Pre-Filing Duplicate Checks

Glade now automatically checks for potential duplicate filings before you submit a bankruptcy case to PACER, helping you avoid accidental double-filings.

Overview

When you navigate to the PACER filing screen to submit a case, Glade runs automatic checks to detect whether the case may have already been filed. If a potential duplicate is found, you'll see a warning dialog with details about the existing filing. This feature is designed to protect against accidental duplicate submissions — it will never silently block you from filing.

How It Works

1. Open the PACER filing screen: Navigate to the Case Documents tab in your workflow and click to sync case data to PACER
2. Automatic checks run: Glade checks two things behind the scenes:
   • Whether this workflow already has a case number from a previous successful filing
   • Whether someone on your team attempted to file this case within the last hour
3. Review any warnings: If a potential duplicate is detected, a warning dialog will appear with relevant details
4. Acknowledge or cancel: Read the warning, then either check the acknowledgment box and click "Continue Anyway" to proceed, or click "Cancel" to go back

Warning Types

Existing Case Number Detected

This warning appears when the workflow already has a case number from a prior successful filing. The dialog shows:

• The existing case number
• The filing status
• Risk level information

This is the most common scenario — it prevents you from accidentally re-filing a case that has already been submitted to the court.

Recent Filing Attempt Detected

This warning appears when someone on your team attempted to file this case within the last hour, even if no case number was returned. The dialog shows:

• Who initiated the filing attempt
• When the attempt was made
• The status of that attempt
• A link to verify in PACER directly

This catches situations where a filing may be processing in PACER but hasn't returned a case number yet.

Key Details

• Warnings, not blocks: These checks will never prevent you from filing. After reviewing the warning, you can always choose to proceed by checking the acknowledgment box and clicking "Continue Anyway."
• Checkbox required: To continue past a warning, you must check the acknowledgment checkbox confirming you've reviewed the information. This ensures the warning isn't accidentally dismissed.
• Cancel option: If you determine the case was already filed, click "Cancel" to return to the Case Documents tab without submitting.
• No action needed if no duplicates: If no potential duplicates are found, the filing screen loads normally with no interruption.

FAQ

Q: Will this stop me from filing a case that was previously dismissed and needs to be refiled?
A: No. Glade will show you a warning with the details of the prior filing, but you can always acknowledge it and proceed. The system is designed to inform you, not block you.

Q: What if two people on my team are trying to file the same case at the same time?
A: The "Recent Filing Attempt" check will detect if someone else attempted to file the case within the last hour and warn you before you submit again.

Q: Does this check cases filed outside of Glade?
A: Currently, the checks look at filings made through Glade. Future updates may include checks against PACER directly for broader coverage.

Q: What should I do if I see a warning but I'm not sure whether the case was actually filed?
A: Click "Cancel" to go back, then check PACER directly using the link provided in the warning dialog to verify the case status before attempting to file again.