New ACMS Implementation Date:
Oct 1, 2026
Message from the Chief Judge
As anyone who has heard me speak over the last year or so knows, the Court is currently engaged in the process of adopting a new case management system in place of our current system, CM/ECF. That new system is the Appellate Case Management System or ACMS. This change is not just a matter of making an update. The reality is that CM/ECF is an antiquated system that is not sustainable for the long haul.
At the risk of appearing to mimic the addition of the AMA in VA to work alongside the legacy system, ACMS will not replace CM/ECF. Rather, beginning on a date-certain, all new cases (appeals and petitions) will be filed in ACMS with all existing cases proceeding in CM/ECF. I recognize that this dual system is not something anyone wants. However, it is the reality we face.
This brings me to the principal reason for this message. Our planned date for implementing the ACMS system was April 1, 2026. We have been testing the system to ensure that it operates appropriately in terms of the internal processing of a case. We've identified certain parts of the system that require tweaking. Let me stress that these issues have nothing to do with how an external user will access the system. They are all internal issues for Court personnel to move cases through the various stages from filing until resolution.
We could press forward in an attempt to make the April 1st implementation date. However, I want to make sure that we balance the need to implement the new system with the imperative to make sure any new system functions as needed. So, I've decided to push the date for full implementation back by several months to ensure that we are able to have full confidence in the way we process cases as well as have ample time to provide training to both external and internal users. In particular, in the period between June and September, we will be conducting extensive simulations in the system and eventually begin to process a small number of actual appeals in a "soft" start to using the system. Those who will be a part of the soft implementation phase are already aware of their participation in the testing process.
The revised implementation date for the ACMS system for all users is October 1, 2026. As of that date, all new cases must be filed in ACMS. All existing cases as of September 30, 2026 (except for the cases filed as part of the "soft" implementation testing phase), will proceed in the CM/ECF system. I am committed to ensuring that we will not move this date again, and I have every confidence that we will be ready to go live with ACMS on the revised implementation date.
We will also be adding a section to the Court's website that will provide updates on the ACMS project. Those updates will include a training schedule as well as materials to prepare for the implementation of the ACMS system on October 1. There are already several notices on the website about ACMS. Please take a look at those notices now and keep your eyes open for additional messages.
Thank you all for your patience as the Court makes this important technological improvement. I promise to provide as much information as I can as we move forward to the revised October 1, 2026, ACMS implementation date.
Notices
