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How to Search for Court Cases
The search for court cases can either be done manually or through the
Internet. Manual searches are usually tedious as it involves rummaging through
piles of documents in the court where it has been lodged. On the other hand, the
search and retrieval of court cases through online databases and Web-based
services are more easy and convenient.
Just what are court cases and how does one go about a search for court cases?
A court is simply a venue where legal issues are evaluated and decisions
(legally termed verdicts or court decisions) regarding these issues are reached.
And each particular instance of going through the process of evaluation and
decision-making is what is termed as a court case.
Terms like litigation, proceedings, or legal action have also been known to be
synonymous with court cases. These legal issues may come in various forms.
Court Case ‘Parties’
Most cases involve two parties. The one who initiates the suit is called the
plaintiff or the complainant (if the complainant is the state, this party is
usually the prosecutor), while the other party is labeled as the defendant.
Other two-party cases need not have complainants but are usually initiated
through a petition. In a bankruptcy case, for example, an individual or business
finding itself in financial trouble can petition for bankruptcy to avail of
solutions laid out in the bankruptcy code. There are also petitions involving
family relations like annulment, divorce, legal separation, child custody or
adoption. Courts that hear these types of cases are called specific
subject-matter jurisdiction cases.
Who Searches for Court Cases?
Records of these court cases are normally available to the public and it is not
uncommon that people not directly involved in a particular case may be
interested about the details pertaining to that case. Genealogists, for
instance, need information from court cases as a means to gather information
about a client’s roots. Novelists and script-writers also need material from
cases to come up with their stories, whether these stories are fictional or
true-to-life.
There are records that are not immediately available for public consumption,
though. A few case records are sealed through special court orders. Records of
grand jury and juvenile proceedings are also normally sealed. Some adoption
proceedings are also prohibited from being shared or divulged to the public.
Where to Search for Court Cases?
Records that are available to the public can be requested through either of two
ways. The conventional method is to retrieve them (for a fee) through the court
clerk. The other option is through the internet.
There are online “search detectives” for hire or court case record providers
when one needs to search court cases. Court records are also available through
the U.S. court system’s online service called Public Access to Court Electronic
Records (PACER for short). Both normally require the payment of fees.
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