A restriction was added on December 7, 2009 that prevents e-filers from uploading portable document format (PDF) files containing hyperlinks to resources that reside on the Internet or to bookmarked locations within the document. The restriction also prevents users from uploading PDF files containing active email addresses (i.e., addresses that allow users to click on them within a PDF document in order to send an email). This change was necessary in order to promote continued system security.

To remove hyperlinks from a Microsoft Word 2007 file:

1. Right click on the hyperlink
2. Click on the menu option Remove Hyperlink.

To remove hyperlinks from a WordPerfect file:

1. Highlight the hyperlink text
2. Right click the highlighted text
3. Clicking the menu option Reveal Codes.
4. At the bottom of the screen within the formatting window, place your mouse cursor between the last character in the hyperlink text and the Hyperlink formatting icon.
5. Press the Delete key on your keyboard to retain the hyperlink text but remove the link.
6. To close the formatting codes window, right click anywhere in the document, and left click on the now checked Reveal Codes option to turn off the option.

PDF Check

PDF Check is used to evaluate PDFs as they are uploaded to ensure they meet validity and security requirements. This service scans all files before they are uploaded into CM/ECF and performs a check on the file size and file type.  Any PDF larger than the maximum file size will be rejected by the system.  Maximum File Size is 50mb per attachment.

PDFs with the following content will be rejected:

• Does not comply with PDF format standards

• Contains JavaScript

• Encrypted or password-protected

• Contains scripts which can launch an external application

• Contains internal attachments

• Contains audio and video content

NOTE: Appellate CM/ECF will allow audio and video content to be

embedded and attached by internal court users.

• Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Safari browser

• Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for

printing”

PDFs with the following content will be accepted:

• Contains editable forms

NOTE: These documents may be rejected by court policy. Appellate CM/ECF

may be configured to reject PDFs with editable forms.

• Contains hyperlinks to external web sites

• Meets the PDF-A standard

• Contains optical character recognition (OCR) meta-data

• Comprised of scanned documents

NOTE: Courts may stipulate acceptable dots-per-inch (dpi) standards.

• Created with Mac OS X using a fillable form in the Chrome browser

• Created with Mac OS X using MS Word and selecting the option, “Best for

Electronic Distribution”

If a filer tries to upload a PDF with prohibited content, it will be rejected. The simplest

way to address most PDF upload rejections is to flatten the PDF, then upload and replace it.

Page 2 contains instructions for both flattening a PDF and removing JavaScript from PDFs

with attached audio or video files that can be used for appellate courts that allow court users to

upload PDFs with attached audio or video files.

HOW TO FLATTEN A PDF

The simplest way to address most PDF upload rejections is to flatten the PDF and then

upload it into CM/ECF. Those steps are as follows:

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat or another tool.

2. Print the PDF file to your PDF printer (File>Print>select Adobe PDF or another

PDF printer listed in the drop-down list).

3. Save the printed PDF and upload into CM/ECF.

NOTE: If using Nuance, it contains a flatten file feature which can be found by selecting

Advanced Processing> Flatten File.

HOW TO REMOVE JAVASCRIPT FROM A PDF

For appellate courts that are configured to allow audio and video attachments:

PDFs with attached audio and/or video often also have JavaScript added and will be

rejected because the JavaScript can cause Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

To remove JavaScript from the file:

1. Open the PDF with attached audio/video file.

2. Go to File > Save as Other > Optimized PDF.

3. Click OK to pop up message about the attached file.

4. Click on Discard Object on the left bar.

5. Check Discard all JavaScript actions.

6. Click OK and save.