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RECORD GUIDE / 01

Court records

Start with the court level. Federal, state, and local systems do not share one universal case-search database.

Reviewed by PublicReports · Updated

IDENTIFY COURT→SEARCH INDEX→VERIFY FILE

01 / ROUTE

Choose the court before the search tool.

FEDERAL

Federal case

Use PACER for appellate, district, and bankruptcy case and docket information. If you do not know the court, start with the PACER Case Locator.

U.S. Courts · Find a Case (PACER) ↗
STATE

State court case

Start at the state's judicial branch or court administration. Coverage, search fields, and document access differ by court system.

Choose a state →
LOCAL

County or municipal court

When there is no statewide search—or when a case is held locally—use the court or clerk in the county or city where the case was filed.

USA.gov · State and local governments ↗

Court records / VISUAL NOTES

Editorial illustrations clarify the workflow. They do not depict a specific office, person, or record.

Illustrative civic courthouse entrance with stone columns and broad steps
ILLUSTRATIVECourt level and filing place determine the right case-record route.
Illustrative public information terminal with an abstract official-record search interface
ILLUSTRATIVEOfficial search tools vary in coverage, fields, and update timing.
Illustrative government archive reading room with document boxes and an open folder
ILLUSTRATIVEThe custodian and its archive define what the search can cover.

02 / SEARCH KIT

Bring the strongest identifier you have.

Start narrow. Add optional details only when they help separate similar results.

Case number
The most direct search key when known. Preserve punctuation and court prefix.
Party name
Try exact spelling, then a supported variant. Confirm namesakes using dates and locations.
Court + location
State, county, district, or division can prevent a search in the wrong system.
Filing date or range
Use a focused range when the tool supports it, especially for common names.
Case type
Civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, appellate, or bankruptcy filters may narrow results.

03 / OFFICIAL SOURCES

Open the custodian, then read its limits.

U.S. COURTS
Find a Case (PACER)Federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy case routes
↗USA.GOV
State and local governmentsOfficial route to state courts and local government offices
↗STATE EXAMPLE
Maryland Courts · Access to Court RecordsAn example of electronic access, restricted matters, and official-file guidance
↗

04 / LIMITS

A search result is not always the official record.

Index vs. file

An online index may summarize a case. The clerk's file or certified copy is the authoritative record when formal proof is required.

Restricted material

Sealed, expunged, juvenile, adoption, and other sensitive records may be excluded or limited under court rules and law.

Older cases

The U.S. Courts notes that many pre-1999 federal files remain in paper form and may require the court or National Archives route.

Fees

Search, document, printing, retrieval, and certification can have different charges. Confirm current fees at the official source before ordering.