We are seeing an increased number of returned email messages or “bounce-backs”. Bounce-backs occur when the court’s CM/ECF system attempts to send an email message to an attorney or other user, and that email message is subsequently returned to the court as undeliverable. The court does not re-send these bounce-backs as it is often difficult to determine whom the message was originally intended for. Due to this fact, you may be missing important email notifications from the court.

Please take a few minutes to examine your ECF account to ensure that the correct email information is shown. Remember, your ECF account may contain more than one email address; please verify the validity of all email addresses specified in your account. By taking the time to check your account information, you will not only ensure that you are receiving the most up-to-date notifications from the court, but will also help in maintaining the integrity of the court’s ECF system.

Below are a few common reasons that an email may be undeliverable, along with suggested solutions:

PROBLEM: You have changed your email address, but have not updated your ECF account to reflect the new email address.
SOLUTION: Update your ECF account to reflect your new email address, or contact the court for help with changing your information.

PROBLEM: Your email inbox is full. Many Internet service providers (ISP) place a limit on the number of messages that can exist in a subscriber’s email inbox. Once this limit is reached, the ISP’s email server will reject future incoming messages.
SOLUTION: Clean out your inbox by deleting older email messages, and email messages that are no longer needed. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase additional email space from your ISP (contact your ISP for availability and more information).

PROBLEM: An employee has left your firm, but their email address is still listed in the ECF system to receive email notifications.
SOLUTION: When an employee leaves, ensure that your ECF account was not set up to send email notifications to the employee who is leaving. Update your account to remove or replace the former employee’s email address, or contact the court for help with changing your information.