What is Debtor Email Notification?
Debtor Email Notification is a FREE and voluntary service that allows debtors to request delivery of court notices and orders from the bankruptcy court by email instead of U. S. mail.
How Does it Work?
Once the debtor signs and files a Request for Debtor Email Notification (Request for Email Notification for Debtor Form), the Clerk's Office will register the debtor for an account, and the debtor will receive a confirmation email. In order to activate the account, the debtor must click on a link in the confirmation email.
Once an account is activated, all future court orders and court-generated notices are sent via email to the debtor as a PDF attachment. A separate email will be sent for each court order or notice.
There is no limit to the number of times the debtor may view the PDF attachment, and the debtor is free to print the attachment, save it to his or her computer, or simply retain the email for viewing at any time. Large PDF attachments (exceeding 8 MB) will be sent by U.S. Mail to the debtor's mailing address.
What are Court Notices and Orders?
Court orders and notices are documents filed by the court including, but not limited to:
- Notice of Meeting of Creditors
- Deficiency Notices
- Hearing Notices
- Notice of Requirement to Complete Course in Financial Management
- Notice of Dismissal
- Order Confirming Chapter 13 Plan
- Order Discharging Debtor
- Order Closing the Case
Who Can Send Email Notifications to a Debtor?
Only the court (through the Bankruptcy Noticing Center) can send email notifications to a debtor. All other parties, including creditors and trustees, must continue to serve documents upon the debtor according to court rules.
How Long is Enrollment?
Once the debtor's account is activated, the account remains active until:
- The account is disabled because of an email delivery failure "bounce-back";
- The account is disabled because the debtor's mailing address no longer matches the address associated with the account; or
- The debtor files a deactivation request with the court. (See the Request for Email Notification for Debtor Form.)
How Does a Debtor Sign Up?
- Complete and sign the Request for Email Notification for Debtor Form.
- File the completed form with the Clerk's Office. The form may be mailed to the Clerk's Office, filed over the counter in person, or electronically filed by the debtor's attorney through the ECF system by selecting the docket event Bankruptcy > Other > Debtor Request Re: Email Notification.
Note: In a joint case, each debtor must file a separate request, even if the debtors use the same email address.
What is Required?
- Access to Email Account – The debtor will receive confirmation emails and court notices from the following email addresses: bndedi@noticingcenter.com; startn@noticingcenter.com, or bncrtn@noticingcenter.com. To ensure court notices are not reported as SPAM or Junk Mail, the debtor should add these email addresses to their contact/safe-sender list. Do no reply to these emails as they are not monitored for responses. Be advised that a request for email notification may be denied if the court deems the debtor’s email address to be inappropriate or offensive.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader Software – The latest version of Adobe Reader will allow the debtor to view the PDF attachment.
- Sign Up for Email Notification – The debtor must submit a request for email notification as described above.
- Keep the Court Informed - The debtor must file another Request for Email Notification for Debtor Form if one of the following occurs:
- Email address changes;
- Debtor files a new bankruptcy case; or
- Debtor wishes to terminate email notification.