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OSCAR Transitioning to JENIE Single Sign-On (SSO)

What Judiciary Users Need to Know and How to Prepare

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts is implementing JENIE Single Sign-On (SSO) for the Online System for Clerkship Application and Review (OSCAR). This enhancement simplifies how judiciary users access OSCAR while strengthening system security.

This post outlines what is changing, what actions are required, and how to prepare, especially for managing chambers staff accounts.

What’s Changing

With this update, judiciary users will access OSCAR using their JENIE credentials, eliminating the need for a separate OSCAR username and password.

Key Highlights

• Go-Live Date: Tuesday, April 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET
• Expected Downtime: Approximately 4 hours during deployment
• Login Method: Judiciary users will log in using JENIE SSO only
• Network Requirement: Access requires connection to the Judiciary network (DCN)

Scope of Change:

• Affects login and staff account access
• No changes to OSCAR functionality or workflows

Important Change: Shared Accounts Will No Longer Work

Following the transition, shared or group chambers staff accounts will no longer be supported.

Each user must have:

• Their own individual OSCAR account
• Access tied to their JENIE credentials

This is a critical shift designed to:

• Improve security and accountability
• Align with judiciary cybersecurity standards
• Ensure proper user-level access and auditing

What You Need to Do

To avoid disruption, judges and chambers should review and transition staff accounts now.

1- Identify Current Staff Using Shared Accounts

• Determine which staff members currently access OSCAR via a shared chambers account.

2- Decide on Individual Account Setup

• For each staff member, determine:
  • Whether they need an account
  • What level of access is appropriate

3- Request or Create Individual OSCAR Accounts

• Each staff member must have:
  • A unique OSCAR account
  • Access aligned to their role

Understanding Chambers Staff Account Types

When setting up accounts, you will choose between two primary access types:

Permanent Staff Accounts

• Intended for judicial assistants and career law clerks
• Provide full access comparable to judges
• Can be set to never expire

Term Law Clerk Accounts

• Intended for term or temporary clerks
• Provide limited access, including:
• Viewing applications
• Reviewing application notes
• Managing applications and tags
• Must include an expiration date aligned with the clerk’s departure

How to Create New Staff Accounts

Judges (or designated administrators) can continue creating accounts for chambers staff.

Account Creation Requirements

• Each user must have their own individual account
• New accounts require administrator activation
• Typically completed the same day

Recommended Approach

• Create accounts before April 28 to ensure uninterrupted access
• Assign appropriate roles at the time of creation
• Set expiration dates for term clerks immediately

How You Will Sign In After the Transition

Once SSO is live:

• Navigate to OSCAR as usual
• Select Login
• Click Judiciary Login
• If prompted, enter your JENIE username and password
• You will be automatically redirected into your OSCAR account

If you are already connected to the Judiciary network, login may occur automatically.