Today I went in for my training in E-filing for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Anyone can sign up for the training, after which you’ll be allowed to file electronically in the Eastern District. The training session lasts for just under 2 hours and it is very informative. I figured that I wouldn’t learn anything all that useful, but I was amazed at how much there is to learn besides the basic filing techniques (which are pretty easy once you get the gist of the system).
One aspect of the training covers the "query functions" (basically PACER), which I thought I knew. The "related transactions" link in PACER was something I had never explored. By clicking on that link you can group filings together, so that you can view links to the complaint and all the associated answers together. It’s an excellent visual cue as to which pleadings have not been responded to. You can also have the system calculate the due date for things like answers to complaints. And you can query the system for all pending motions and deadlines. What attorney wouldn’t like to be able to do that?
For information on signing up for training click here. The first two training classes are already booked. Just be sure to download and fill out the attorney registration form and bring it to your training session.
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