Strategies for Finding Dockets
LexisNexis and Westlaw provide docket information related to cases pending in at least some state and federal courts. See additional information below.
U.S. Supreme Court
- Supreme Court of the United States: Docket (official court web site)
- Findlaw Supreme Court Center
Massachusetts Appellate Courts
Lower Federal and Other State Courts
- Westlaw provides
court docket databases for many federal and state courts.
These databases are combined in the DOCK-ALL database. During
a Westlaw research session, search the IDEN database with
appropriate keywords (e.g., “docket district court
nevada”) to identify the docket database for that court;
or use the Westlaw online Directory, and select Litigation
/ Dockets to view menus of available databases, based on topic or jurisdiction. Docket databases
are searchable by party name, docket number, attorney and
judge.
- PACER: The Federal Judiciary’s Public Access to Court
Electronic Records (PACER) system provides an electronic public
access service that allows users to obtain docket information
for most United States District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts and
Courts of Appeals. PACER charges per page for each document accessed,
and only users with established accounts and passwords can access
the system’s U.S. Party/Case Index. PACER searches at the
Pappas Law Library are conducted by reference librarians under
certain circumstances, on request.
- LexisNexis provides court docket information for select federal and state courts. During a LexisNexis research session, select “Court Records from CourtLink” from the main “Legal” tab of resources. Then select “Litigant, Attorney and Judge Strategic Profiles.” The researcher can search by the name of judge, attorney or litigant; when there are results, select a Case List, and choose a case from that list by docket number.
Note: Documents for which a link stating “Order Document for Later Delivery” appears are not available to law school users. Some documents listed in the Westlaw docket report may be available. If you are not able to obtain a listed document or if you believe the docket report does not contain the most recent information, consult a reference librarian.
Note: Documents listed in the CourtLink docket report cannot be retrieved online. Some dockets may not have the most current information.
Miscellaneous Sites and Guides
- Court Case Docket Research: Portal or Database? From Legal Dockets Online (a commercial site), this article discusses sources for docket information, including commercial services.
- Court Rules, Forms and Dockets from LLRX.com provides links to hundreds of federal and state court sites, including those which provide free online docket information.
- National Center for State Courts:Court Web Sites contains links to state, federal and international court web sites, including sources for docket information.
Page maintained by David Bachman
Last updated: June 2008