State Court Dockets: Demystifying Online Access and Coverage

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Access and coverage for state court dockets and filings have always been a guessing game depending on which state you are talking about, let alone what county, parish, or city—not to mention the case or court type. Knowing and remembering at any given point what is available, at what cost, what it is called, and who has access is no easy feat, even for seasoned librarians and researchers. How do you even begin to remember it all, especially when courts expand access (YES, PLEASE!) or seem to have less access (please, NO!) on an almost daily basis?! Are there different levels of access if you are in a law firm, an academic institution, or a member of the general public? If you reach out to your team’s “expert” on state court dockets with all of these burning questions, then it might be time for your team to create an internal guide. But how do you start, how detailed do you get, and is there even time? Let's have a conversation to discuss these trends, methods to keep on top of all of these changes, and our collective experiences.

Target Audience:

Librarians from all types of institutions—Firm, Academic, Public, State, County, and Court—who conduct docket research in state courts, or who are asked to advise their patrons on how best to locate needed state court information.