Attorney FAQs
How do I become a member of the bar of the Court?
Applications for admission to the court’s bar must be submitted by completion of an electronic application on the PACER.uscourts.gov website, under “Manage Your Account/Register for an Account.” Registration for the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System (CM/ECF) can be completed simultaneously with the admissions process, allowing for speedy access to the court’s filing system for new attorneys.
Does the court allow pro hac vice admissions to the bar?
No. To appear as counsel of record in any case, an attorney must be a member of the bar.
Do I need to associate with local counsel or be a member of the Colorado state bar to become a bar member?
No.
How long does it take to process my application?
The process usually takes three business
days.
Attorneys applying for admission must monitor their registered
e-mail account, because they will receive continuing instructions from the
court during the application process, including instructions about how to pay
the application fee.
How am I notified that my membership in the bar has been approved?
You will be notified by email when the process is complete.
What is the process to become a bar member for an attorney working for the federal government?
If you are employed as an attorney for the federal government, and serving in a legal capacity for it, you will be admitted as a provisional member of the bar when you submit an application for admission through the Attorney Bar Application On PACER (and AFTER following the instructions on our Attorney Admission Information page. Federal attorneys who are new to the District of Colorado bar must submit a new bar application – the fee will be waived during the admission process. Attorneys who are current members of the District of Colorado bar, but new to a federal agency, should submit a Change of Contact request through PACER – “Manage My Account Login” page. Federal agency attorney provisional membership expires once you no are longer employed by the federal government. If you are associated with a federal agency in the District of Columbia, in addition to the street address, please provide Division, Unit and P.O. Box, if applicable.
What do I have to do to maintain my membership in the bar?
You need only remain in good standing in all courts and
licensing jurisdictions where admitted and remain on active status in at least
one licensing jurisdiction. You cannot practice in this court or bankruptcy
court if you are not active in at least one licensing jurisdiction.
There are no continuing
legal education requirements, but a biennial fee of $50 is assessed every two
years, for which the failure to pay will result in administrative removal from
the attorney roll.
The renewal fee does not apply to attorneys employed
by the federal government
and serving in a legal capacity for it.
How do I find out the date I was admitted to the bar and if I am in good standing?
You can find the information on the “Attorney Status” link, which can be found within the “Quick Links” box on the Home page.
My admission status says "Admin Removal." What does this mean?
Attorneys who failed to pay past biennial fees are removed from the attorney roll and are no longer considered to be in good standing with the court. In order to be reinstated, an attorney must submit a new Bar/ECF application through PACER (AFTER following the instructions on our Attorney Admission Information page). Payment of the Bar/ECF application fee is made through Pay.gov and is $223.00.
Does the Court issue bar numbers?
Prior to Aug. 2, 2021, this court did not issue bar numbers. After that date, the court issues bar numbers that can be identified by the first two letters of your primary licensing jurisdiction, followed by that state’s bar number. For example, “CO028567” for Colorado, license number 28567.
How do I obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, Duplicate Certificate of Admission, or Letter of Disciplinary History?
Requests for Certificates of Good Standing or Duplicate Certificates of Admission must be submitted through the U.S. District Court's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing system ("CM/ECF"). Certificates of Good Standing and Duplicate Certificates of Admission are available as electronic documents only. See http://www.cod.uscourts.gov/AttorneyInformation/RequestsforCertificatesofGoodStandingRequestsforDuplicateBarCertificates.aspx. For step-by-step instructions, download Attorney Instructions for Submitting Requests for Certificates of Good Standing / Requests for Duplicate Bar Certificates. For letters of Disciplinary History, contact the Attorney Services Department at cod_attorneyservices@cod.uscourts.gov.
How do I register for an electronic case filing account?
Registration for the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing System
(CM/ECF) can be completed simultaneously with the admissions process, by
completion of an electronic application on the
PACER.uscourts.gov website, under
"Manage Your Account/Register for an Account." There are other
circumstances where an attorney or an unrepresented, pro se party can register
for an e-filing account without becoming a member of the U.S.D.C., District of
Colorado bar – visit the
Attorney
Admissions Information
page for details.
If I have forgotten my login and/or password, how can I retrieve them?
Follow the instructions found at Forgot Username or Password? | PACER: Federal Court Records (uscourts.gov), or contact the PACER Service Center at (800) 676-6856 or via email at pacer@psc.uscourts.gov. Please note that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and U.S. District Court require separate CM/ECF logins. A CM/ECF login and password for the U.S. District Court will not work with the Bankruptcy Court.
Please note that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and U.S. District Court require separate CM/ECF logins. A CM/ECF login and password for the U.S. District Court
will not work with the Bankruptcy Court.
How do I change my primary or secondary email addresses?
Primary e-mail address changes: all changes of firm/address/or
primary email address must be made through the “Manage My Account” tab at the
PACER website at
https://www.pacer.gov/.
Secondary e-mail address changes: this must be done through CM/ECF by
logging into the account and selecting: Utilities>Your Account>Maintain
Your Account> Maintain Your E-mail Information. The user will need to select
an e-mail address to configure. Once the user enters a complete email address,
configuration options appear under the email address on the right side of the
screen. The user can change the format, delivery method, and active settings;
add additional cases, remove cases, and set delivery method exceptions for the
secondary e-mail address.
How do I change my contact information?
All changes of firm/address/or primary email address must be made
through the “Manage My Account” tab at the PACER website at
https://www.pacer.gov/.
If I change law firms, do I need to register for a new login and password?
No. Your login and password are personal to you just as your
signature is. You do not need to register a second time.
All
changes of firm/address/or primary email address must be made through the
“Manage My Account” tab at the PACER website at
https://www.pacer.gov/.
Where can I obtain more information about electronic case filing?
See the Electronic Case Filing in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado page for more information regarding electronic filing, including training information and documentation.