There are three types of restricted documents:
- sealed documents;
- ex parte documents; and,
- other select documents that contain personal identifiers (See Fed.R.Civ.P. 5.2 and Fed.R.Crim.P. 49.1).
Documents filed under seal can only be viewed by the court unless and until further order of the court. Documents filed ex parte are filed on the docket, but not served on other parties. Unlike sealed documents, ex parte documents will appear on the public docket the day after being filed. Other select documents may be restricted due to the inclusion of person identifiers, such as financial account numbers and social security numbers. Witness lists and some documents filed in Social Security Appeal cases and Immigration cases are restricted to case participants only.
Note: You must log into CM/ECF using the login and password for an attorney that has properly appeared in the case, and is listed as attorney of record on the docket, in order to view documents that are restricted in Social Security Appeals and Immigration cases.