This new version of CM/ECF, however, permits CM/ECF users to file documents that include hyperlinks to a previously filed document in the same case or another case, as well as to a document that is being filed in the same submission, such as exhibits to motions or memos of law. A document can be linked to another document in any federal court’s database if the court is running the appropriate version of CM/ECF that includes the hyperlink function: District (Release 3.1); Bankruptcy (Release 3.2) and/or Appellate (available as of July 2006). This hyperlink functionality has been tested in Corel WordPerfect 11 or higher and Microsoft Word 2002 or higher. Hyperlinks added to documents created in other word processing programs may not function properly once the document is converted to PDF format.

to other documents in the CM/ECF system

• WordPerfect
• Word

between documents filed in the same event

• WordPerfect
• Word

Create Hyperlinks to Previously Filed CM/ECF Documents

To create a hyperlink to a previously filed CM/ECF document in your case or some other case, follow the steps below:

STEP 1 Access the appropriate CM/ECF system and run the Docket Report for the case that contains the document you want to link to.

STEP 2 Locate the document on the docket sheet.

STEP 3 Copy the URL of the document to the clipboard. To do this, hover over the document link and click the right mouse button. Select Copy Shortcut (Internet Explorer/Firefox) (Figure 1) OR Copy Link Location (Firefox)(Figure 2). Note, the document link is represented by a number with an underscore.

Note: If you want to link to an attachment to a primary document filed in CM/ECF, you must select the hyperlink to the attachment from the Document Selection Menu. (See Figure 3). For example, if you are linking to a memorandum of law filed with a motion, you must first select the motion from the docket sheet. When the Document Selection Menu appears, copy the URL of the attachment by following the procedure outlined above.

Note: Users should NOT copy hyperlinks from Notices of Electronic Filing. NEFs contain special information associated with the “free look” to qualified recipients and should not be used for Cross-Document Hyperlinks.

Figure 1: Internet Explorer

Figure 2: Firefox

Figure 3: Copy URL of attachment to document

Note: From this point, the proper method for inserting the hyperlinks in your document depends on whether you are using WordPerfect or Word to create your document. Please refer to the appropriate section below depending on whether you use WordPerfect or Word.

WordPerfect

STEP 4 Open the document to which you want to add a hyperlink.

• Select and highlight the appropriate text to be hyperlinked, such as "Document #50" shown in Figure 4.
• Click Tools on the menu toolbar.
• Select Hyperlink from the drop-down list.

Figure 4: Highlight Text to Create the Hyperlink

STEP 5 Next, the Hyperlink Properties dialog box appears. (See Figure 5).

• Paste the URL of the document copied in Step 3 into the Document/Macro field of the Hyperlink Properties window by clicking the right mouse button and selecting Paste or by using the Ctrl + V command.
• Click the OK button.
• Note: Users may append to the URL a specific page number within the document by adding ?page=<pagenumber> at the end of the URL.
  For example: https://ecf.wiwb.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_case_doc?case_id=30628&doc_num=44&pdf_header=0?page=23

Figure 5: Paste URL

STEP 6 The next step is to convert the WordPerfect document to PDF format using the Publish to... or Publish to PDF function in WordPerfect. (See Figure 6). Converting to PDF using other methods will not retain the hyperlink.

• Click File on the menu toolbar.
• Select Publish to... then PDF or Publish to PDF (this selection depends on the version of WordPerfect you are using)

Figure 6: Publish to PDF

STEP 7 Save the document.

Things to Remember:

• Do not convert a WordPerfect document to Adobe PDF Writer by selecting the print option for Cross-Document Hyperlinks functionality.
• Publish to PDF must be used if a document contains a hyperlink

STEP 8 Docket the appropriate CM/ECF event and attach the PDF document as usual.

Microsoft Word

STEP 4 Open the document to which you want to add a hyperlink.

• Select and highlight the appropriate text to be hyperlinked, such as "Document #50" shown in Figure 7.
• Click Insert on the menu toolbar.
• Select Hyperlink from the drop-down list.

Figure 7: Highlight Text to Create Hyperlink

STEP 5 Next, the Insert Hyperlink dialog box appears. (See Figure 8).

• Paste the URL of the document copied in Step 3 into the Insert Hyperlink window by clicking the right mouse button and selecting Paste or by using the Ctrl-V command.
• Click the OK button.

Figure 8: Paste URL

Note: Users may append to the URL a specific page number within the document by adding ?page=<pagenumber> at the end of the URL.

For example: https://ecf.wiwb.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_case_doc?case_id=30628&doc_num=44&pdf_header=0?page=23

STEP 6 Save and close the Word document. (Word files must be closed to convert to PDF. If the document is open when the next step is executed, an error message is returned.)

STEP 7 Convert the document to PDF. (See Figure 9). To convert a Word document to PDF that contains a hyperlink to be filed in the CM/ECF system, the Adobe Acrobat application must be used. No other conversion software can be used.

• Open Adobe Acrobat.
• Click File on the menu toolbar..
• Select Create PDF then From File.

Figure 9: Create PDF

STEP 8 Navigate to the appropriate directory/folder where the Word document is stored. Select the document and click the Open button as shown in Figure 10. A series of windows will open as the document is converted. (See Figure 11).

Figure 10: Converting to PDF

Figure 11: Converting

STEP 9 When the conversion is completed, the document is displayed in the Adobe Acrobat window. Save and close the Adobe file.

STEP 10 Docket the appropriate CM/ECF event and attach the PDF document as usual.

Create Hyperlinks Between Documents Filed in the Same Event

It is also possible to link two or more documents to be filed in the same event. To create a hyperlink to a document filed in the same event, such as an exhibit in support of a motion or memo of law, follow the steps below. Again, the proper method for inserting these hyperlinks depends on whether you use WordPerfect or Word to create your document.

WordPerfect

In order to create a hyperlink in the primary WordPerfect document to a secondary document filed in the same event, the secondary document must be in PDF format.

STEP 1 Convert the secondary document to PDF format using the Publish to... or Publish to PDF function in WordPerfect. Converting to PDF using other methods will not retain the hyperlink. (See Figure 6 above). With the secondary document open in WordPerfect, do the following:

• Click File on the menu toolbar.
• Select Publish to... then PDF or Publish to PDF (this selection depends on the version of WordPerfect you are using).

STEP 2 Open the primary WordPerfect document that will contain the hyperlink to the secondary document.

STEP 3 Select and highlight the appropriate text in the primary document that will be displayed as the hyperlink to the secondary document as shown in Figure 4 above.

• Select the text to be displayed as a hyperlink.
• Click Tools on the menu toolbar.
• Select Hyperlink from the drop-down list.

STEP 4 Displayed next is the Hyperlink Properties dialog box. Click the Folder icon located to the right of the Document/Macro field as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12: Creating Hyperlink to Secondary Document

STEP 5 Navigate to the directory/folder in which the secondary document you wish to link is located. (Note: The document selected as the link must be in PDF format.) (See Figure 13).

• Highlight the PDF document (document must be PDF format).
• Click the Select button.
• Click OK on the Hyperlink Properties dialog box and the hyperlinked text will be underlined.

Figure 13: Linking document

STEP 6 After you have created all of your document hyperlinks, save the primary WordPerfect document.

STEP 7 Convert the primary document to PDF format using the Publish to... or Publish to PDF function in WordPerfect. Converting to PDF using other methods will not retain the hyperlink. (See Figure 6 above).

• Click File on the menu toolbar.
• Select Publish to... then PDF or Publish to PDF (this selection depends on the version of WordPerfect you are using).

STEP 8 Docket the appropriate CM/ECF event and attach the PDF document and attachments as usual.

Microsoft Word

In order to create a hyperlink in the primary Word document to a secondary document filed in the same submission, the secondary must be in PDF format.

STEP 1 Convert the secondary document to PDF as shown in Figure 9 above. To convert a Word document to PDF that contains a hyperlink to be filed in the CM/ECF system, the Adobe Acrobat application must be used. No other conversion software can be used.

• Open Adobe Acrobat.
• Click File on the menu toolbar.
• Select Create PDF then From File.

STEP 2 Open the primary document that will contain the hyperlink to the secondary (attached) document.

STEP 3 Select and highlight the text in the primary document will be displayed as the hyperlink as outlined for Microsoft Word documents as shown in Figure 7 above.

• Click Insert on the toolbar.
• Select Hyperlink from the drop down selection list.

STEP 4 Displayed next is the Insert Hyperlink Box as shown in Figure 14.

STEP 5 Navigate to the directory/folder in which the secondary document is located. (Note: The document selected as the link must be in PDF format.) (See Figure 14).

• Highlight the PDF document (document must be in PDF format).
• Click OK on the Insert Hyperlink box and the highlighted text will be underlined.

Figure 14: Creating Hyperlink to Secondary Document

STEP 6 Save and close the primary Word document. (Word files must be closed to convert to PDF. If the document is open when the next step is executed, an error message is returned.)

STEP 7 Convert the primary document to PDF as shown in Figure 7 above. To convert a Word document to PDF that contains a hyperlink to be filed in the CM/ECF system, the Adobe Acrobat application must be used. No other conversion software can be used.

• Open Adobe Acrobat.
• Click File on the menu toolbar.
• Select Create PDF then From File

STEP 8 Navigate to the appropriate directory/folder where the Word document is stored. Select the document and click the Open button as shown in Figure 10. A series of windows will open as the document is converted. (See Figure 11).

STEP 9 When the conversion is completed, the document is displayed in the Adobe Acrobat window. Save and close the Adobe file.

STEP 10 Docket the appropriate CM/ECF event and attach the PDF document and attachments as usual