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EDIS Confidential E-Service: Phase 1 - New Filing Procedures Coming Soon!

Homepage of the EDIS application.

Great news for users of the USITC's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS)! We’re implementing enhancements in July to streamline your document filing and information access for import injury investigations.

Phase 1 of the Confidential E-Service initiative will introduce new filing processes for two types of documents in import injury investigations:

  • Entry of Appearance and Related Documents (“Entry of Appearance”)
  • Protective Order (PO) Request/PO Request Amendment

These changes are in preparation for the electronic service of confidential documents directly to the EDIS accounts of authorized recipients, eliminating the need for third-party services. Stay tuned!

Who's affected:

  • Users designated as the lead counsel for one or more participants in an import injury investigation and authorized to be served confidential documents through an approved PO Request.

Highlights:

  • When filing an Entry of Appearance, the filer can select and associate themself with the participants they are representing either by selecting each participant from an existing list or by adding new participants not already identified as part of the investigation.
  • By having the lead counsel’s EDIS account associated with their participant, the lead counsel is automatically added to the investigation service list and makes them eligible to be served.
  • The Entry of Appearance may only be filed with the EDIS account of the lead counsel to satisfy legal requirements. Delegates will not be able to file it on their delegator’s behalf.
  • EDIS users filing a PO Request may do so on behalf of themselves or on behalf of their delegators. As part of the filing process, the filer will also select the participants covered under the PO Request.
  • When filing the PO Request or Amendment, the filer can enter or update the list of associated litigators for each participant.
  • After the USITC approves the PO Request, the representative will automatically be included in the confidential service list.

Key benefits:

  • Users get real-time access to the current public service list for an investigation.
  • The system will automatically generate the certificate of service when it’s served.

For full details on the new filing procedures, see the EDIS Filing Guidance Related to Import Injury Petitions.

Looking ahead to Phase 2 (Final Phase):

  • USITC will be able to batch-serve multiple documents to the EDIS accounts of representatives identified in the service list.
  • Prompt electronic receipt of served documents, both public and confidential.
  • Representatives identified in the service list will be able to access and download served documents in the service inbox of their EDIS account for up to 14 days.
  • EDIS delegates for the lead counsel will be able to access the lead counsel’s service inbox to access and download served documents on their behalf for up to 14 days.

If you have questions about these changes, please email EDIS3Help@usitc.gov.