Federal Court Records: PACER
Federal court records — civil cases, criminal cases, bankruptcy filings, and appellate decisions — are accessible through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), operated by the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts.
How to Use PACER
- Register for a free account at pacer.gov
- Search by party name, case number, or filing type
- View and download documents — fee is $0.10/page, capped at $3 per document; accounts with under $30/quarter in charges are not billed
Many federal court opinions are also published free through court websites and Google Scholar. PACER is primarily needed for non-opinion documents: complaints, motions, exhibits, dockets.
State Court Records
State court records are governed by each state's court rules and public records law. Most states now have online court portals:
| State | Court Portal | Free Access? |
|---|---|---|
| California | Court websites vary by county; no unified portal | Varies |
| Florida | myeclerk.com / Clerk of Court websites by county | Generally free |
| Texas | eFile Texas / individual court websites | Varies |
| New York | NYSCEF (eCourts) | Free for civil |
| Pennsylvania | UJS Web Portal | Free dockets; fee for documents |
| Ohio | Individual court websites; no unified portal | Varies |
| Illinois | eFileIL / individual court sites | Varies |
What Court Records Are Public?
Most court filings are public record — complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments, and transcripts. Exceptions include:
- Sealed records — by court order in specific cases
- Juvenile proceedings — protected in every state
- Adoption records — sealed in most states
- Mental health commitment proceedings — often confidential
- Grand jury proceedings — sealed while active
- Certain family court records — varies by state
In-Person Court Records Requests
For records not available online — older files, exhibits, audio recordings of proceedings — visit the clerk's office of the court where the case was filed. Bring the case number and be prepared to pay copying fees ($0.10–$0.50/page). The clerk can tell you what's available and whether any records are sealed.