Best Practice: Strategies When Searching the Creditor Matrix

Searching the creditor matrix is NOT the same as searching for a party in the CM/ECF database. You must search for the creditor name as it is entered on the matrix for the case you have referenced.

• When searching in a creditor matrix, CM/ECF will display all names that contain the combination of letters and/or numbers you enter as "search clues." For example, if you search using a search clue of "A," the search will return every creditor that contains a capital "A" anywhere in the creditor Name. For example, A&A Metals, Pan American Transmissions, and Media Arts Corp. would all match the search clue of "A."
  
  
• Be sure to use appropriate upper and lowercase characters since the search is case sensitive.



• The more "search clues" characters and/or letters you provide, the more likely you are to find the exact creditor you are searching for. If you don't enter any search clues, all creditors in the matrix will be displayed.



• When searching for creditors, it may be necessary to conduct multiple searches. First, search for the entire creditor name (e.g., World Communications). If that is not successful, you can search for part of the creditor's name, (e.g., World Comm or just World). If there are articles in the title such as "A" or "The," you may or may not need to include the article in the search. For example, a search request for The Timely Times may not produce a result. But a search request for Austin Times will be successful.



• Finally, an unsuccessful search for A. & A. Metals might be successful if you search without punctuation (e.g., A & A Metals). On the other hand, an unsuccessful search for A & A Metals might be successful if you search with punctuation (i.e., A. & A. Metals).