The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio does not endorse or promote specific hardware, software or vendors; however, based on the experience of numerous bankruptcy courts which have implemented Electronic Case Filing (ECF), the following items are requirements for successful participation in ECF.

1. A personal computer running a standard Operating System (e.g., Windows)

2. An Internet connection using either a cable modem or digital subscriber line(DSL)
Although a dial-up connection is technically adequate, it will be frustratingly slow for any filing party, other than the occasional user of the ECF system.

3. An Internet Browser
CM/ECF has been tested and works correctly with Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7 and 8. Other browsers and browser versions may work as well (128 bit encryption is required for credit card transactions).

4. Software to create documents in PDF (Portable Document Format)
ECF has been designed to be compatible with Adobe Acrobat PDF Writer software which converts documents from a word processor format to PDF.
For merely viewing documents, not authoring them, only the Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed. (The Reader, unlike the Writer, is available as a free download from Adobe.)

5. A scanner to transmit documents that are not in your word processing system
Adobe Acrobat software will interface with your scanner.

6. An E-mail account
ECF notices will be sent to your E-mail account. You should seriously consider establishing an account solely for your ECF transactions which is separate from any other E-mail you may be receiving.