How to Search Court Records Nationwide (Start Here)
Federal court records are available through PACER. State court records are maintained by each state — there is no single system that searches all state courts.
What this page covers: Federal court records (PACER), court directories, and federal case law databases. What it does not cover: State court records (those are on each state page).
Where to start: For federal cases, use PACER. For free federal opinions, use CourtListener or Google Scholar. For state courts, go to the specific state page.
Common mistake: PACER only covers federal courts. If you need a divorce, traffic case, or state criminal case, go to the state or county page.
Armed Forces Board of Contract Appeals
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Index of Armed Forces Board of Contract Appeals decisions.
Civilian Board of Contract Appeals Decisions
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Search for Decisions issued by the Board, or scroll down the page to view recent decisions. Click on their DECISIONS tab on the left to start.
Court of Appeals - 1st Circuit - PACER
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Search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) fee-based database of the U.S.
Court of Appeals - 1st Circuit Bankruptcy - PACER
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Search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) fee-based database for the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the First Circuit Court of.
Court of Appeals - 2nd Circuit Decisions
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Use this U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit service to search for decisions by date posted, docket number, date, or party name.
Court of Appeals - 7th Circuit
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Search the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit by case number or name to view the court online case and docket information.
Court of Appeals - 8th Circuit - PACER
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Search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) fee-based database of the U.S.
Court of Appeals - Tenth Circuit Bankruptcy - PACER
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Search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) fee-based database for the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit Court of.
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
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Search the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims by keyword for cases, orders, dockets, decisions, and opinions.
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims | Rules and Procedures
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U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims court rules and procedures.
Court of Appeals | 3rd Circuit
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U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals records from the PACER system.
Court of Appeals | 11th Circuit
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PACER records, opinions, and oral arguments for the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Court of Appeals | 2nd Circuit
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Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals records access from PACER.
Court of Appeals | 3rd Circuit Opinions
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Villanova University School of Law database of United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Opinions.
Court of Appeals | 4th Circuit Records
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Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals PACER database and document copies. Access requires PACER registration and a minimal fee per search.
Court of Appeals | 5th Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit calendars, dockets, opinions, and PACER access.
Court of Appeals | 6th Circuit
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Access calendars, dockets, opinions, and PACER case record access for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Court of Appeals | 9th Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit court calendars, dockets, opinions, rules, procedures, and PACER case records.
Court of Appeals | Eleventh Circuit
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Published and unpublished Opinions from the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Court of Appeals | Federal Circuit
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Opinions and Orders issued by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit
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Search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) fee-based database for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals by case number or keyword to.
Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit Opinions
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Index of U.S. Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit Opinions.
Court Opinions | U.S. 4th Circuit
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U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals opinions. Search by case number, case name, or date to find records for Maryland, South Carolina, North.
Court Records | PACER
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United States District PACER civil, criminal, bankruptcy, and appeals court records. Requires PACER registration and a small fee for each search.
District Court Records | PACER
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This is one of our top picks for most useful sites. Search this database for all available United States District PACER court records at once:.
Federal Claims Court - PACER
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U.S. Federal Claims Court system. Register with the fee-based PACER system to search for Federal civil & criminal court records by case number.
Federal Claims Court Opinions
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United States Court of Federal Claims for Claims Court Opinions and Orders.
Federal Judge Financial Disclosures
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Judicial Watch Federal Judge Financial Disclosure reports.
Supreme Court | Dockets, Opinions & Orders
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Supreme Court of the United States index of opinions, dockets, and orders.
Tribal Court Opinions
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Search this Tribal Law and Policy Institute database of Tribal Court Opinions by keyword or phrase.
United States District Court Bankruptcy Records | PACER
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Search this database for all available United States Federal District PACER bankruptcy court records at once.
Veterans Claims Court of Appeals Practitioners
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Query by location for U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims practitioners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PACER include state court cases? ▼
No. PACER covers only federal courts.
Can I search federal court records for free? ▼
PACER charges $0.10 per page (capped at $3). Some opinions are free on CourtListener.com or Google Scholar.
What types of cases are in federal court? ▼
Federal bankruptcy, federal criminal, civil cases involving federal law or diversity jurisdiction, and federal agency appeals.
Other Federal Databases
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