To track a federal court case, use PACER: search the court’s own case-records system if you know the court and case number, or use the nationwide PACER Case Locator if you need to find the court or number. The locator searches federal district, bankruptcy, and appellate cases; PACER’s court-level information updates immediately, while the locator typically refreshes nightly.
Choose the right PACER search
| What you know | Where to search | Coverage and update timing |
|---|---|---|
| You know the court and case number | The relevant court’s case-records system through PACER | That court’s case information; PACER says it updates immediately. |
| You do not know the court or case number | PACER Case Locator | Nationwide index of district, bankruptcy, and appellate cases; it typically updates nightly. |
The direct court search is the better starting point when you have a case number. The locator is designed to help identify a case across courts; its result links lead to more detail in the court’s CM/ECF system. See PACER’s Find a Case page and PACER’s Case Locator FAQ.
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Look up a case when you know its number
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Create or sign in to a PACER account. PACER provides access to federal court records; account and access details are on its official site.
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Open the federal court where the case was filed. Search that court’s case-information system rather than starting with a nationwide name search.
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Enter the case number in the court’s case search and open the matching case record.
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Choose the docket report or a listed document if you need filings or case activity beyond the case summary. Check PACER’s current fees before requesting multiple records.
PACER recommends searching by case number instead of party name to go directly to the case without a charge. That recommendation is especially useful when a party name is common, since name searches can return many pages. The fee schedule still applies to pages accessed under PACER’s terms.
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Find a case by party name or when the court is unknown
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Sign in to PACER and open the PACER Case Locator.
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Search using the party name and any distinguishing case information available. The locator supports searches by party name, case number, nature of suit, and filing or closing date.
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Where you know the likely court or state, narrow the search. A common name can produce many result pages, and extra details help identify the right match.
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Review the returned party name, court, case number, filing date, and closure date. Open the case-number link to continue in the court’s CM/ECF system.
The locator usually refreshes once every 24 hours, typically overnight, so a newly filed case may not appear there immediately. PACER describes court-level information as updating immediately. Check the likely court directly if timing matters or the locator has no match.
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The Case Locator is an index, not a complete public archive of every case document. Its listed results include party name, court, case number, date filed, and date closed. The linked court system provides more detailed case information and may offer docket entries and documents.
- Sealed records: Sealed documents, including sealed indictments, cannot be found through PACER’s search.
- Online availability: Not every item a person may want is necessarily accessible online. For information beyond the case summary, docket entries, and copies available through PACER, contact the filing court.
For the service’s scope and limitations, see PACER’s guidance on sealed or expunged records and Find a Case.
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How much PACER costs and how to limit charges
As of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ PACER Pricing FAQ accessed October 4, 2026, case information costs $0.10 per page. Most individual documents and case-specific reports are capped at $3 per item. The cap does not cover name-search results, reports that are not case-specific, or transcripts. PACER waives fees when a user’s total charges are $30 or less in a quarter. Search-result pages can incur fees even if the search returns no matches. These are current published terms, so check the official PACER pricing guidance before searching.
- Use a known case number and the court’s search when possible, instead of a broad party-name search.
- Limit a locator search to the likely court or state and add distinguishing details.
- Apply docket-report filters, such as a date range or party/counsel information, to request only the material needed.
- Be mindful that name-search results, non-case-specific reports, and transcripts are not covered by the usual $3 item cap.
If PACER does not find the case
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Check that the party name or case number is entered accurately, and add identifying details or a likely court/state to narrow the search.
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If you searched a court directly, try the PACER Case Locator; if you started with the locator, search the likely court’s own system as well. The national index typically refreshes nightly, so recently filed matters may take time to appear there.
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If there is still no match, contact the federal court where you believe the case was filed. PACER recommends contacting the court when its search tools do not locate the party or when you need information beyond records available online.
Use PACER’s guidance for cases that cannot be found to identify the appropriate next step.
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