Legal Definitions - Public Access to Court Electronic Records

Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is an online system that provides the public with electronic access to federal court documents and case information across the United States.

Think of PACER as a digital library for federal court cases. It allows registered users to search for cases, view the official court docket (a chronological list of all activities in a case), and retrieve copies of documents filed in those cases, such as complaints, motions, and court orders. This system ensures transparency by making federal court proceedings and records available to anyone who needs to access them, typically for a small fee per page.

Here are a few examples of how PACER is used:

• A Journalist Investigating a Corporate Lawsuit: A financial reporter is tracking a major federal lawsuit filed against a large technology company. To understand the allegations, see the company's defense strategy, and report on the latest developments, the journalist uses PACER. Through the system, they can access the initial complaint, subsequent legal filings like motions to dismiss, and any orders issued by the judge, providing them with accurate, real-time information directly from the court record for their story.

  This example illustrates PACER's role in providing public access to detailed case information, enabling informed reporting on significant legal proceedings.

• A Small Business Owner Researching a Potential Partner: Before entering into a significant contract with a new vendor, a small business owner wants to perform due diligence. They use PACER to search for any federal litigation involving the vendor. They discover a past federal lawsuit where the vendor was accused of breach of contract. By reviewing the docket and some of the key filings in that old case, the business owner gains valuable insight into the vendor's past legal issues and can make a more informed decision about the partnership.

  This demonstrates how PACER can be used for background checks and risk assessment, allowing individuals to access historical legal records to inform business decisions.

• A Law Student Studying Environmental Law: A law student is writing a research paper on recent trends in federal environmental litigation. They use PACER to identify specific federal court cases related to environmental regulations, access the legal arguments presented by both sides, and review the judges' rulings. By examining multiple case dockets and documents, the student can analyze patterns in legal strategies and judicial interpretations of environmental statutes.

  This highlights PACER's utility as a research tool for academic and educational purposes, providing direct access to primary legal documents for in-depth study.