or the local office of the U.S. Trustee if a Chapter 11 case as soon as possible, and request the matter be continued to another date/time. If you are unable to attend the meeting using the Zoom platform, you must contact the case trustee.
The Bankruptcy Clerk's office has no involvement in the scheduling of your Creditor's Meeting and therefore cannot assist you with any requested changes. All questions concerning the Meeting of Creditors must be directed to the local office of the U.S. Trustee or to your case trustee. -
What formats are available for the delivery of notices of electronic filings?
An e-filer may choose from two formats: 1) a separate notice for each filing that is sent at the time of the filing of the document, or 2) a daily summary report sent overnight. To change your preference take the following steps:
- Click UTILITIES on the blue menu bar
- Click MAINTAIN YOUR ECF ACCOUNT
- Click E-MAIL INFORMATION
- Select the radio button that indicates your preference
- Click RETURN TO ACCOUNT SCREEN
- Click SUBMIT
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What does it mean to clear cache and cookies?
Temporary files are stored in your computer's cache (or temporary data storage). When the amount or aggregate size of these files become too large, you may encounter a blank CM/ECF screen, or more frequently some menu items or categories may not display correctly or refresh. To resolve this problem, you need to clear your browser's cache.
Click on the name of the browser you are using for instructions on clearing your browsers cache and cookies: Chrome; Edge; Firefox.
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What do I do if the ECF system is not available?
If electronic filing cannot be accomplished because of an ECF or filer system failure, the Electronic Filer shall, after making at least two attempts to file electronically, send the document and/or event as an attachment in PDF format via e-mail to the following address: ribhelpdesk@rib.uscourts.gov explaining why it was not possible to file directly in the ECF System. The Electronic Filer must call the Clerk’s office at (401) 626-3100 prior to 10:00 a.m. of the next business day and advise that a document was filed via e-mail. The Clerk’s office will download and file the PDF document, which will be deemed filed on the date and time of the e-mail transmittal.
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Should I notify the court if I move to a different law firm?
Yes, this is very important. Failure to notify the court may result in the wrong parties receiving electronic notice or service. If you are an efiler, complete the following steps:
- Click UTILITIES on the blue menu bar
- Click MAINTAIN YOUR ECF ACCOUNT
- Change your address information
- Click SUBMIT.
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Should an E-filer notify the court if their mailing or e-mail address changes?
If your mailing or e-mail address changes, update your User Account in ECF immediately. This is very important in order to not miss receiving document filings and court notices. If you experience any problems, please contact the court for assistance.
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I’m attempting to file a large exhibit to a motion and I either get timed out or receive an error message. What should I do?
Exhibits generally are supporting documents such as a vehicle title, a deed of trust, or a promissory note and are typically scanned. Scanned documents are frequently very large and may cause ECF to "time out" during filing. In addition, CM/ECF will not accept files larger than 7 MB. To avoid this, choose the optimal scanner setting of black and white (not grayscale or color), set the resolution 200 dpi, and the paper size of 8½x11. If the scanned document is still too large, separate it into smaller PDF files no more than 50 pages each.
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Is there a way I can reconcile my credit card charges in CM/ECF?
Yes, ECF has a report that can be used to reconcile credit card charges for filing fees. On the blue menu bar in ECF, click UTILITIES > INTERNET PAYMENT HISTORY. Enter the desired date range. The report will list all payments made electronically or conventionally by you.
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I hear the term “Link” frequently when discussing electronic filing. What does it mean?
To "link" a document means to relate it to, or associate it with a previously filed document. During the filing process you may be asked "Does your document relate to a previously filed pleading?" If the answer is yes, you should follow the screen prompts to "link" the documents.
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I am not receiving e-mails from the Court. What can I do to correct this?
If you're not receiving e-mail notices from ECF, it could be due to one of the following:
1. Your e-mail address has changed and you have not changed the address in CM/ECF.
•Click UTILITIES on the blue menu bar
•Click MAINTAIN YOUR ECF ACCOUNT
•Click E-MAIL INFORMATION >> in the Primary e-mail address field, delete your old address and enter the new one >> click RETURN TO ACCOUNT SCREEN >> click SUBMIT2. Your e-mail account is full.
3. Most internet service providers (ISPs) limit the amount of e-mail you may store on their server. Contact your ISP to determine the limit and how to delete the e-mails you no longer need.
*NOTE: If you continue to encounter problems, please contact Dina at 401-626-3122.
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Can I make an installment payment online?
If you are a registered ECF user, use the filing event “Chapter 7/13 Installment payment" in the 'Bankruptcy>Other’ category. NOTE: Please query the case for filing fee amount. (Query->filing fee)
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How can I pay my filing fee if I do not pay at the time of filing?
Payments may be made electronically through the Utilities section located on your ECF menu.
Click UTILITIES on the blue menu bar
Click INTERNET PAYMENTS DUE
The Pay.Gov screen will display. -
How do I get admitted to practice before the Rhode Island Bankruptcy Court?
Attorneys admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island are also admitted to practice in the Bankruptcy Court. Contact the United States District Court at (401) 752-7220 for its admission policies.