Find a Federal Court Case in PACER Without Wasting Search Fees
PACER is the federal Judiciary’s official public-access system for appellate, district and bankruptcy court cases. The difficult part is usually not opening PACER—it is choosing between a nationwide search and a court-specific search, identifying the correct federal court, controlling billable pages and understanding why a docket entry or sealed document is unavailable.
This guide shows how to register, search a party name or case number, read a federal docket, reduce charges, obtain free opinions, find archived paper files and avoid confusing federal court records with state, county or Supreme Court records.
Choose the Cheapest Useful Search Route
Start with the information you already have. PACER charges for the pages produced by many searches and reports, so the narrowest correct route is usually the most useful route.
Court-specific information updates in real time and avoids an unnecessary nationwide search.
Use a specific courtSearch the nationwide daily index to identify the court, case number, filing date and status.
Search nationwideA case-number query reduces same-name results and can avoid a billable party-name search page.
Use the case numberJudicial opinions are free through PACER’s Written Opinions reports, GovInfo and many court websites.
Find free recordsPACER pricing changes on January 1, 2027
As of July 27, 2026, PACER remains $0.10 per billable page and quarterly charges of $30 or less are waived. The federal Judiciary has announced that the rate will rise to $0.12 per page and the automatic quarterly waiver threshold will rise to $40 beginning January 1, 2027. Recheck the official fee schedule after that date.
Create the Correct PACER Account
Anyone can register for a PACER account to search public federal court records. Registration itself is free. A person who only wants to find and read cases should select the Case Search Only account rather than an attorney-filer account.
-
Open the official PACER registration page.
Confirm that the site uses the
uscourts.govdomain. - Select Case Search Only. This account is appropriate for members of the public, journalists, researchers and businesses that need federal case records but do not file documents.
- Create your login and billing profile. Registration is free, but case access can create usage charges.
- Review the fee notice before searching. The charge is based on generated pages, not only pages you print or save.
- Keep one account rather than creating duplicates. The same PACER login can access the nationwide Case Locator and individual court systems.
Know Which Federal Courts PACER Covers
PACER primarily provides access to federal appellate, district and bankruptcy court dockets and documents. State and county court cases use separate state or local systems.
Includes lawsuits, prosecutions, habeas cases, removals, multidistrict litigation and other district-court matters.
Includes debtor cases, creditor lists, claims registers, adversary proceedings and bankruptcy docket activity.
Includes appeals from district courts and qualifying federal agencies, plus appellate briefs, orders and opinions.
Use the Supreme Court’s own free docket search for Supreme Court case documents and activity.
| Record needed | Correct system | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil lawsuit | U.S. District Court PACER | A similar state-court lawsuit will not appear in PACER unless removed or separately filed in federal court. |
| Federal criminal prosecution | U.S. District Court PACER | A sealed indictment will not be publicly available. |
| Bankruptcy case | U.S. Bankruptcy Court PACER | The bankruptcy court can differ from the local district-court divisional office. |
| Federal appeal | U.S. Court of Appeals PACER | The appellate docket is separate from the trial-court docket. |
| Supreme Court petition or appeal | Supreme Court Docket Search | Use the Supreme Court’s own public docket and case-document pages. |
| State or county court case | Not PACER | Use the appropriate state judiciary, county clerk or municipal court system. |
Search a Specific Court When You Know Where the Case Was Filed
A court-specific search is normally the most direct route. Court-specific PACER information updates in real time as new filings are entered.
- Identify the court name. Look for a federal district, bankruptcy court or circuit court on a complaint, summons, judgment, notice or earlier docket page.
- Open the Court CM/ECF Lookup. Search by court name, state, court type or circuit.
- Select the court’s PACER login link. Each court maintains its own detailed case information.
- Use the case number when known. This avoids large party-name result pages and same-name confusion.
- Limit the docket-report date range. Request only the period you need rather than generating every docket entry in a long case.
- Review the receipt before confirming. PACER displays estimated or billable page information before many reports and documents open.
Use PACER Case Locator When You Do Not Know the Court
The PACER Case Locator, often shortened to PCL, is a nationwide index for federal district, bankruptcy and appellate cases. It updates once each day, usually overnight.
What the nationwide result can show
- Party name
- Federal court where the case is filed
- Case number
- Filing date
- Closing date when applicable
- Links to the court’s detailed CM/ECF record
- Log in to PACER Case Locator. Your ordinary PACER username and password provide access.
- Select the likely court type. Search appellate, district, bankruptcy or all available court categories.
- Enter the party name carefully. Begin with the full legal surname and a first name or initial.
- Add a filing-date range when needed. Narrowing the years can reduce billable result pages.
- Review the court and case number. Do not purchase a docket until the jurisdiction and filing year make sense.
- Open the individual court case. The Case Locator links to more detailed information in the court’s own CM/ECF system.
How to Search Federal Court Records by Party Name
A party-name search is useful when the case number is unknown, but it can create large billable result pages. Begin narrowly enough to control the cost without excluding likely spelling variations.
- Choose the search area. Use a known court directly or PACER Case Locator when the court is unknown.
- Enter the legal surname or business name. Use the name that would appear in the federal case caption.
- Add a first name or initial. Common surnames can generate many billable result pages.
- Limit the filing years. Use the date range when you know approximately when the case began.
- Select the likely court type. Bankruptcy, district and appellate cases are separate categories.
- Review the result count before opening reports. PACER charges can arise from the search-results page even when no useful match is found.
- Compare court, case number and dates. A matching name alone is not identity proof.
- Save the case number. Future case-number searches are faster and reduce repeated party-name charges.
Use this three-pass method
Search the individual court when the complaint, notice or filing location identifies it.
Use PCL only when the federal court is unknown or multiple jurisdictions are possible.
Save the exact case number and use it for future docket and document access.
Use and Understand a Federal Case Number
Federal case-number formats vary by court, but district-court numbers often contain a divisional or office number, filing year, case-type code and sequence number.
Office or division: some courts use the first number to identify the filing office or geographic division.
Filing year: this commonly represents a case filed in 2024.
Case type: common codes include cv for civil and cr for criminal. Bankruptcy and appellate courts use different formats.
Sequence: the final number identifies the case within the court’s filing sequence.
Why case-number searching saves money
PACER advises users to search by case number instead of party name when possible. A case-number query can take you directly to the case without generating a broad party-name result list. Docket reports, claims registers and documents can still create charges after you enter the case.
Current PACER Fees and How Charges Are Calculated
PACER charges for the electronic pages generated by searches, reports and documents. The charge is not based only on whether you print the information.
| PACER activity | Current rule through December 31, 2026 | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| PDF document | $0.10 for each PDF page | Most individual case documents are capped at 30 billable pages, or $3. |
| HTML search or report | $0.10 per calculated page | PACER treats 4,320 bytes of extracted HTML information as one billable page. |
| Case-specific docket report | $0.10 per calculated page | Case-specific reports are generally capped at 30 billable pages. |
| Party-name result list | $0.10 per result page | The 30-page cap does not apply to name-search results. |
| Search with no matches | Can still produce a $0.10 one-page charge | A failed search is not automatically free. |
| Federal court transcript | PACER page charges can apply after public release | The ordinary $3 document cap does not apply to transcripts. |
| Quarterly account total | Charges of $30 or less are waived | If usage exceeds $30, the account is billed for the quarter’s usage under PACER rules. |
Realistic cost examples
A party-name query returns two billable result pages.
A case docket report generates ten billable pages.
A selected court filing contains five PDF pages.
A qualifying document exceeds 30 pages but remains capped.
The search generates one page stating that no matches were found.
How to Reduce PACER Charges
Small decisions made before clicking a report can prevent unnecessary pages and repeated charges.
Go directly to the case instead of repeatedly running a broad name search.
Avoid the nationwide index when a complaint or notice already identifies the court.
Generate entries for the relevant month or year instead of the entire case history.
Open only the complaint, order, judgment or motion that answers the actual question.
Do not pay to reopen the same document because it was not stored locally.
Written opinions can often be accessed without a PACER document charge.
How to Read a Federal Court Docket
A federal docket is the chronological index of the case. It lists filings, orders, hearings, judgments and notices. The docket is not the same as the full text of each document.
| Docket field | What it means | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Case caption | The abbreviated names of the parties. | Open the party list because the caption may not show every litigant. |
| Case number | The court’s unique identifier for the case. | Save it for future direct searches and copy requests. |
| Nature of suit | A statistical code categorizing a civil case. | Treat it as a category, not a full description of every claim. |
| Docket entry number | The sequence number assigned to a filing or court event. | Use the number when referencing a motion, order or exhibit. |
| Filed date | The date the filing entered the docket. | Do not assume it is the hearing date or effective date. |
| Terminated party | A party is no longer active in the case. | Read the dismissal, substitution or judgment entry to understand why. |
| Judgment | The formal court disposition or final judgment. | Review later appeals, amended judgments or satisfaction entries. |
| Notice of appeal | A party has begun an appellate process. | Search the separate court-of-appeals docket for appellate filings. |
Use the site’s plain-English court records glossary when a term such as complaint, indictment, mandate, remand, adversary proceeding, discharge or judgment is unclear.
Ways to Access Federal Court Information Free or at Lower Cost
| Free or reduced-cost route | What is available | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly PACER waiver | Current usage charges of $30 or less in a calendar quarter are waived. | Beginning January 1, 2027, the announced threshold rises to $40. |
| Written Opinions Report | Judicial opinions can be accessed free through participating court CM/ECF reports. | Not every docket filing is a written opinion. |
| GovInfo U.S. Courts Opinions | Text-searchable opinions from participating appellate, district and bankruptcy courts. | Coverage depends on court participation and opinion publication. |
| Courthouse public terminal | Electronic court records can generally be viewed free at the filing court’s Clerk’s Office. | Current federal guidance lists $0.10 per page for printing from the terminal. |
| One free look for case parties | A party receiving an NEF or NDA may receive one free document view through its link within 15 days. | The link is for registered case participants and should be saved during the permitted view. |
| Bankruptcy VCIS | Basic bankruptcy information by telephone, free and available 24 hours a day. | It provides basic information rather than full documents. |
| Research exemption | Courts may grant fee exemptions for defined scholarly research projects. | Approval is discretionary and generally not intended for commercial redistribution. |
What to Do When a Federal Case Does Not Appear
A missing result can mean the wrong court was searched, the nationwide index has not updated, the case predates electronic records or the matter is sealed.
Wrong federal court
Use PACER Case Locator to identify every district, bankruptcy or appellate court connected with the party name.
Filed today
Search the specific court directly because the nationwide Case Locator updates daily rather than continuously.
Name variation
Try the legal surname, business entity name, former name, initials and a narrower filing-date range.
Wrong court level
Search the appellate court separately from the district court, or the bankruptcy court separately from district litigation.
Older paper case
Cases created before approximately 1999 may exist only in paper or archived format through the court or federal records center.
Sealed or restricted matter
Sealed documents and sealed indictments do not appear for public access in PACER.
Run this recovery sequence
- Confirm that the case is federal rather than state or county.
- Search the individual court when the location is known.
- Search PACER Case Locator when the court is unknown.
- Try party-name and business-name variations.
- Remove an incorrect filing-date filter.
- Search district, bankruptcy and appellate categories separately.
- Check the Supreme Court’s own docket when appropriate.
- Contact the federal court where the case was likely filed.
- Ask whether the case is archived at a Federal Records Center or NARA.
- Do not assume that a sealed case or document will be publicly confirmed.
Sealed, Redacted and Restricted Federal Court Records
Most federal filings are publicly accessible, but judges can seal records and federal privacy rules require sensitive information to be redacted.
| Record situation | Public PACER access | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Public docket entry | Generally available | The entry and linked public filing may be accessible. |
| Motion to seal | May be partly visible | The docket may show that sealing was requested even when the protected document is unavailable. |
| Sealed document | Not publicly available | Public users cannot open the document through PACER. |
| Sealed indictment | Not publicly available | PACER does not provide sealed indictments to public users. |
| Redacted public filing | Public version available | Sensitive identifiers are removed or shortened before public access. |
| Restricted transcript period | Special rules apply | Transcripts can have delayed public availability and separate purchase rules. |
How to Find Older and Archived Federal Court Records
Most federal cases created before 1999 were maintained in paper format. Older closed files may remain at the court, a Federal Records Center or the National Archives and Records Administration.
- Search PACER first. Some older cases have docket information or scanned documents even when the original file is archived.
- Contact the court where the case was filed. Ask whether the file is still onsite or has been transferred.
- Request archive identifiers. Older-file retrieval may require an accession number, location number and box number.
- Ask whether a Federal Records Center retrieval fee applies. Current federal guidance lists a $64 fee for retrieving a file for viewing from a Federal Records Center.
- Use NARA when the record has been transferred for permanent preservation. NARA can provide research access or reproductions under its procedures.
Prepare this information before contacting the court
- Complete federal court name
- Case number
- Party names
- Case type
- Approximate filing and closing years
- Specific document needed
- Docket-entry number when known
Federal Court Transcripts, Audio and Exhibits Need Special Handling
PACER document rules do not apply identically to transcripts, courtroom audio and trial exhibits.
| Material | Where it may appear | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Filed transcript | Docket entry, courthouse terminal or PACER after applicable restrictions. | The ordinary $3 PACER document cap does not apply to transcripts. |
| Courtroom audio | Selected courts or docket entries when audio access is provided. | Availability depends on the court and proceeding. |
| Admitted exhibit | PACER, Clerk’s Office or separate court storage. | The exhibit must be admitted, public and not sealed; large physical or media exhibits may not be online. |
| Unadmitted exhibit | May remain with a party or never become part of the public court record. | Filing or offering an item does not always make it publicly accessible evidence. |
PACER and CM/ECF Are Related but Not the Same
| System | Main purpose | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| PACER | Public access to federal case information, dockets and documents. | Members of the public, litigants, attorneys, journalists, researchers and agencies. |
| CM/ECF | Case management and electronic filing inside a particular federal court. | Courts, admitted attorneys and authorized non-attorney filers. |
| PACER Case Locator | Nationwide index showing where a federal case is filed. | Registered PACER users who do not know the specific court. |
Use a Different System for These Records
| Record needed | Why PACER is not enough | Better route |
|---|---|---|
| State criminal or civil case | PACER covers federal courts only. | Use the state judiciary or county clerk where the case was filed. |
| U.S. Supreme Court docket | The Supreme Court maintains its own public docket and case-document system. | Use SupremeCourt.gov Docket Search. |
| Police or FBI report | Investigative records are agency records rather than ordinary court filings. | Contact the responsible agency or use the applicable records-request process. |
| Federal criminal-history background check | PACER is a court-docket system, not a fingerprint-confirmed national background check. | Use the authorized FBI identity-history or agency process. |
| Federal agency administrative case | Some agency proceedings occur outside Article III courts. | Use the agency’s docket or adjudication system unless the matter reaches federal court. |
| Tax Court case | The U.S. Tax Court maintains a separate electronic docket system. | Use the Tax Court’s official docket search. |
Avoid PACER Login, Payment and Court Scams
Scammers can imitate federal court notices, PACER invoices, arrest warnings or jury notices. Verify every request through an independently opened official government page.
- Use only official
uscourts.govor court.govpages. - Do not enter PACER credentials through a link in an unexpected email.
- Open PACER manually and review the account’s billing section.
- Do not pay gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers to resolve a court case.
- Confirm summons, warrant or jury notices with the identified federal court.
- Do not pay a third party claiming it can secretly remove a federal case from PACER.
PACER Help and Contact Information
PACER Service Center
Phone: 800-676-6856
Email: pacer@psc.uscourts.gov
Published support hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Central Time
Call PACER Service Center for
- Account registration and login problems
- Password or username assistance
- PACER billing questions
- Case Locator technical help
- General navigation questions
Contact the individual federal court for
- A case that cannot be located
- Certified or paper copies
- Archived-file retrieval
- Transcript or exhibit questions
- Court-specific filing or docket corrections
- Questions about sealed or restricted access
Use Federal Court Records Carefully
A party-name result may belong to another person or business. A complaint, indictment or bankruptcy petition does not establish the final outcome.
- Confirm the court, case number, filing date and party role.
- Read later docket events and the final judgment.
- Check whether an appeal changed the result.
- Do not treat an allegation as a finding.
- Do not assume a closed case was won, dismissed or discharged without reading the disposition.
- Obtain an official copy when a legal or financial decision depends on the record.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or background-screening service.
Read the site’s FCRA and consumer-reporting notice before using court-record information for employment, housing, credit, insurance or another eligibility decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About PACER Court Records
Is PACER free to register?
Yes. There is no fee to create a PACER account. Charges can arise when you run searches, generate reports or open documents.
How much does PACER cost in 2026?
Through December 31, 2026, PACER costs $0.10 per billable page. Most individual case documents and case-specific reports are capped at $3, and account charges of $30 or less in a quarter are waived.
What changes on January 1, 2027?
The federal Judiciary has announced that PACER will increase to $0.12 per page and the automatic quarterly waiver threshold will increase from $30 to $40 beginning January 1, 2027.
Can PACER charge me when no case is found?
Yes. PACER states that a search producing no matches can still generate a one-page charge. Narrow the court, party name and filing years before submitting repeated searches.
Does the $3 cap apply to every PACER charge?
No. The cap generally applies to single case documents and case-specific reports. It does not apply to party-name search results, non-case-specific reports or federal court transcripts.
Should I use PACER Case Locator or search a specific court?
Use the specific court when you know where the case was filed because the information updates in real time. Use PACER Case Locator when the court is unknown; its nationwide index updates daily.
Can I find sealed federal cases or indictments in PACER?
Sealed documents and sealed indictments are not available to public PACER users. A public docket may sometimes show that a sealing motion or order exists without revealing the protected material.
Does PACER include state and county court cases?
No. PACER is for federal appellate, district and bankruptcy court records. State, county, municipal and most local court cases use separate systems.
How do I find an old federal court case that is not online?
Contact the federal court where the case was filed. The Clerk can determine whether the file remains onsite, is stored at a Federal Records Center or has been transferred to the National Archives.
Are federal court opinions free?
Yes. Judicial opinions can be accessed free through PACER Written Opinions reports, participating court websites and the GovInfo U.S. Courts Opinions collection.
How This Federal Court Records Guide Was Verified
Read the site’s source verification and manual checking policy for information about source selection, updates and corrections.
PACER court coverage, account rules, specific-court and nationwide searching, current fees, the announced January 1, 2027 pricing change, free-access options, sealed-record limits, archive procedures and support details were checked against current federal Judiciary sources.
PACER pricing, court technology and access rules can change. The current PACER website, Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule or record-holding federal court controls when its instructions differ from this guide.