Public Court Records Information

The general public in the United States have access to a multitude of information held by the various courthouses but at the same time the federal as well as the state laws have restrictions in place to protect the privacy of the individuals and prevent instances of identity thefts or frauds. While a lot of the information can be accessed through the public websites maintained by the various courthouses in every state in the United States, certain cases and information held in the court records are restricted, sealed or require that the individuals register in order to obtain the information.

The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is an important resource for the public to access and obtain the case as well as the docket information arising from the various districts, states, federal appellate and the bankruptcy courts and also from the United States Case Index. But in order to use this service you would need to register and pay a nominal fee. For more information on PACER you can visit: http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/.

The National Archives can be accessed for the purpose of searching the public court records between the years 1940 and 1998. You can begin your search online by visiting the website of the National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/ but in order to use this service you would need to pay a fee of $25 for each record that you access. You will receive the copy/copies of the public court record/s if available at the archives through the United States Postal Service.

The information on the court records is also available through the system of judiciary case search. But the details about the court cases available through the database of the “judiciary case search” over the Internet can be limited in terms of the extent of the available information, the history of the available information as well as how quickly are these updated.

Scope of the Information Available

The available information extends to the criminal, civil as well as traffic records which are active or even closed case records. The details include the name of the defendant, the case number, date of birth of the defendant, the state and the city, information on the trial date, case disposition, the charge or even the name of the plaintiff for the civil cases.

History of the Available Information

The information available in the database generally originates in the state or counties in which the case was filed. The history of the available information dates back to the time since when the particular county began maintaining the system of the automated case management database. The amount of information available therefore varies between the counties as well as the states depending on when they initiated the system of automated case management database and also how this system evolved in that county or state.

Timeliness of the Information Gathered

The details of the case data are usually updated on a regular basis but there are a few restrictions or limitations of these as well.  The information pertaining to the curt cases from the District Courts is usually entered into the system at the end of each day but the information is updated and becomes available online the next day. The information from the Circuit Courts on the other hand usually becomes available online at the same time that these cases are keyed into the court records.

For locations of the various courthouses and their contact information you can visit: http://www.uscourts.gov/.

Types of Records Available

Accelerated Rehabilitation: Information on these records is open to the public during the probationary period as well as for 20 days from the entry of the dismissal by a court. The records are then usually erased unless an appeal is filed.

Paternity Acknowledgment: Cases filed on and after 1995 are open to the general public. For the cases before 1995 you would require filing an application. (Public Act 95-133).

Acquittals: Information on court acquittals is available for a period of 20 days after the disposition. If a case is on appeal then it remains open but the clerk of the court will not acknowledge the existence of the records after the 20 days nor disclose any details about the case.

Agreement to Support: These cases are also available to the public starting from 1995 in accordance to the Public Act 95-133.

Alcohol Education Program: Information on the records pertaining to the alcohol education treatment program is closed to the general public.

Alcohol Evaluation Reports : The records on the reports on alcohol evaluation are also kept confidential.

Arrest Warrants: The records of the arrests are open unless these are sealed by a specific order of the court.

Bail Interview Records: These records are not open to the general public.

Enforcement of Child Support: These are open with certain exceptions.

Civil Case Log: Open.

Criminal Case Log/ DMV Cases: Open

Civil Dispositions: Open and can be viewed from the office of the clerk’s court.

Dismissals for Criminal Cases:  The records of the dismissals are available for a period of 20 days after the disposition. But if the case is on appeal then the dismissals are available for the entire duration of the appeal period. The information is however not available at the end of the 20 day period. The clerk of the court may refuse to disclose information on the dismissals after this period or even refuse to acknowledge its presence in the first place.

Docket Sheets for the Family and Civil Cases: The civil records and their proceedings are usually available to the general public unless they are kept confidential by a court order. The docket sheets are available at the end of each business day at the courthouse.

Docket Sheets for the DMV and Criminal Cases: Dockets are open with certain restrictions. The present days log is open but previous day’s activities (of the dockets) are closed.

Domestic Violence: Generally open unless sealed by a court order.

Evaluation for Drug Dependency: These records are closed.

Apart from these cases other information available includes hearings on the family matters, juror information, pardons, juvenile records (not open to the public with a few exceptions), search warrants, information on seized property and youthful offender information.

Specific State Court Records:

Arizona Public Court Records