PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is the official, web-based service provided by the United States Judiciary that allows the public to search, track, and download federal court case and docket information.
About PACER
PACER serves as the primary digital gateway to the federal judicial system, offering instantaneous access to more than one billion documents across appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts. Maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the platform functions under a fee-based model mandated by Congress to sustain electronic public access. It enables legal professionals, researchers, financial institutions, and the general public to look up real-time case files, review court dockets, and obtain official documentation remotely without the need for physical couriers or in-person visits.
For tracking purposes, PACER features a centralized tool known as the PACER Case Locator (PCL), which acts as a nationwide index. The PCL compiles data subsets from all jurisdictions daily, allowing users to conduct broad searches across multiple courts simultaneously. Additionally, PACER is tightly integrated with the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system, which allows authorized users to electronically file documents and receive automatic email alerts whenever new activity occurs on a designated case.
Products and Services
Core Products & Case Search Tools
PACER Case Locator (PCL): A nationwide, centralized search index updated nightly that enables users to locate litigation and parties across all appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts simultaneously.
Specific Court Search: Direct login access to individual court CM/ECF databases for instantaneous, real-time tracking of newly filed documents and docket entries.
Court Opinions Portal: Free online access to formal court opinions issued by appellate, district, and bankruptcy judges.
Multi-Format Document Access: The ability to view, print, and download official court documents as PDFs, HTML reports, or plain text.
Group Billing (PACER Administrative Account): A centralized management tool for law firms or corporations to consolidate multiple user accounts into a single quarterly invoice.
Bankruptcy Tracking Features
Dedicated Bankruptcy Search: Special filters within the PACER Case Locator tailored specifically to search by bankruptcy-specific criteria, including debtor name, business name, or case number.
Creditor Listing Reports: Access to full listings of entities holding claims against a debtor, which is crucial for financial tracking, debt collection, and corporate risk assessment.
Claims Registers: Tracking systems that allow users to view filed proofs of claim, total claimed amounts, and the status of distributions in Chapter 7, 11, or 13 bankruptcies.
Automated Case Tracking (via CM/ECF): Active parties can leverage the integrated system to receive automated, immediate email notices whenever a new motion, discharge, or petition is filed in a bankruptcy proceeding.
Historical Bankruptcy Records: Digital access to immediate and recently closed bankruptcy data, providing historical insight into previous filings.
For more information, please visit pacer.uscourts.gov
Contact @ PACER
Email: pacer@psc.uscourts.gov | Phone: 800.676.6856
