How to Search Court Records Online?

Accessing court records online is simple with the Internet. Because civil and criminal dockets are public records, this information is available to anyone. Of course, not all court systems place case information online. For this matter, persons wanting to search court records may need to visit their local courthouse if a record is unavailable online. Unfortunately, this process is time consuming and inconvenient. There are many online resources to assist with searching court records. Some websites offer civil and criminal case records free of charge, whereas others charge a small fee for this information. Consider the following tips for searching court records online.

• U.S. Party Case Index: This service is very useful for searching court records across the nation. This site provides information on cases filed with the federal courts, bankruptcy courts, appellate courts, and so forth. Users may choose to conduct a search of all nationwide court systems, or choose to search individual courts. Unfortunately, every court is not available on the case index. Some court systems have chosen not to list case information online, as a means of protecting the privacy of the participants. Nonetheless, many court systems are included within the index; thus, the probability of locating a specific record is good. To begin your search, register for a PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) account at http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov. Once registration is complete, begin searching court records. The service fee for accessing the site is $0.08 per page.

• Legal Dockets Online: Legal Dockets Online allows users to quickly and inexpensively search court filings from court systems across the country. Information available includes court dockets for civil court, criminal court, bankruptcy, court rulings, and so forth. Moreover, users may receive useful information pertaining to arrest, warrants, and most wanted lists, etc. To begin your search, visit http://www.legaldockets.com and subscribe to the service. Annual subscriptions start at $199. This includes unlimited access for up to two people. Legal Dockets Online charges fees based on the number of active users. Students can receive a free trial. Furthermore, faculty and academia are granted free access to online court records.

• CourtExpress.com: Westlaw Court Express is an effective tool for researching court records. Visit http://www.courtexpress.com, and signup for the service. A subscription to Westlaw Court Express allows users to search court dockets online from the comforts of their home or office. Thus, users avoid visiting the local courthouse. Furthermore, if a particular court record is unavailable online, users may request a hard copy of the case, and have the information delivered to their office. Westlaw Court Express offers information from court systems throughout the U.S. and internationally. To access Westlaw Court Express, call 1-800-207-WEST and request a login name and password. Users may search court records by name, Social Security number, or employer ID. To receive pricing information, users must contact Westlaw Court Express or submit a pricing request. Court Express offers customized pricing, fixed-cost pricing, and a pay-per-access option.

• Lexis Nexis Court Link: Lexis Nexis is a great tool for locating court records online. Currently, this service has records from more than 4,000 federal, state, and local court systems. Visit https://courtlink.lexisnexis.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fMyCourtlink.aspx and register for the service. Before registering, users should download a free version of Adobe Reader. Most court records are only viewable with this software. Registration allows users to search court records, track records, receive alert notifications, retrieve court documents, and track company and business profiles. Customer support is available to assist users with record searches. If you have any questions or concerns, a support staff is available 24 hours a day. To discuss pricing and subscription options, contact Lexis Nexis Court Link support at 1-888-311-1966.

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