A docket is a record of all the proceedings and filings in a case. In addition to providing helpful case information, a docket can be a useful first step to locate the court documents filed in a case.
Historically, court dockets and documents were mainly obtained by visiting the clerk of the court in person, and getting copies of records often involved fees. Since the adoption of electronic case management systems by courts, many dockets and court documents are now available electronically. The electronic availability of dockets and court documents varies by court and date.
Generally, federal records are more readily available online than state records, and appellate records are more readily available online than trial records. It is important to note though that even for records available electronically, accessing them may still involve fees.
With that in mind, these resources are a good starting point, as they will direct you to records that are available electronically for free or at a low cost.
State court websites may also give you access to recent dockets although the types of cases, years of coverage and depth of information included varies widely from one jurisdiction to the next. To find court websites for other states, use these directories:
Note: State links vary but most will take you to docket databases provided by the individual courts themselves.
eCourts is the docket service of the New York State Unified Court System. eCourts contains dockets for local civil cases, supreme court civil cases, criminal cases, and family court cases. eCourts also makes it easy to track pending civil and criminal cases from participating courts through eTrack alerts. You will need to create an account to log in.
Court-Pass - for matters pending or filed after January 1, 2013, provides free access to Court of Appeals materials including dockets, certified questions and judicial conduct matters. Browse or search by party name, date, judge, or subject matter.