How to Find Public State Court Information
- 1). Know the state's laws on public records. All states allow access to court records if a person makes a request, but there are varying degrees of access. Some states may allow people to access criminal and civil records, but not family court records if a case involves a minor. Many divorce records are only open to interested parties, while many juvenile records are sealed. Consult the state's code of laws or call the office of the local clerk of courts to ask about the laws.
- 2). Check online. Cases are usually listed under a state's judicial department or state supreme court website. These sites usually have links to specific counties, allowing you to look up lower level cases. The online archives that exist go back to the mid-1990s; however, some states only place scant details online about a case such as the plaintiff, the defendant and the decision, without including any other information.
- 3). Drive to the courthouse or records building. Request the information in person. Remember to bring as much information as possible about the case including routing number, date filed and parties involved to allow staff to quickly look up the information. Really old information may be kept somewhere besides the courthouse, so you may need to request a special order.
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