Admission to the Bar of this Court. Admission to and continuing membership in the bar of this court is limited to attorneys of good moral character who are active members in good standing of the State Bar of California.

Procedure for Admission. The admission process is completed by submitting an electronic application for admission and paying the prescribed fee of $224. Counsel will receive an email during the application process containing a link to pay.gov (payment website). The Clerk's Office will independently confirm your standing with the California State Bar. There is no need to mail a certificate of good standing to this court.

Upon admission approval, a Certificate of Admission will be mailed to you within 4-5 weeks, and your admission to practice in the Southern District of California is permanent.

Current members and applicants can request information re admission dates/status via email (attorneyadmissions@casd.uscourts.gov).

(Effective March 2, 2020) To update or reset your system password, please visit pacer.uscourts.gov. For assistance, please contact PACER at 800-676-6856.

Please see Attorney Admission FAQs for additional information.

(Effective March 2, 2020) To submit an electronic application for admission, an attorney must have an individual upgraded PACER account. For additional information on how to register for an individual PACER account, please visit https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/cmecf/nextgen.aspx. Once an individual PACER account has been obtained, visit pacer.uscourts.gov and select Manage My Account > Maintenance > Attorney Admissions / E-File Registration. Any questions may be emailed to the CASD CM/ECF helpdesk at ecfhelp@casd.uscourts.gov.

Federal government attorneys are not required to pay the fee of $224 and are no longer required to fill out a Pro Hac Vice form. However, it is still required that government attorneys complete the CM/ECF registration process.

To submit an electronic application for admission, an attorney must have an individual upgraded PACER account. For additional information on how to register for an individual PACER account, please visit https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/cmecf/nextgen.aspx . Once an individual PACER account has been obtained, visit pacer.uscourts.gov and select Manage My Account > Maintenance > Attorney Admissions / E-File Registration > Attorney Admissions and E-File.

An attorney not eligible for admission under Civil Local Rule 83.3.c, but who is a member in good standing of, and eligible to practice before, the bar of any United States Court or of the highest court of any state or of any territory or insular possession of the United States, who is of good moral character, and who has been retained to appear in this court, may, upon written application and in the discretion of the court, be permitted to appear and participate in a particular case. Unless authorized by the Constitution of the United States or acts of Congress, an attorney is not eligible to practice pursuant to this local rule if any one or more of the following apply to the attorney: (1) resides in California, (2) is regularly employed in California, or (3) is regularly engaged in business, professional, or other activities in California.

In order to appear in a particular matter without being a member of the California State Bar, counsel must Register for CM/ECF and electronically file a Request to Appear Pro Hac Vice (See steps below for registration and e-filing procedures). The court charges a $224 fee for a Pro Hac Vice request, which counsel pays at the time the request is electronically filed.

To appear Pro Hac Vice in the Southern District Court of California:

• (Effective March 2, 2020) Register to electronically file. To submit an electronic application for admission, an attorney must have an individual upgraded PACER account. For additional information on how to register for an individual PACER account, please visit https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/cmecf/nextgen.aspx. Once an individual PACER account has been obtained, visit pacer.uscourts.gov and select Manage My Account > Maintenance > Attorney Admissions / E-File Registration > Attorney Admissions and E-File.
  
  
• Electronically file a Request to Appear Pro Hac Vice
  
  
• Pay the $224 fee when prompted during the electronic filing process

Click here for Notice of Change of Address Form.

(Effective March 2, 2020) Additionally, you may also maintain your address information on the PACER website at pacer.uscourts.gov > Manage My Account > Maintenance > Update Address Information.

How to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing in the U. S. District Court, Southern District of California

The fee for a Certificate of Good Standing is $21.00, by check or money order. Payment must be received to process your request; this payment cannot be made online.

Make check payable to: Clerk, United States District Court

There are two (2) ways to request a Certificate of Good Standing in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of California:

1. Come in person or send a local legal courier to the Clerk's Office located in the Carter / Keep U.S. Courthouse at 333 West Broadway, Room 420, to drop off your written request, with payment by check.

OR:

2. Mail the written request (include attorney name, state bar number, and address where certificate is to be sent), with payment by check.

Mail to:
Clerk, United States District Court
Attention: Attorney Admissions
333 West Broadway, Suite 420
San Diego, CA 92101

The crimped certificate will be mailed back to you in the self-addressed stamped envelope you provide with your written request.