the case number the name of one or both parties to the lawsuit what kind of lawsuit it was (civil, family, criminal, probate, etc. ) when the lawsuit was filed

Accordingly, you should stop into the courthouse and ask the court clerk how you can get a copy of a court record. Tell the clerk you want to see the whole case file. [2] X Research source There should be photocopiers available to photocopy. Bring some money as you probably will have to pay to make copies.

To search, type the name of the lawsuit (if you have it) or the name of the company and “lawsuit. ” This type of general web search will probably not work for lawsuits involving private citizens (instead of large corporations).

To use PACER, you first need to create an account. You can do so by clicking https://pacer. psc. uscourts. gov/pscof/registration. jsf and entering the requested personal information. Once you have an account you can search by clicking the “Find a Case” heading and then clicking on the “Search the PACER Case Locator” hyperlink. Then enter your account log-in information. At the Case Locator page, you can search by Case Number or by Party Name. [3] X Research source You can then scan through the list of cases that are pulled up and click on the hyperlink to the relevant case.

To find a state electronic database, search the web. Type “case search” and then the state where the trial was held. You can also search legaldockets. com. This website contains links to all of the states in the U. S. as well as territories. After clicking on a state, you can select the appropriate court from a list that is generated. You will then be redirected to that court’s search engine.

party name (you must include first and last name) birth date of a party (use only in conjunction with name information) the business name of a party case number

Pre-trial motions. In the months leading up to the trial, each party will file motions asking the judge to do something. There are many kinds of motions. Generally, parties file motions to have the case dismissed or to compel the discovery of documents or other information. Trial exhibits. If something is submitted during the trial as an exhibit, it should be included in the file. However, you probably will not find trial transcripts in the record unless one party took an appeal. Rulings. These should appear soon after the relevant motion. The judge will rule on a motion soon after it is brought. Accordingly, if you find a motion in the court file, then you should look for the court’s order to appear shortly thereafter. Judgment. The judgment is the disposition of the case. It tells you who won and who lost. For this reason, it comes near the end of the case file. If one party takes an appeal or if the parties argue over attorneys’ fees, then these documents will appear after the judgment.

If you want to see what a judge decided at a hearing, look toward the middle of the file. Likewise, if you want to see which party won the lawsuit and how much they were awarded in money damages, then look toward the end of the file. Even a short case can generate hundreds of documents, so you should be prepared to scroll through the entire list of documents in order to find exactly what you are looking for. Each document should be listed with a heading, e. g. , “Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment. ”

PACER charges 10 cents per page retrieved. There is a 30 page cap, so the most you will be charged per document retrieved is $3. 00. If you charge less than $15 a quarter on PACER, then fees are waived. [6] X Research source

The motion should have a title below the caption. For example, a motion for summary judgment should be titled as such. Make sure the document is actually what was described in the hyperlink. You can then read the document. Make sure you know who the Defendant is and who the Plaintiff is, otherwise you might get confused. Check the caption to confirm the identities of the parties.