RECAP is an online archive and archiving tool (via a free extension for Firefox, Chrome/Edge, or Safari) for dockets from PACER, the electronic public access system for U.S. Federal Courts (see Court-Hosted Dockets on PACER).
PACER users can install the RECAP extension. When you use PACER, the RECAP extension checks if the document is already available (free of charge), saving you download fees; if it is not, RECAP will archive a copy to share with other RECAP users. Read FAQs on how RECAP works, and learn about enhanced docket tracking, APIs, webhooks, and other features of the RECAP Suite.
SCOCAL hosts a free online database of docket sheets and selected briefs, going back to 1934.
The LA Law Library maintains a very broad collection of California appellate briefs, back to state admission, and including selected digitized briefs from 1999 to the present. The library takes requests for emailed/digitized briefs (provide the appellate case's docket number). Several other libraries offer California appellate briefs, in print or other formats requiring onsite use (see Other Briefs Collections tab).
Selected historic briefs from California (and a handful of other jurisdictions) are available in LLMC Digital (via CalNet authentication or onsite at campus libraries).
To search selected briefs from California's Supreme and appellate courts from the early 1900s to the 1980s—from LLMC's home page, under "Research Zone" find the "Search Collections" link and select the "Records and Briefs" tab. Search by docket number, court, and/or simple keyword search. A few other jurisdictions are available.
To browse three volumes of selected (mostly California Supreme Court) briefs from 1887 to 1889—from LLMC's home page, find the "Online Services" pull-down, select "Browse Collections" and drill down to U.S. States and Territories > California > Judicial > "1887-89, Briefs"). In each volume's table of contents, you can use the "Supplemental Title Page" links to skip to the caption page of each document within the volume.
In high-profile and impact litigation cases that may be of wide interest, attorneys or other interested parties may post selected docket materials on the open web.
Use party names, document title (e.g., "memorandum of points and authorities in support of defendants' motion for summary judgment"), and/or docket number. You can add a domain limits to your search like site:.org or site:.edu or a document-type limits like filetype:.pdf or filetype:.doc
An organization involved with the case (including as amicus) may post documents. Example: ACLU homepage > Issues > (Choose Issue) > Court Cases - complaints, motions, amicus briefs, etc. for significant cases .... Similarly, the American Intellectual Property Law Association provides their filed briefs online (browse by year, 2014-).
If the case is current (or very recent) and has been the subject of frequent news media inquiry, the court's website may make some documents available online, free of charge. Example: United States District Court, Northern District of California - look under "Cases of Interest."
Some U.S. Department of Justice divisions offer online collections: for example, the Antitrust Division's Appellate Court briefs (browse by year),the Civil Rights Division's Appellate Briefs and Opinions (browse by topic); and the Solicitor General's Supreme Court briefs (search by docket number, caption, or fulltext PDF).
SCOTUSblog (October Term 2007 to current)—Many briefs in high-profile cases, displayed for browsing by sitting/argument date, but can be "sorted by case name"). Look under the "Cases" tab for the term year (Terms run from October to October, so a decision date June 2010 is found in the October Term 2009).
ProQuest Supreme Court Insight (1897 Term to current; via CalNet authentication or onsite at campus libraries)—Search selected materials from full text of dockets, merits and amicus or other briefs, joint appendix, oral argument transcripts (1955-present), and the opinion. Not all records are available for all cases.
Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978 (via CalNet authentication or onsite at campus libraries)—For , selected briefs from older, high-profile cases. Use Advanced Search to find materials by case name, U.S. Reports citation, etc.
Making of Modern Law: Landmark Records and Briefs of the U.S. Courts of Appeals (1891-1980; via CalNet authentication or onsite at campus libraries) focuses on the first ninety years of the federal appellate courts, and provides access to briefs selected from circuit court cases (includes merits and amicus briefs, memoranda, petitions, statements, transcripts, and more).
Selected historical briefs (1891/92 to 1960s) from 9th Circuit cases have been digitized and are searchable (limited functionality) via two platforms:
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