These can be some of the easiest - or some of the most challenging - documents to find.
Bloomberg Law (Temple Law access)
Bloomberg Law’s Docket Search allows users to search across federal and select state court dockets. While the federal dockets are kept up-to-date, state dockets tend to lag or not be updated, so it’s best to double-check the local court’s website as well. Law students can request federal case documents for free, up to a $1500 limit.
Lexis Courtlink (Temple Law access)
Courtlink has essentially the same federal court docket coverage as Bloomberg Law but has different state coverage. The search and document retrieval functions are less sophisticated than Bloomberg's.
State and Local Dockets
State and local dockets sometimes are available only thought the local government or court website. Access varies widely; some courts provide free access to the dockets and filings and other case documents, while others require you to pay a la carte or subscribe to a service. Some courts still do not have dockets online; a call to the court will let you find out whether they still have the files in which you're interested and what access and pricing policies are in place. If you know the names of the attorneys involved in the case, you also can try contacting them to see if they are willing to provide you with the documents you're seeking.
Information on Pennsylvania state court dockets is available here.
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