University Library: Government: Lower Federal Courts

About the Courts

Inside the Federal Courts
This site explains how the courts work, how cases move through the courts and the roles and responsibilites of the court and its personnel.

Special Courts

District & Appellate Courts

FindLaw
FindLaw's Cases and Codes section contains resources and links for both state and federal laws. This includes resources pertaining to constitutions, statutes, cases, and more.
Lower Court Websites by Geography
Provides a map hat details the states included in each district court, as well as links to courts by state.
Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)
PACER is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information online from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts, and the PACER Case Locator. The is a fee to print information.

Searching for Court Case Information

In addition to the actual cases, you may want to find information about cases that have been published in journals, law reviews, magazines or newspapers. Note: Coverage in these publications may be just about the case and not include the actual court decision.

Search Tips

Don't use v. or vs. because you never know which one was used and whether it was used with or without a period.
For more general information, you can search by company name or person with these two broader terms.
xxxx AND lawsuits
xxxx AND litigation

Sample Searches

Smith AND Jones AND court

Smith AND Jones AND court case

"americans with disabilities act" AND education AND (lawsuit OR "court decision")

"school violence" AND "united states" AND (court OR judgment OR verdict)

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Popular Books

Defenders of Liberty or Champions of Security? by Kirk A. Randazzo
ISBN: 9781438430478
Publication Date: 2010-03-15
Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment by David Levinson (Compiled by, Editor)
ISBN: 9780761922582
Publication Date: 2002-03-18
The Federal Courts by Richard A. Posner
ISBN: 9780674296275
Publication Date: 1999-09-15
A Primer on American Courts by William S. Miller
ISBN: 9780321106155
Publication Date: 2004-12-23
Specializing the Courts by Lawrence Baum
ISBN: 9780226039541
Publication Date: 2011-02-01

About the Judiciary

Federal Judicial Center
The Federal Judicial Center was created in 1967 by Congress to act as the education and research agency of the federal courts.
U.S. Court Opinions
Provides access to opinions from selected United States appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts (from 2004 to the present).
U.S. Federal Courts
Find information about federal courts and their history. You will also find links to: a glossary of legal terms, a court finder, electronic case files.
U.S. Sentencing Commission
Provides access to sentencing guidelines for the federal courts created by the Commission, as well as research related to criminal cases, sentencing, and prisons.