You may have tried to find court cases on your own. You know that the process can feel like searching for a particular grain of rice from a huge sack. When it comes to the American legal system, it is divided into two key tracks. They are state and federal. Each functions independently with its own databases, rules, and record keeping. Nevertheless, when you are armed with the right tools and knowledge, you can successfully decode the docket and locate the information you are looking for.
Identify the Jurisdiction (Federal Vs State)
Before starting the search, the most important step is to identify the right jurisdiction. This denotes the place at which the case originated and the databases that you will have to access.
Federal Cases
The cases under this category involve disputes related to the United States Constitution, treaties, federal laws, or cases in which the United States Government is a party. Examples include cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, major civil rights cases, and bankruptcy.
State cases
The cases under this category include a huge majority of legal actions that cover most criminal and civil matters. Examples of criminal matters include theft and murder. Examples of civil cases include contract disputes, personal injury, and divorces.
When you are aware of the jurisdiction of a case, you can narrow your search from millions of records down to numbers that you can easily manage.Use the Right Federal Tools
Thankfully, you can find state and federal cases from dependable sources online these days. However, to find cases within the federal system, you will basically need a couple of public-facing resources. They are:
Court Websites
For schedules and general information, you can visit the websites of the US Supreme Court and different circuit courts of appeals. These websites provide free access to case summaries and opinions. However, you can find court cases related to a particular court alone when visiting a Court of Appeals website. On the other hand, you can rely on third-party websites, where you can find cases handled by different courts in the US under a single roof.
PACER
PACER is expanded as Public Access to Court Electronic Records. This is the official centralized electronic repository for documents filed in the United States District Courts, US Bankruptcy Courts, and US Courts of Appeals. However, the problem with PACER is that a small per-page fee is applicable to view documents. However, you are not charged anything for searching. If you are aware of the court name, party name, or case number, you can easily find the case you are looking for.
Navigate the State Court Landscape
State courts are trickier as there is no single, unified database. Records are typically decentralized and maintained by the judicial district or county. In other words, you will have to be precise about the court location and level.
Apart from using these techniques, you can also use commercial databases and legal citations to find court cases you would like to go through.