Cameron Miranda
There are a variety of ways to look up law cases online. In the United States, there are several online databases that provide access to case law, including FindLaw, PACER, and Justia. These databases offer a wealth of resources, such as case summaries, state and federal court opinions, and legal articles. Additionally, many state law libraries, such as the Texas State Law Library, provide legal research guides and online databases to help individuals locate the legal information they need. When conducting online case law research, it is beneficial to use a legal database's special search terms and filters, as well as Boolean operators, to obtain precise results. Outside of the US, each country will have its own system for accessing case law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Websites | FindLaw, PACER, Texas State Law Library, Justia, NY CourtHelp |
| Databases | Federal Court Cases Integrated Database (IDB), US State Law, US Federal Law, US Constitution |
| Search Methods | Natural language phrases, Boolean searching, custom search strings |
| Content | Case summaries, opinions, decisions, court records, case files, case tracking |
| Jurisdiction | U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, state supreme courts, state laws, U.S. Constitution |
| Cost | Free, 10 cents per page to print/access a file, $95 for criminal records search |
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What You'll Learn
Free online resources
There are several free online resources that can be used to look up law cases. These include:
FindLaw
FindLaw offers a database of case law from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, as well as several state supreme courts. It includes U.S. Supreme Court Opinions, U.S. Federal Appellate Court Opinions, and U.S. State Supreme, Appellate and Trial Court Opinions. FindLaw also has a collection of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. Additionally, FindLaw's Learn About the Law feature provides thousands of informational articles to help users understand their legal options and find an attorney if needed.
PACER
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is a service that provides access to court records and case information from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts. Court opinions are available for free on PACER to anyone with an account. Case files may also be accessed from the public access terminals in the clerk's office of the court where the case was filed. Most cases created before 1999 are maintained in paper format only and can be accessed from the court or Federal Records Centers (FRCs).
Law Library of Congress
The Law Library of Congress provides access to digitized volumes of the United States Reports, which include case law from the U.S. Supreme Court and Early American Case Law. The Library of Congress also offers research guides and online resources to help locate state and federal court websites and online repositories of decisions. The U.S. Government Publishing Office's govinfo website, in partnership with the Law Library of Congress, provides access to select federal court decisions from 2004 to the present.
Georgetown Law Library
Georgetown Law Library offers a Free and Low-Cost Legal Research Guide, which provides information on accessing free case law online. While these sources may not include all the editorial enhancements and finding aids that legal researchers are accustomed to, they can still be useful for locating relevant cases through keyword searching and browsing.
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US Supreme Court cases
There are several ways to look up US Supreme Court cases online. FindLaw offers a database of case law from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, as well as several state supreme courts. The database includes U.S. Supreme Court opinions, a blog regarding recent Supreme Court events, U.S. Federal Appellate Court opinions, and U.S. State Supreme, Appellate and Trial Court opinions. FindLaw also provides access to state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code.
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is another way to access US Supreme Court cases. PACER allows anyone with an account to search and locate appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information. 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 at no cost in a text-searchable format through a partnership with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).
The Library of Congress also provides a guide to finding free case law online. Researchers can either run a search for case summaries or select a jurisdiction to browse applicable laws.
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Federal court cases
If you are unsure of the specific federal court where the case was filed, you can use the PACER Case Locator. This will generate a listing of nationwide court locations and case numbers where a party is involved in federal litigation. Alternatively, you can visit the Clerk's Office of the courthouse where the case was filed and access case files from the public access terminals.
Most cases created before 1999 are maintained in paper format only and can be accessed from the court where the case was filed or at one of the Federal Records Centers (FRCs). 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 system is free to use and available 24 hours a day.
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 at no cost in a text-searchable format through a partnership with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).
Another resource for finding federal court cases is FindLaw. FindLaw offers a database of case law from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, as well as several state supreme courts. This includes U.S. Supreme Court opinions, U.S. Federal Appellate Court opinions, and U.S. State Supreme, Appellate, and Trial Court opinions.
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State court cases
There are several online resources that can be used to look up state court cases in the United States. FindLaw, for example, offers a database of case law from several state supreme courts, including state supreme, appellate, and trial court opinions. The website also features thousands of informational articles to help users understand their options.
The Library of Congress also provides a guide on how to find free case law online. Users can either run a search for case summaries or select a jurisdiction to browse applicable laws.
PACER is another option, which provides access to court opinions from many appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts for free. However, there is a fee of 10 cents per page to access a file through PACER, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document. Additionally, most cases created before 1999 are only available in paper format and can be accessed from the court where the case was filed or at one of the Federal Records Centers (FRCs).
For state court cases specific to Virginia, the Virginia Court System website provides online access to the case management system for the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Cases can be searched using a name or case number, and users can also access civil and criminal cases in select circuit courts.
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Using search tools
There are a variety of search tools available to look up law cases. These include both free and paid services, with some offering basic information for free and additional features for a fee.
FindLaw
FindLaw offers a free collection of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. It also includes case law from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, as well as several state supreme courts. FindLaw also features thousands of informational articles to help understand legal options and find an attorney.
PACER
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information online. It provides access to federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case information. There is a fee of $0.10 per page retrieved, with a $3.00 maximum charge per document. However, quarterly charges of less than $15.00 are waived.
Google Scholar Case Law
While not specifically tailored to legal research, Google Scholar allows users to search and access scholarly literature, including legal documents like patents, legal opinions, legal journals, and articles.
Justia
Justia offers a free database for researching case law, codes, statutes, regulations, and articles related to federal and state cases. It also provides newsletters with daily summaries of opinions from federal appellate courts and state supreme courts.
Other Tools
Other notable legal research tools include Casetext, which utilizes artificial intelligence to provide case law and legal research resources; Westlaw, known for its extensive case law database and advanced search features; LexisNexis, which offers a vast collection of legal resources, including statutes, case law, and secondary sources; and Bloomberg Law, which provides integrated legal research, news, and business intelligence tools. Additionally, the Legal Information Institute, Fastcase, CourtListener, and the CaseLaw Access Project (Harvard Law) are also worth considering.
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Frequently asked questions
FindLaw, Justia, and PACER are some of the online resources that provide access to US case law, court opinions, and decisions.
Most databases allow Boolean searching, which lets you use additional terms and connectors to get precise results. Using a legal database's special search terms and filters can also help refine your search.
The Texas State Law Library and New York CourtHelp are examples of state-specific resources that provide access to case law, court opinions, and records.
FindLaw, PACER (with an account), and the Texas State Law Library provide free access to case law, court opinions, and legal research guides.
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