At the federal level, at the top of the hierarchy is the United States Supreme Court, which is then followed by appellate courts and trial courts. [1] X Trustworthy Source United States Department of Justice Official website of the U. S. Department of Justice Go to source Both appellate courts and trial courts are divided into geographic based jurisdictions. [2] X Trustworthy Source United States Department of Justice Official website of the U. S. Department of Justice Go to source At the appellate level, these jurisdictions are known as “circuits” while federal trial courts are known as “districts. ”[3] X Trustworthy Source United States Department of Justice Official website of the U. S. Department of Justice Go to source There are also several federal courts with jurisdiction over a specific subject matter (e. g. , bankruptcy courts and courts of international trade). [4] X Research source Similar to the organization of federal courts, at the top of the state court hierarchy is the state supreme court, which is then followed by the appellate courts and trial courts. Depending on your state, trial courts may be called “circuit courts,” “superior courts,” or even something else. State appellate courts will often be called “courts of appeal. " Be aware of how your state designates its different courts. At some points in the judicial process, there is a possibility for overlap between the state and federal systems. For example, a case may be heard in front of both a state supreme court and the federal Supreme Court under certain circumstances. Be aware of this when you begin searching for court records. Look at these websites to learn about the names of all the federal and state courts.
For example, a criminal citation (a written form given to someone by a law enforcement officer in response to an alleged illegal act) will usually have information about the types of charges being brought against a person and will provide you with a court name and location where the person is required to report. [5] X Trustworthy Source National Conference of State Legislatures Bipartisan, nongovernment organization serving the members of state legislatures and their constituents Go to source By looking at this, you can get an idea of what type of law is involved and what court is going to be hearing the case. This should allow you to decide whether you are in state or federal court. On the other hand, a document like a complaint (a court filing that states the issues in controversy in a given case) is going to have a cover sheet that includes the title of the exact court in which the complaint was filed. For instance, a complaint’s cover sheet may be titled “In the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. " This gives you all the information you need in order to determine that you are in federal court.
Be aware that these are general rules and they do have their qualifications. There are situations in which federal courts can hear state law issues and state law courts can hear federal law issues.
If you want to access United States Supreme Court records, which includes published opinions and oral argument audio files, visit the United States Supreme Court website. There you will be able to easily access all the information you need by clicking on the tabs at the top of the webpage. You will not need to log in or pay any fee to access this information.
You will have the ability to create an account that fits your needs and PACER has registration options for attorneys and non-attorneys alike. Following the directions will allow you to customize your account settings as necessary. While there is no registration fee, there is a fee for every file viewed, downloaded, or printed. [10] X Research source If you would like instant access to court documents, you will have to provide your credit card information during registration. [11] X Research source However, if you do not provide your credit card information during registration, an activation code will be mailed to you within 7-10 business days. [12] X Research source
If you know the location of your case, go to the court links page. [14] X Research source From there you can select the case that you want. [15] X Research source If you do not know where your case is located, you can search for it using the case locator. [16] X Research source When you access the case locator, follow the on-screen prompts to search for a variety of cases and documents. [17] X Research source You will be able to search for cases by their case number, case title, date it was filed or date it was closed, party names, or even by the region in which your case was filed in. [18] X Research source If you ever need help understanding the search criteria, you can always access the PACER User Manual here.
Fees will be waived if you spend less than $15. 00 in a quarter. [22] X Research source
For example, Washington’s courts website provides a quick link on the right side of their page allowing you to start the records search. [23] X Research source However, some states, such as Alabama, do not provide access to court records through their government websites. [24] X Trustworthy Source Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights to American citizens Go to source
First, scroll down on the webpage and find your state. Second, read through the information provided and click on any applicable link to start searching for court records.
