Local Rule 5.02: Filing With the Clerk

5.02: Filing With the Clerk.

(A) This court utilizes an Electronic Case Filing System (ECF) twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, for receiving and storing documents filed in electronic form. Documents must be filed, signed, and verified by electronic means to the extent and in the manner authorized by the court's ECF Policies and Procedures Manual and other related user manuals. A document filed by electronic means in compliance with this rule constitutes a written document for the purposes of applying these Local Rules, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

(B) Non-electronic (paper) filing is authorized only in limited circumstances as explained by the ECF Policies and Procedures Manual. The court is normally open to accept non-electronic filings on all days except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Closure on any other days will be as ordered by the court and posted on the court's website. Non-electronic documents may be filed with the Court Services section of the office of the clerk of court at the Matthew J. Perry, Jr. United States Courthouse at 901 Richland Street in Columbia; the United States District Courthouse at 85 Broad Street in Charleston; the Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. United States Courthouse at 250 East North Street in Greenville; and the McMillan Federal Building at 401 West Evans Street in Florence between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on a day the court is open.

If for any reason it is necessary to file non-electronic documents between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and 12:00 midnight for documents due that day, such emergency filings can be accomplished if the party making the request contacts the clerk of court during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to make arrangements to accept the after-hours filing. The clerk of court is authorized to accept the entire document, or a portion thereof, by having the party fax the document to a designated fax number. The party must also subsequently deliver the original document to the office of the clerk of court by 9:30 a.m. on the first day that the court is open following the request. Documents received under this procedure shall be filed as of the date the facsimile copy was received by the court.