Below are some suggested tips for you to try if you have received a filing error message from NextChapter.
1. ECF Credentials Incorrect
You can update your username and password by going to Account Settings > My User Profile.
To confirm you’re using the correct credentials, try logging in directly to your court's Bankruptcy ECF website (not your District ECF). If you continue to see invalid username or password errors there, you’ll need to contact to the court for further assistance.
If the court requires you to reset your login information upon signing in, be sure to update your new credentials in NextChapter in Account Settings > My User Profile.
*Please note: Attorneys often have two sets of credentials: one for bankruptcy and one for district court. Please make sure you’re testing your login with the bankruptcy site (look for a “B” in the district name within the URL).
2. ECF Access Denied
New bankruptcy filers must to complete training with the court to obtain authorization to file bankruptcy cases.
An account with the correct access will display "Bankruptcy" as the first item on your menu bar after logging into the court's site directly. If this option is not present (as in the image below), you'll need to contact the court directly to request access.
3. General Error - "We are unable to file the case with the court."
Refresh your page and try filing again. You’ll need to re-enter the SSN and select the Divisional Court. Sometimes the court connection is disrupted during the filing process, and retrying often resolves the issue.
If the error persists, contact NextChapter by emailing support@nextchapterbk.com
or sending us an in-app chat. Please include the case name and details so we can investigate.
If the filing is urgent, you can download the packet and upload it manually to the court’s site. The download will also include the creditor matrix text file required by most courts.
4. The Petition was Filed, but an Event Code Failed
When filing through NextChapter, your petition is filed first, followed by any event codes that you've attached to the filing. If the petition filed successfully, but an event code failed, the connection was interrupted for one of the following reasons:
Concurrent login: As the court only allows one login at a time, logging in directly to the court’s site while NextChapter is filing will interrupt the process and prevent the remaining forms from filing.
Connection interruption: While rare, a temporary disruption between NextChapter and the court’s site can occasionally occur with e-filing and cloud-based systems
5. The Petition was Filed with Exceptions:
This error will inform you of the exceptions that were not updated. You may then download those exceptions from the Download & Print section and file them manually with the court.
6. Document Formatting Issues
Certain formatting problems can prevent documents from uploading successfully. Here are some to look out for:
Special characters in the creditor matrix
Backslashes (\) in document names
Debtor suffixes longer than 5 characters
If you’re ever unsure or need help, please contact NextChapter at support@nextchapterbk.com or chat with us in-app, and we’ll be happy to resolve this for you.
7. Already Filed - "ECF has already been filed"
If you receive this error and have not previously filed the case, please contact NextChapter at support@nextchapterbk.com or chat with us in-app. Please include the case name and details, and we will reset your credentials so you can file again.
8. Recent Court Upgrade to NextGen
If your court has recently upgraded to NextGen, you must link your ECF and PACER accounts before filing through NextChapter. The court will prompt you to complete this upon logging in to their site. Once linked, you can return to NextChapter and try filing again.
Below is an example of the pop-up that might appear. The body of the text may look different for your district.
If your court has recently upgraded to NextGen, please double-check your ECF username and password have been updated accordingly in Account Settings > My User Profile.
9. Outstanding Filing Fees
If your court is awaiting payment for filing fees on prior cases, it may block additional activity until fees are resolved. Log into your court’s ECF website, where you will be prompted to pay any outstanding balances. Once payment is processed, you can try filing again through NextChapter.
*Keywords* filing error, error, case didn't file