Kara Sears
There are a number of ways to find the result of a case of law. In the US, you can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service, which allows anyone with an account to search and locate federal court cases. Alternatively, you can visit the courthouse where the case was filed. In the UK, you can use the Find Case Law service, which allows you to search court judgments and tribunal decisions using a search box and filters. You can also visit a courthouse in person or access their website to find basic information about a case.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Search Tools | Search box, filters, Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), PACER Case Locator, Voice Case Information System |
| Search Parameters | Party names, judge names, court/tribunal names, dates, specific phrases |
| Result Format | Full text of judgment/decision, details such as court name and neutral citation |
| Availability | 24/7 access, online and at courthouses |
| Cost | Free, 10 cents per page (PACER), $64 per document retrieval from Federal Records Center |
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What You'll Learn
Use online databases like PACER, FindLaw, or Find Case Law
There are several online databases that can be used to find the results of a case of law. These include PACER, FindLaw, and Find Case Law. Here is some more information on each of these databases:
PACER
PACER, or Public Access to Court Electronic Records, is an electronic public access service provided by the federal judiciary. It allows anyone with an account to search and locate federal court records, including appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information. Case information is available 24 hours a day, and the database is updated daily at midnight. There is a fee of 10 cents per page to access documents through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. However, fees are waived for anyone accruing less than $30 in a quarter.
To use PACER, you can register for an account on the PACER website. If you are unsure which specific federal court the case was filed in, you can use the PACER Case Locator to generate a listing of nationwide court locations and case numbers. You can also contact the PACER Service Center at (800) 676-6856 or [email protected] for assistance.
FindLaw
FindLaw is an online legal information database that provides access to court judgments and tribunal decisions. It offers a search box on its homepage, allowing users to search for specific phrases or filter results by dates, courts or tribunals, party names, or judge names. FindLaw also provides help and guidance on using its search functions and filters to find the information you need.
Find Case Law
Find Case Law is another online database that provides access to court judgments and tribunal decisions. It offers a similar search function to FindLaw, allowing users to search for specific phrases or filter results by dates, courts or tribunals, party names, or judge names. Find Case Law also provides unique identifiers for each judgment and decision, known as "neutral citations," which are the official way to cite a case.
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Search by case name, party names, or judge names
When searching for the result of a case of law, you can search by case name, party names, or judge names.
Search by Case Name
The case name is made from some (or all) of the parties listed as the appellant and defendant. For example, if you want to search for the case 'Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring', enter this under 'Party name' to bring up all cases with that name. Case names may sometimes be edited, so the parties may not always match what is on the document.
Search by Party Names
You can search for cases by party names using databases such as Find Case Law or Westlaw. On Find Case Law, you can use the search box on the homepage to search the full text of every judgment or decision. On Westlaw, you can use the global search box on the homepage, and then use filters to narrow your search to a particular party.
Search by Judge Names
When searching by judge names, it is important to know the judge's familiarity with the context of your case. Have they handled similar cases in the past, or written opinions on the subject matter? Knowing how a judge has ruled in a similar case in the past can be essential information when building your case. You can search for cases by judge name on Find Case Law or Westlaw. On Find Case Law, simply enter the judge's name in the search box. On Westlaw, click on 'Cases' or 'Trial Court Orders' from the homepage, then select Advanced to the right of the search bar. Under 'Document Fields', type the name of the judge into the appropriate box.
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Filter by specific dates, courts, or tribunals
When looking up the result of a case of law, you can filter your search by specific dates, courts, or tribunals. This can be done by using the advanced search feature on websites that contain databases of court judgments and tribunal decisions, such as Find Case Law.
Filtering by Date
To filter by date, you can set a date range for your search. You can choose to include results from after a certain date or up to a certain date. If no end date is selected, the current date will be used.
Filtering by Court or Tribunal
You can also filter your search to only show results from specific courts or tribunals. This can be done by searching for the court name or chamber where the case was decided. The court name and a neutral citation for each judgment or decision can be found on the homepage of websites like Find Case Law.
Neutral Citations
A neutral citation is a unique identifier given to each judgment or decision by the court. This identifier consists of the year the judgment or decision was handed down, followed by a standard court acronym and division of the court acronym. For example, " [2009] EWCA Civ" where "EWCA" stands for England and Wales Court of Appeal and "Civ" stands for Civil Division. If a judgment or decision does not have a neutral citation allocated by the court, you can use the neutral citations allocated by the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII).
Other Ways to Find Case Results
In many courts, you can also look up court cases online to find basic information such as the names of the parties, court dates, and documents filed. This can be done by visiting the court's website or using online services provided by the court. However, not all types of records are available online due to privacy concerns. If the case information is not available online, you can contact the court clerk or visit the courthouse to obtain the information.
Additionally, federal court cases can be located using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service, which provides access to appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case information.
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Access paper case files at the courthouse or Federal Records Centres
If you are looking for paper case files, you will need to visit the courthouse where the case was filed or one of the Federal Records Centres (FRCs). Paper case files are generally only available for cases created before 1999. You can contact the court where the case was filed for more information.
If you are a party to a case, you have full remote access to those case records. If you are a member of the public, there may be limits on what you can see through remote access. A court that keeps electronic case records must allow the public to see them at the courthouse. If it is feasible for a court to do so, the court must also allow the public remote access to some electronic case records. Not all court case records are available to the public from locations outside the courthouse (remote access). For example, in sensitive cases such as divorce, child custody, civil harassment, and criminal cases, courts may only make available on the internet the registers of action, calendars, and case indexes.
In some special situations, where there is an unusually high level of public interest in a criminal case, a judge may allow remote access to a criminal case electronic record. However, this is not typical, and you would normally need to visit the courthouse.
There is a fee of 10 cents per page to access a file through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. Fees are waived for anyone accruing less than $30 in a quarter. There is also a $64 fee to retrieve a document for viewing from the Federal Records Centre.
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Contact the court directly for further assistance
If you are unable to find the case information online, you can contact the court directly for further assistance. Most courts have a section on their website called "online services" or something similar, where you can find information about looking up a court case online and what types of records are available.
If the case information is not available online, you can contact the court clerk or visit the courthouse to request information about the case. Court clerks may be able to provide basic information over the phone, such as court dates or whether documents have been filed.
In the United States, federal case files are maintained electronically and can be accessed through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. If you are unsure which specific federal court a case was filed in, you can use the PACER Case Locator. Additionally, all bankruptcy courts have a telephone information system, known as the Voice Case Information System, which provides basic case information through a touch-tone phone, free of charge and 24 hours a day.
In California, if you are unable to find electronic case records online, you may need to visit the courthouse to access the records, as remote access may not be available for all courts.
In Massachusetts, the Trial Court Case Access portal provides online access to case information, including party, event, docket, and disposition details. If the case information is not available online, you can visit the Clerk, Register, or Recorder's office where the case was filed to obtain the official public record, which includes hard copies of the public case documents.
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Frequently asked questions
There are a few ways to do this. In the US, you can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service, which allows anyone with an account to search and locate federal court case and docket information. Alternatively, you can visit the courthouse where the case was filed and search using a court computer or ask a court clerk. In the UK, you can use the Find Case Law service provided by The National Archives.
This depends on where you are searching. In the US, you will need to register for a PACER account. If you are unsure of which federal court the case was filed in, you can use the PACER Case Locator. In the UK, you can search for a case of law using the name of the judge(s), party names, court name, neutral citation, or specific dates.
There is a fee of 10 cents per page to access a file through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. Users are billed quarterly and fees are waived for anyone accruing less than $30 in a quarter.
