District Operations

CM/ECF Attorney Password Resets

Have you ever wanted to change your password to something easier to remember?  Passwords assigned for CM/ECF accounts are randomly generated with security concerns in mind so they are often hard to remember.  If you would like to change your password to something more personal, here are the simple steps:

1) Go to the Utilities Menu in CM/ECF;
2) Select Maintain Your Account;
3) Select More user information;
4) Highlight *********** in the Password box and hit delete;
5) Type a new password;
6) Select Return to Account screen;
7) Select Submit;
8) Select Submit;
9) Your password has been changed.

Your password should be between 4 and 8 characters and include a combination of letters, numbers, or special characters.  Please remember that your CM/ECF account is your signature.  You want to make it as secure as possible. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the CM/ECF Help Desk at 1-800-466-9302.

Witness and Mileage Fees

The Western District of Missouri would like to remind you about the financial aspects regarding witnesses.  When a witness is served with a federal subpoena requiring his or her attendance, the subpoena must be accompanied by a fee for one days attendance and mileage. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1821, a $40 per day attendance fee is established for a witness in a court of the United States.  It also entitles a witness to reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses in the same amounts payable to a federal government employee for official travel. 

The $40 attendance fee is a daily fee.  If attendance is required for multiple days, the witness is entitled to the attendance fee for each day their appearance is required.

In addition to the attendance fee, a witness is also entitled to receive compensation for their travel. Title 5 United States Code § 5704 authorizes a mileage fee equal to the mileage allowance which the Administrator of General Services has prescribed.  Effective January 1, 2010, the current mileage rate for privately owned vehicles is $0.50 per mile. Current mileage rates can be obtained from the United States General Services Administration website at www.gsa.gov/mileage. Mileage can be calculated using a mapping program such as mapquest.com or googlemaps.

In addition to mileage, a witness is also entitled to reimbursement of any parking fees incurred.

Please continue to check the Western District of Missouri website under Finance to ensure current information is used.

Online Case Opening: Choosing the Correct Venue Code

When opening a new case online, it is important to assign the correct divisional number to the case.  Each division in the Western District of Missouri has its own code and name.  Below are those codes and the alternate names (city) by which the divisions are often known:

Code              Division                                  Alternate Name
2:                     Central Division                     Jefferson City
3:                     Southwestern Division         Joplin
4:                     Western Division                   Kansas City
5:                     St. Joseph Division               St. Joseph
6:                     Southern Division                  Springfield

Local Rule 3.2 (a) names the divisions in the Western District of Missouri and where cases are heard for those divisions.  Local Rule 3.2 (b) mandates how to determine the correct division for your case. In all cases, however, the Judge may determine an alternate place of trial if he or she chooses.

The divisional boundaries are determined by counties. Below is a chart to help determine the proper division for cases The divisional boundaries are determined by counties. Below is a chart to help determine the proper division for cases or you can save this link for future reference: http://www.mow.uscourts.gov/jurisdiction.html

  http://www.mow.uscourts.gov/jurisdiction.html

When opening the case online, be sure to double check the division code to be sure you have set the case in the proper division.