Rule 20-104 - User Registration(a)Eligibility and Necessity.(1) Any individual may apply to become a registered user in accordance with this Rule.(2) Only a registered user may file submissions electronically in an MDEC action.(b)On-line Application.(1) An individual seeking to become a registered user shall complete an on-line application in the form prescribed by the State Court Administrator.(2) The form may require information the State Court Administrator finds necessary to identify the applicant with particularity and shall include (A) an agreement by the applicant to comply with MDEC policies and procedures and the Rules in this Title, (B) a statement as to whether the applicant is an attorney and, if so, is a member of the Maryland Bar in good standing, and (C) whether the applicant has ever previously registered and, if so, information regarding that registration, including whether it remains in effect and why the applicant is seeking another registration. Committee note: One of the purposes of registration is to help ensure that electronic submissions are not filed in MDEC actions by persons who are not authorized to file them. See Rule 20-201(b). It is important for the MDEC system to know, to the extent possible, whether a person seeking to file a submission or to access, through MDEC, documents in an MDEC action, is who the person purports to be.
This is particularly important with respect to attorneys, who have greater ability to file submissions and access case records than other members of the public. As part of the registration process, attorney-applicants are required to supply a unique attorney number so that MDEC will know they are attorneys. Other kinds of information may be necessary to identify non-attorneys. See section (e) of this Rule with respect to multiple registrations.
(c)Username and Password. Upon successful completion of the registration process in accordance with section (b) of this Rule and any verification that the State Court Administrator may require, the individual becomes a registered user. The State Court Administrator shall issue to the registered user a username and a password, which together shall enable the registered user to file submissions electronically in an MDEC action to which the registered user is a party or is otherwise entitled to file the submission and have the access provided by Rule 20-109. The registered user may change the assigned username and password in conformance with the policies and procedures published by the State Court Administrator.(d)Effect of Registration. By registering with the State Court Administrator as a registered user, an individual agrees to comply with the Rules in this Title and the MDEC policies and procedures established and published by the State Court Administrator.(e)Multiple Registrations. An individual who may lawfully intend or be required to file submissions in different capacities may become a registered user in each of those capacities. Committee note: Some attorneys or other registered users may be part-time employees of a public agency and be registered through that agency to file submissions on behalf of the agency but also may wish to file submissions on behalf of private clients or on behalf of themselves as parties to their own litigation. In those situations, the individual will need to have more than one registration--one when acting for the public agency and one when acting in a private capacity. There may be individuals other than attorneys who may need to have more than one registration.
(f)Revocation, Suspension, Reinstatement of Attorney User Registration.(1)Duty of Clerk of Supreme Court. The Clerk of the Supreme Court shall promptly notify the State Court Administrator of each attorney (A) who, by order of the Court, becomes disbarred, suspended, placed on inactive status, or decertified or who has resigned from the Maryland Bar or (B) who, following a disbarment, suspension, placement on inactive status, decertification, or resignation, has been reinstated to the practice of law in Maryland.(2)Duty of State Court Administrator. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the State Court Administrator shall (A) revoke the user registration of each attorney who has been disbarred or placed in inactive status or who has resigned, (B) suspend the user registration of each attorney who has been suspended or decertified, (C) reinstate the user registration of an attorney who has been reinstated, and (D) take any necessary steps to be reasonably satisfied that the MDEC system does not accept any electronic filings from an attorney whose user registration has been revoked or suspended and not reinstated.(3)Further Submissions. An attorney whose registration has been suspended or revoked under this section shall file any submissions required by the Rules of Professional Conduct in paper form.(4)Application for User Registration as a Non-attorney. An attorney whose user registration has been suspended or revoked under this section may apply for user registration as a non-attorney. The State Court Administrator may reject the application unless reasonably satisfied that the individual will comply with the Rules in this Title and with all policies and procedures adopted by the State Court Administrator.Md. R. Elec. Fil'g & Case Mgmt. 20-104
Adopted May 1, 2013, eff. 7/1/2016. Amended June 20, 2017, eff. 8/1/2017; amended April 21, 2023, eff. 4/1/2023; amended March 1, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024.HISTORICAL NOTES
2017 Orders
The June 20, 2017 order, added the words "and Necessity to the tagline of section (a); added a new subsection (a)(2), which provides that only a registered user may file submissions electronically in an MDEC action; added language to subsection (b), which provides that the on-line application form may require information that the State Court Administrator finds necessary to identify the applicant and may require certain information about an applicant's previous registration; added a Committee note after subsection (b)(2); deleted a provisions pertaining to unique identification numbers; deleted language in section (e) pertaining to cancellation of user registration and reapplication for user registration; authorized the registration of an individual in multiple capacities under certain circumstances; added a Committee note after section (e); and made stylistic changes.