Keith Mack
If you're looking to locate information on lawsuits, there are a few ways to go about it. Court records are available to the public, though some case records are confidential or sealed by court order. The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service provides electronic public access to federal court records. To use PACER, you must register for an account and pay a fee of 10 cents per page, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. Alternatively, you can visit the courthouse where the case was filed to access case records. If the case information is not available online, you can contact the court clerk or visit the courthouse to request information.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Federal court case records | Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) |
| PACER account | Anyone can create an account to search and locate appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information |
| PACER Case Locator | Useful when you are unsure which specific federal court the case was filed in |
| Court opinions | Available for no fee in a text-searchable format through a partnership with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) |
| Court records and case files | Transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for storage and preservation |
| California court cases | Look up basic information like the name of the parties, what documents have been filed, and whether there are any court dates |
| Company lawsuits | Search news databases such as Factiva, Nexis Uni, and the New York Times |
| Ongoing legal proceedings | Check the websites of individual agencies |
| Massachusetts court cases | Access the intranet portal using a public terminal computer at any Massachusetts courthouse or County Registry of Deeds sites |
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What You'll Learn
- Federal court case records: Use PACER or visit Clerk's Office
- California court cases: Check online or at the courthouse
- Massachusetts court dockets: Access at public terminal computers in courthouses
- Company lawsuits: Search news databases, e.g. Factiva, Nexis Uni
- Court records: Consult the National Archives Catalog
Federal court case records: Use PACER or visit Clerk's Office
Federal court case records are available through the internet-based Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. Anyone can access PACER to view federal court records, but you need to register for an account first. There is a fee of 10 cents per page to access a file through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. However, if you accrue $30 or less in charges in a quarter, fees are waived for that period.
To locate a federal court case, you can use PACER or visit the Clerk's Office of the courthouse where the case was filed. Case files may also be accessed from the public access terminals in the clerk's office of the court where the case was filed. If you cannot locate a case by searching a federal court's case records by case number or party name, try using the PACER Case Locator. This will generate a listing of nationwide court locations and case numbers where a party is involved in federal litigation. If you are unsure which specific federal court the case was filed in, you can use the PACER Case Locator to search a nationwide index of federal court cases. This information is updated daily.
Additionally, you can access paper case files from the court where the case was filed or at one of the Federal Records Centers (FRCs). Contact the court where the case was filed for more information. All bankruptcy courts have a telephone information system, also known as the Voice Case Information System, that enables callers to obtain basic case information through a touch-tone phone. This is free to use and available 24 hours a day.
In many courts, you can look up court cases online to find basic information such as the name of the parties, what documents have been filed, and whether there are any court dates. However, some court records are not available online to protect privacy. For example, you can only find limited information about divorce or criminal cases on a court's website.
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California court cases: Check online or at the courthouse
In California, there are multiple ways to access court case records. Firstly, you can check online. Most courts have a section on their website called "online services" or something similar, where you can find out whether you can look up a court case online and what type of records are available. In many courts, you can find basic information online, such as the names of the parties, what documents have been filed, and whether there are any court dates.
However, it's important to note that not all court case records are available to the public online. Some records are confidential by law or sealed by court order, and others are only available at the courthouse. This includes records of divorce, child custody, civil harassment, and criminal cases. Additionally, if you are a member of the public, there may be limits on what you can access remotely, even if the court offers remote access.
If the information you're seeking is not available online, you may be able to access it at the courthouse. There are two ways to do this: by viewing paper case records or by viewing electronic case records on a courthouse computer. If you choose to view electronic records at the courthouse, you will still be subject to the same access restrictions as those that apply to remote access.
Finally, if you are unsure which specific court a case was filed in, you can use the PACER Case Locator to search a nationwide index of federal court cases. Anyone can access PACER to view federal court records, but you will need to register for an account.
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Massachusetts court dockets: Access at public terminal computers in courthouses
In Massachusetts, public terminal computers are available at any courthouse or County Registry of Deeds sites. These terminals provide access to the Massachusetts Trial Court case access portal, where you can find case information, including party, event, docket, and disposition details. Depending on the court department and case type, you may also be able to view case documents.
To access the case information, you will need to use the designated public access computers located within the courthouses. These terminals are typically found in the District, Boston Municipal, Probate and Family, Superior, Housing, and Land Courts, as well as the County Registry of Deeds sites. The Massachusetts Trial Court case access portal can be reached through these terminals, and you can search for cases using various criteria, such as case number, case type, and date ranges.
However, it is important to note that there have been concerns raised about the lack of access to these public kiosks due to some being out of service and others being occupied for extended periods. As a result, members of the public may face challenges in accessing court records, particularly for cases that cannot be researched remotely and must be searched through these kiosks.
If you are unable to locate the desired case information through the public terminals, there are alternative methods to consider. Firstly, you can visit the Clerk's Office of the courthouse where the case was filed to request assistance. Additionally, some court records may be available on the court's website, although the availability of information varies depending on the court and case type. Online services sections on court websites can provide information about the accessibility of specific court cases and records. In some instances, a court clerk may be able to provide basic information over the phone, such as court dates or filing status.
Furthermore, for federal court cases, you can utilize the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. PACER allows anyone with an account to search for appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information. The PACER Case Locator can be used if you are unsure of the specific federal court involved, providing a nationwide index of federal court cases.
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Company lawsuits: Search news databases, e.g. Factiva, Nexis Uni
There are several ways to search for company lawsuits using news databases such as Factiva and Nexis Uni.
Factiva
Factiva provides access to hundreds of business newspapers, magazines, and wire services. To search for company lawsuits, you can follow these steps:
- Go to the Newman Library Databases page and choose Factiva from the list.
- Search for the company in the main search bar.
- Click on the tabs at the top of the results (News, Signals, Reports, Financials, and Regulatory Filings) to explore different types of information.
- To find legal-related actions, use the Filter and select "Crime/Legal Action" under Subjects.
Nexis Uni
Nexis Uni is a comprehensive database that includes news, legal cases, law reviews, company information, and other business and law publications. Here's how you can search for company lawsuits on Nexis Uni:
- Access Nexis Uni through your library's website or portal.
- Select the Legal tab at the top of the page.
- Click on "Cases" under "Content Type" to search for cases by keyword, party name, citation, court, etc.
- You can also use the Advanced Search feature to search in specific fields, such as headline, title, publication, date, and company name.
- To search for company information, select the Company Info box, and use specific filters to narrow your search.
- Nexis Uni also allows you to search for state or federal cases by entering search terms and date limits.
Additional Tips
- When using Nexis Uni, you can use truncation to search for all words that begin with the same root. For example, searching for "educat!" will retrieve results containing words like "educate", "educates", "educated", etc.
- Both databases may not include all ongoing lawsuits filed against a company, as some disputes are resolved through private settlements.
- For ongoing legal proceedings, it is also helpful to check the websites of individual agencies and federal court filings databases like PACER and Justia.
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Court records: Consult the National Archives Catalog
Court records that are eligible for permanent preservation are transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for storage and preservation. These records can be accessed directly from NARA. The National Archives Catalog contains a limited number of court case files. However, most of the information available on the website describes the records rather than showing them.
The National Archives Catalog can be used to identify and locate court records held by the National Archives. Most of the holdings from the federal court system are stored at National Archives locations around the country. For example, records of the New Hampshire federal courts are located at the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts. Similarly, records of the Supreme Court are located at the National Archives in Washington, DC, with the exception of some special media materials and Watergate files, which are located in College Park.
In some cases, certain holdings that are infrequently used may be centrally stored at a National Archives facility in Kansas. Copies of these records may be ordered or consulted at the National Archives in Kansas City by special arrangement. Additionally, the National Archives website provides detailed finding aids for court records held in Chicago, Kansas City, and Fort Worth.
It is important to note that federal court records less than 15 years old are typically still in the possession of individual courts and are not held by the National Archives. To access those records, researchers must contact the appropriate federal court.
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Frequently asked questions
You can locate federal lawsuits by using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) or by visiting the Clerk’s Office of the courthouse where the case was filed.
There is a fee of 10 cents per page to access a file through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. If you accrue less than $30 in charges in a quarter, fees are waived for that period.
Yes, court opinions are available for free on PACER to anyone with an account. Additionally, access to court opinions from many appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts is available for no fee through a partnership with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).
No, some court records are confidential and not available to the public. Examples include juvenile cases, adoption records, and divorce cases.
If the case information is not available online, you can contact the court clerk or visit the courthouse to request information about the case.
