Lawyers admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri will be hearing from the Clerk of Court beginning November 17, 2014. Every member of the bar will receive an e-mail message explaining the court’s requirement that lawyers renew their registration and provide an update of their profile. There is a fifty dollar ($50.00) fee to process each registration renewal. This fee can be paid online through the Pay.gov service.

According to Clerk of Court Greg Linhares, this registration renewal process is mandated by local rules and takes place every four years. Lawyers who no longer intend to practice in the federal district court need not complete the registration renewal. Lawyers who have been admitted after January 1, 2014 also need not complete the renewal. After the registration ends, the names of lawyers who fail to re-register will be removed from the roll of attorneys admitted to practice in the Eastern District of Missouri. The registration renewal deadline is February 15, 2015. Lawyers renewing their registration after February 15, 2015, will be charged a late fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), in addition to the fifty dollar ($50.00) registration renewal fee.

Linhares noted there is an ongoing need to maintain current information about persons who are admitted to practice. “The district court has more than six thousand (6,000) members of its bar. Our automated database has to have current address, law firm and e-mail information for the court to be able to communicate with members, both for case-related as well as other purposes. We also want to control the growth of the data base by periodically removing names of lawyers who have died, retired or moved out of the area. We have made this a very simple process, but every lawyer who intends to maintain active standing in the bar must register and pay the fee.” Linhares also noted that the process must be completed online. Instructions are available on the website: www.moed.uscourts.gov.

Questions should be directed by e-mail to Attorney_Admissions@moed.uscourts.gov or by phone to 314-244-7914.