> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cottfile.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cottfile.com/admin-guide/managing-users.md).

# Managing Users

The Users page lets you view all registered users, assign roles, link court staff to specific courts, and activate or deactivate accounts.

## Viewing Users

Navigate to **Admin > Users** to see a searchable table of all users. You can search by email address and filter by:

* **Role** -- Filter to a specific role (e.g., Clerk, Attorney)
* **Court** -- Filter to users assigned to a specific court
* **Status** -- Filter to Active, Inactive, or All users

## User Roles

Every user has exactly one role. Roles determine what parts of the system a user can access. Roles are preset by the system -- you cannot create custom roles. To change a user's role, edit their profile from the Users table.

### Filer Roles

| Role           | Description                                                                               |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Attorney**   | Licensed attorney who files on behalf of clients. Must have a bar number                  |
| **Pro Se**     | Self-represented litigant filing on their own behalf. Assigned a system-generated PIN     |
| **Org Admin**  | Administrator for a filing organization (e.g., law firm). Can manage organization members |
| **Government** | Government agency filer (e.g., District Attorney's office)                                |

### Court Staff Roles

| Role               | Description                                                                                   |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Clerk**          | Reviews and processes filings in the clerk queue. Must be assigned to a court                 |
| **Judge**          | Judicial officer. Can view filings routed for judicial approval                               |
| **Judicial Staff** | Staff supporting a judge. Same access as Judge role                                           |
| **Court Admin**    | Full administrative access. Can configure courts, users, fees, queues, and all other settings |

{% hint style="info" %}
Court staff roles (Clerk, Judge, Judicial Staff, Court Admin) should be assigned to a court. Without a court assignment, staff users cannot see filings in their queue.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**📹 GIF:** The Users table -- using the search field to find a user by email, then using the Role and Court filter dropdowns to narrow the list, showing the filtered results update.
{% endhint %}

## Editing a User

1. Click the **pencil icon** on a user row.
2. In the edit dialog, you can change:
   * **Role** -- Select the user's role from the dropdown
   * **Assigned Court** -- Link the user to a court, or select "No court assigned" to remove the assignment
3. Click **Update**.

{% hint style="warning" %}
You cannot change your own role. This prevents accidentally locking yourself out of the Admin Panel.
{% endhint %}

## Activating and Deactivating Users

Use the **Active** toggle switch on each user row to activate or deactivate an account.

* **Deactivated** users cannot log in or access any part of the system
* **Reactivating** a user restores their access with the same role and court assignment

You cannot deactivate your own account.

{% hint style="info" %}
**📹 GIF:** Editing a user -- clicking the pencil icon on a user row, changing the role from the dropdown, selecting an assigned court, and clicking Update. Then toggling the Active switch to deactivate a different user.
{% endhint %}

## How Users Are Created

User accounts are created through the registration and onboarding flow, not directly from the Admin Panel. When a new user registers:

1. They create an account via the login page
2. They complete the onboarding form (role selection, bar number, contact info)
3. Their account appears in the Users table

As an admin, your job is to verify the user's role is correct, assign court staff to the appropriate court, and deactivate any accounts that should not have access.


---

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