- 1). Visit PACER, the U.S. Court's electronic online database. This includes case and docket information for all federal district, bankruptcy and appellate courts. For local court cases, you must either browse the local court website for additional information, as each court has different procedures on requesting records, or visit the court where the case was heard and see the teller in the records department to request documents.
- 2). Click "sign up" on the main PACER website. Registration is free and available to the public. For paper copies, as of November, 2010, PACER charges 8 cents per page.
- 3). Fill out the form with all your details including credit card information to receive a username and password.
- 4). Sign in on the main PACER page with your new username and password. The PACER Case locator page will follow, where you can input the details you have on your case; press "Search" for the relevant documents to appear.
- 1). Obtain as much information as you can about the case or files you are searching, particularly the court the case was heard in and the type of legal proceeding.
- 2). Visit the website for the court where your case was heard and find the contact number, usually located on the bottom of the page. If the court does not have a website, locate the address or telephone number of the court by consulting the Yellow Pages, dialing 411, or with a simple Google search of courts in a given area.
- 3). Contact the court and request public records from the receptionist. She will transfer you to the appropriate department for you to make your inquiry. Alternatively, visit the court in person and find the records department to retrieve the public documents.
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