# US court case databases

## URL

[Table of databases by state](#case-databases-by-state)

## Description

Criminal and civil court case information in the United States is publicly available and maintained in databases by each individual state or county (this article does not deal with federal cases, which have their own database called [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/)). If you want to know about the civil or criminal history of an individual or are seeking information about a particular court case handled at the state level, these databases allow you to access details such as:

* Case number
* Assigned attorneys / judge
* Charges and convictions
* Disposition summaries
* (In some states) Documents, pleadings, and motions submitted to the court

{% hint style="danger" %}
Some court documents contain descriptions of violent crimes that may be disturbing to read.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary>What is the difference between criminal and civil cases in the US?</summary>

**Criminal** cases involve alleged violations of criminal laws. In a criminal case, the government (through a prosecutor) brings charges against a person accused of committing a crime, and the possible consequences can include jail or prison time, probation, fines, restitution, and a criminal record.

**Civil** cases are legal disputes between two or more parties about things like contracts, property, money, injuries, or civil rights. In a civil case, the person bringing the case (the plaintiff) sues the other side (the defendant) asking for money damages and/or a court order requiring someone to do something or stop doing something.

Learn more:

* *American Bar Association:* ["How Courts Work"](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/resources/law_related_education_network/how_courts_work/cases/)
* *FindLaw:* ["The Differences Between a Criminal Case and a Civil Case"](https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-law-basics/the-differences-between-a-criminal-case-and-a-civil-case.html)
* *UW School of Law:* ["How do Criminal and Civil Cases Differ?"](https://www.law.uw.edu/news-events/news/2025/how-do-criminal-and-civil-cases-differ)

</details>

State databases will let you conduct a search using your choice of search variables. Below are examples of information you can use as a starting point to search court cases in Pennsylvania (left) and North Dakota (right).

<div><figure><img src="https://1607018381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFuL0vtRVpXHiKZgFkMFR%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e03da08afb92aa38302bc3c2f60aaf3f4c0faf66%2FScreenshot%202025-12-17%20at%208.48.04%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p><em>Pennsylvania search variables</em></p></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="https://1607018381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFuL0vtRVpXHiKZgFkMFR%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-921ff03e8b8fcdb80be996d7d104110003fa3a42%2FScreenshot%202025-12-17%20at%208.55.14%E2%80%AFPM%20(1).png?alt=media" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p><em>North Dakota search variables</em></p></figcaption></figure></div>

The level of information provided in search results varies by state. Below is another example: a snapshot of criminal case results for "John Doe" in Oregon. In many states, you can click on the case you're interested in to see more information or download documents.

<figure><img src="https://1607018381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFuL0vtRVpXHiKZgFkMFR%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-eeeac09822593f0638e59c7e41bcdcf8bc26f555%2FScreenshot%202025-12-17%20at%209.45.00%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="success" %}
**TIP:** Many databases allow wildcard searches using an asterisk, which is useful if you don't know a full name or correct spelling. For example, if you are searching for a person named "Will Anderson" but want to account for it being spelled "Will**iam** Ander**sen**" you can search for it as:

<img src="https://1607018381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FFuL0vtRVpXHiKZgFkMFR%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-fcc252d39341b91ca0aa7cf66d5b6fea004c0ff5%2FScreenshot%202025-12-18%20at%201.25.10%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media" alt="" data-size="original">
{% endhint %}

## Case databases by state <a href="#case-databases-by-state" id="case-databases-by-state"></a>

<table><thead><tr><th width="139.890625">State</th><th width="241.71484375">Access Requirements</th><th width="223.43359375">Cost</th><th>Database Link</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Alabama</td><td>Must create an account</td><td>$9.99/search<br>$5/document</td><td><a href="https://pa.alacourt.com/default.aspx?loc=alacourt.gov">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Alaska</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://records.courts.alaska.gov/eaccess/home.page.2">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Arizona</td><td>Must create an account if you want document access<br><br>Two of Arizona's 15 counties use a <a href="https://apps.azcourts.gov/publicaccess/courtsnotinc.aspx">different online database.</a></td><td>Free to search<br>$10/document</td><td><a href="https://eaccess.azcourts.gov/#/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Arkansas</td><td></td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://caseinfonew.arcourts.gov/opad">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>California</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Colorado</td><td>Must create an account</td><td>$10/search<br>$5 extra for search results to include Denver County</td><td><a href="https://cocourts.com/cocourts/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Connecticut</td><td></td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/">Civil</a><br><a href="https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm">Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Delaware</td><td>Civil cases only, no online database for criminal cases</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov/cc/cconnect/ck_public_qry_main.cp_main_idx">Civil</a></td></tr><tr><td>Florida</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://dos.fl.gov/library-archives/research/florida-information/government/local-resources/clerks-of-county-courts/">List of county websites</a></td></tr><tr><td>Georgia</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/">List of county databases</a></td></tr><tr><td>Hawai'i</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>$3/document or $.1/page, whichever sum is greater</td><td><a href="https://www.courts.state.hi.us/legal_references/records/jims_system_availability">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Idaho</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://portal-idaho.tylertech.cloud/odysseyportal">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Illinois</td><td>For free access, you must <a href="https://www.judici.com/courts/court_list.jsp">search by county</a></td><td>$149.7 for 6-month subscription gives access to all courts in one place</td><td><a href="https://www.judici.com/service/pricing.jsp?SERVICE_ID=2">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Indiana</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/#/vw/Search">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Iowa</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/SelectFrame">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Kansas</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://casesearch.kscourts.gov/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Kentucky</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://kcoj.kycourts.net/kyecourts/login/guestlogin">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Louisiana</td><td>No statewide database, must search by parish (county)</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Maine</td><td>Must create an account<br><br>Records prior to 2020 and most criminal records not available electronically</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://researchmaine.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Home#!/home">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Maryland</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Massachusetts</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://www.masscourts.org/eservices/home.page.2">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Michigan</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/">List of county databases</a></td></tr><tr><td>Minnesota</td><td></td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/CaseSearch">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Mississippi</td><td>Must create an account</td><td>$10/year annual user fee + per-page viewing fee</td><td><a href="https://courts.ms.gov/mec/GeneralInformation.php?">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Missouri</td><td>Most documents prior to 2023 not available electronically</td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/welcome.do">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Montana</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://courts.mt.gov/Courts/portals">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Nebraska</td><td>Must submit payment before performing search</td><td>$15/search</td><td><a href="https://www.nebraska.gov/justicecc/ccname.cgi">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Nevada</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://nvcourts.gov/supreme/how_do_i/find_a_court">List of county courts</a></td></tr><tr><td>New Hampshire</td><td>Must create an account<br><br>Records currently available online: non-confidential Circuit Court case types of district division civil, small claims, name change and estate cases, and Superior Court civil and criminal cases</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://odypa.nhecourt.us/portal/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>New Jersey</td><td>Must create an account to search civil cases</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://www.njcourts.gov/public/find-a-case/civil-and-foreclosure-public-access">Civil</a><br><a href="https://portal.njcourts.gov/webe41/ExternalPGPA/">Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>New Mexico</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://caselookup.nmcourts.gov/caselookup/app;jsessionid=BB1A6990ACCE92B43C5C4A2B3B6BA54F">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>New York</td><td>No closed criminal cases available online, you can only search for criminal cases that have future court dates</td><td>Free to search<br>Free civil document access</td><td><a href="https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/FCASMain">Civil</a><br><a href="https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/DefendantSearch">Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>North Carolina</td><td></td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>North Dakota</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/default.aspx">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Ohio</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/judicial-system/ohio-trial-courts/">List of county websites</a></td></tr><tr><td>Oklahoma</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://www.oscn.net/dockets/search.aspx">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Oregon</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://webportal.courts.oregon.gov/portal/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Pennsylvania</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/casesearch">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Rhode Island</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://publicportal.courts.ri.gov/PublicPortal">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>South Carolina</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://www.sccourts.org/case-records-search">List of county databases</a></td></tr><tr><td>South Dakota</td><td>Must create an account</td><td>Free basic searches<br>$20/search for detailed results</td><td><a href="https://ecourts.sd.gov/Default.aspx">Basic search</a> (free)<br><a href="https://ujspars.sd.gov/default.aspx">Detailed search</a></td></tr><tr><td>Tennessee</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Texas</td><td>Must search by county for criminal cases<br><br>Civil cases since 2018 are available online, must create an account</td><td>Free to search (civil)</td><td><a href="https://research.txcourts.gov/CourtRecordsSearch/Home#!/home">Civil</a></td></tr><tr><td>Utah</td><td>Must create an account</td><td>$10 initial fee<br>$.35/search<br>$1/document</td><td><a href="https://www.utcourts.gov/en/court-records-publications/records/xchange.html">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Vermont</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://portal.vtcourts.gov/Portal">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Virginia</td><td>Must search by county for civil cases</td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/CJISWeb/circuit.jsp">Civil</a><br><a href="https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/landing">Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Washington</td><td>No statewide database, must search by county</td><td></td><td><a href="https://dw.courts.wa.gov/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">List of county databases</a></td></tr><tr><td>West Virginia</td><td>Magistrate Courts include misdemeanors, traffic, small claims.<br><br>Circuit Courts include felonies, higher-value civil. Must create an account</td><td>Free to search<br>$.25/page for documents</td><td><a href="https://www.courtswv.gov/court-record-access">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Wisconsin</td><td></td><td>Free to search<br>No document access</td><td><a href="https://wcca.wicourts.gov/">Civil &#x26; Criminal</a></td></tr><tr><td>Wyoming</td><td>No online database</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>District of Columbia</td><td></td><td>Free to search</td><td><a href="https://portal-dc.tylertech.cloud/Portal">Civil</a><br><a href="https://eaccess.dccourts.gov/eaccess/home.page.2">Criminal</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Cost

* [ ] Free
* [x] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid

Cost varies by state. Some jurisdictions allow you to search and obtain information for free, while others require a fee.

## Level of difficulty

<table><thead><tr><th data-type="rating" data-max="5"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Limitations

* **Privacy laws:** Case information related to vulnerable populations — such as [juveniles](https://www.justia.com/criminal/offenses/other-crimes/juvenile-crimes/confidentiality-of-juvenile-court-records/) or [victims of domestic violence](https://www.techsafety.org/confidentiality-in-vawa-fvpsa) — is not publicly available. In most states, you must be an attorney or authorized user to access such information.
* **Paper archives:** Older cases may not be digitized, and to access them you would have to make a records request for scanned copies of the file. Some states have digitized their records as far back as the '80s, while others only have online records for the past 10 years. Most jurisdictions provide full access to *public* case information at courthouse kiosks. If you are not local, any member of the public can make an online records request to the respective county for copies of records.

## Ethical Considerations

Even though this information is publicly available, legal cases often contain personal or sensitive information about the parties involved. An ethical open source investigations practitioner should take this into account when doing such research.

## Guides and articles

The following states provide guides for their databases:

{% columns %}
{% column %}
[Alaska](https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/cvinfo.htm#criminal)\
[Arizona](https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/166/Documents/SearchAndPurchase-CaseAndParty-V1.1.pdf)\
[Arkansas](https://www.arcourts.gov/administration/acap/navtips)\
[Connecticut](https://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/Understanding%20Display%20of%20Case%20Information.pdf)\
[Delaware](https://courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov/cconnect/docs/help.htm)\
[Indiana](https://www.in.gov/courts/help/mycase/search-tips/)\
[Iowa](https://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/HelpFrame)<br>
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
[Kentucky](https://ehelp.kycourts.net/search-options/)\
[Maine](https://researchmaine.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Assets/site/faq/pdf/reSearchME%202021.2%20Quick%20Reference%20Guide.pdf)\
[Maryland](https://www.mdcourts.gov/casesearch2/faq)\
[Massachusetts](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/how-to-search-court-dockets)\
[Minnesota](https://mncourts.gov/access-case-records/mcro)\
[Missouri](https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=98877)\
[Montana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHsTzfUzFDg)
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
[New Hampshire](https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/documents/2021-07/nhjb-case-access-portal-general-public-user-guide.pdf)\
[New York](https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/FCASFAQ)\
[North Carolina](https://www.nccourts.gov/services/portal-training-and-resources)\
[North Dakota](https://www.ndcourts.gov/public-access/help)\
[Oregon](https://www.courts.oregon.gov/services/online/Documents/Calendars-Records/recordSearchQRG.pdf)\
[South Dakota](https://media.sd.gov/ujs/eCourts/eCourts_FAQ.pdf)
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
[Texas](https://research.txcourts.gov/CourtRecordsSearch/Assets/site/faq/pdf/reSearchTX%202021.2%20Quick%20Reference%20Guide%20V2.pdf)\
[Utah](https://www.utcourts.gov/en/court-records-publications/records/xchange/help.html)\
[Vermont](https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/sites/default/files/documents/VT%20Public%20Portal%20User%20Guide%20v4.1%2010.8.25.pdf)\
[Virginia](https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/help/robo/ocis/index.htm#t=OCIS_Search_Help%2FOCIS_Search_Help.htm)\
[Wisconsin](https://wcca.wicourts.gov/site.html)
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

How-to articles for researchers:

* *Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:* [Open Government Guide](https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-guide/)
* *The Marshall Project:* [*"*&#x4A;ournalists: How to Get Records the Criminal Justice System Doesn’t Want You to Have"](https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/18/journalism-foia-public-records-law)
* *Poynter:* ["6 tips for reporters tracking state legal cases"](https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2013/6-tips-for-reporters-tracking-state-legal-cases)
* *The Journalist's Resource:* ["How to find facts and stories in civil court dockets"](https://journalistsresource.org/home/court-dockets-tips)<br>

Journalistic examples of stories supported by state database research:

* *ProPublica*: ["These Health Centers Are Supposed to Make Care Affordable. One Has Sued Patients for as Little as $59 in Unpaid Bills."](https://www.propublica.org/article/federally-qualified-health-centers-unpaid-bills-lawsuits)
* *The Oregonian*: ["Carmen Rubio, a leading candidate for Portland mayor, racked up 150 parking, traffic violations, 6 driver’s license suspensions."](https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/09/carmen-rubio-a-leading-candidate-for-portland-mayor-racked-up-150-parking-traffic-violations-6-drivers-license-suspensions.html)

## Tool provider

Each individual state is in charge of their own database, and most contract with a third-party case management system to handle records. The most widely used vendor is [Tyler Technologies](https://www.tylertech.com/), a Texas-based company that provides software to state and municipal governments.

## Similar tools

There are numerous third-party aggregate tools and data broker sites that attempt to give you nation-wide court results such as [WhitePages](https://www.whitepages.com/), [BeenVerified](https://www.beenverified.com/), and even professional platforms like [TLOxp](https://www.transunion.com/business-needs/investigations-tloxp). While these tools can be a good starting point, beware that none of them can provide comprehensive results. To be thorough, you need to check the state-run databases and/or make a record request to the appropriate jurisdiction.

## Advertising Trackers

* [x] This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
* [ ] This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
* [ ] This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

| Page maintainer |
| --------------- |
| Emma            |
|                 |