Criminal Court Records Search: Cases & Dockets

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United States Criminal Court Records Guide

Criminal Court Records Search: Find Cases, Dockets, Charges and Judgments

To search criminal court records, visit the official court website for the state or county where the case was filed. Look for its public case search, enter a case number or defendant name, and open the matching criminal docket to review charges, hearing dates, court orders and the final disposition.

For federal criminal cases, use PACER. For state or local criminal cases, use the appropriate state judiciary, trial court, county clerk or municipal court system. The records available online—and whether searching is free—depend on the jurisdiction.

Find Official Court Websites Search State Court Records Search Federal Cases
Important: A public criminal court record is not the same as a complete criminal-history background check. An arrest or filed charge does not prove conviction, and a docket entry may later be changed by another court order. CriminalCourtRecord.org is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with any court or government agency.
Choose the right court system

Where Can You Search Criminal Court Records Online?

There is no single public website that searches every U.S. criminal court case. Court records are held by the court system responsible for the proceeding. A state felony case, county misdemeanor, municipal violation, criminal appeal and federal prosecution may be found in five different systems.

Criminal record needed Where to search What you may find
Felony criminal case State trial court, district court, circuit court or county Superior Court Charges, hearings, filings, pleas, judgments and sentences where public.
Misdemeanor case County criminal court or other designated trial court Case number, offense, docket events and disposition.
Municipal or ordinance case Municipal, city or local court Eligible minor criminal matters, ordinance violations or traffic-related proceedings.
Criminal court docket The court’s online docket or case-information portal Chronological entries describing scheduled events and court actions.
Criminal appeal State appellate court or state Supreme Court Appellate case filings, opinions, decisions and mandates.
Federal criminal case PACER Federal district court docket, filings, motions and judgment.
Certified criminal judgment Clerk of the court where the case was filed Official certified copy of an eligible judgment or disposition.
Best starting point: If you know the court or case number, search that court directly. If you only know the state, start with the USA.gov federal, state and local court directory.
Step-by-step instructions

How to Search Criminal Court Cases and Dockets

Most criminal court lookup systems follow a similar process, even though their available fields and public access rules differ.

  1. Identify the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

    Find the state, county or city where the criminal proceeding occurred. The defendant’s current home address does not necessarily identify the correct court. If the case involved federal charges, skip the county court search and use PACER.

  2. Locate the official court records website.

    Visit the state judicial branch or county court website. Look for Case Search, Court Records, Criminal Case Lookup, Public Access, Docket Search or Clerk of Court.

  3. Choose the criminal case category.

    If the court system offers separate categories, select criminal rather than civil, family or probate. Check whether felony, misdemeanor and municipal cases are handled by different courts.

  4. Enter the case number or defendant name.

    Use the full case number when available. If searching by name is permitted, enter the legal name and refine the search using the county, year or other permitted filters.

  5. Review possible matching cases.

    Compare the case number, court location, filing date and other lawfully available details. Do not assume a criminal case belongs to someone merely because the name matches.

  6. Open the case summary or register of actions.

    The docket may contain charges, arraignments, scheduled hearings, filings, motions, pleas, court orders, sentencing and appeal-related events.

  7. Check the disposition of each charge.

    Look for conviction, acquittal, dismissal, guilty plea, diversion, deferred disposition or another court result. A case can have several counts with different outcomes.

  8. Request the official document when necessary.

    If you need a certified judgment, a signed court order or a document not available online, contact the clerk of the court that handled the case.

Search by case number whenever possible. Some courts offer name searches only for particular case categories, charge fees for name-based searches or exclude certain pending cases from public name-search results.
Understanding court records

What Is a Criminal Court Docket?

A criminal court docket is a record of activity in a court case. It identifies the proceeding and lists actions entered by the court or filed by parties, generally in chronological order.

A docket is useful for checking what has happened and what is scheduled next. It is not necessarily the complete underlying court file.

Information commonly found in criminal court records

Docket field What it tells you How to use it
Case number The court’s identifier for a particular proceeding. Use it to find the same case again and request documents.
Court and judge The court or judicial officer assigned to the case. Helps locate the proper clerk and courthouse.
Filing date The date the case was opened or filed in that court. Helpful when distinguishing people with similar names.
Charges or counts The alleged offenses filed in the proceeding. Check the outcome for every count separately.
Case events Filings, motions, hearings and court orders. Shows the procedural history of the case.
Disposition The outcome recorded for a charge or case. Distinguishes conviction from dismissal or acquittal.
Sentence Punishment or conditions ordered following an applicable conviction. May identify probation, custody, fines or other conditions.
Appeal information Appeal filings or related appellate activity. Check whether a later court decision changed the judgment.

Illustrative example: Reading a docket correctly

Suppose a criminal case contains these docket entries:

  • March 4 — Criminal complaint filed.
  • March 12 — Arraignment held.
  • April 8 — Motion filed.
  • May 15 — Count 1 dismissed.
  • June 10 — Plea entered on Count 2.
  • July 1 — Judgment and sentence entered.

This fictional example shows why reading only the first filing is misleading. The original complaint contained charges, but the final outcome differs by count.

To understand the current record, review the final judgment, later court orders and any subsequent appellate proceedings rather than assuming the initial charges remained unchanged.

Charges are not convictions

How to Identify a Conviction, Dismissal or Pending Criminal Case

A person can appear in a criminal court search without having been convicted of any offense. Case status and the disposition of individual counts are more informative than the existence of a docket alone.

Court result General meaning What to verify
Pending The case or identified charge has not reached its final outcome. Current docket and upcoming hearings.
Dismissed A charge or proceeding has been dismissed. Whether all counts were dismissed or other charges remain.
Acquitted / Not guilty The applicable charge resulted in an acquittal. Which specific counts and judgments were affected.
Convicted A conviction was entered on the identified charge. Judgment date, offense, sentence and later relief.
Guilty plea The defendant entered a plea of guilty to an applicable charge. Court acceptance, judgment and any subsequent proceedings.
Deferred / Diversion A special procedure may postpone or alter the ordinary disposition. Jurisdiction-specific rules and whether conditions were completed.
Appealed A higher court is reviewing or has reviewed a relevant ruling. Appellate decision and any resulting change to the judgment.
Identity and accuracy warning: A criminal charge is an allegation, not proof of guilt. A same-name case search is not proof that the defendant is the person you are researching. Confirm the identity, each charge’s disposition and any later court action.
United States federal judiciary

How to Search Federal Criminal Court Records Using PACER

Federal criminal proceedings are handled separately from state criminal court cases. The official federal electronic records service is PACER, short for Public Access to Court Electronic Records.

PACER provides electronic access to federal district, appellate and bankruptcy court case records. For a federal criminal prosecution, the relevant trial-level record is generally found in a U.S. District Court.

Open PACER Find a Case PACER Case Locator

Step-by-step federal criminal case search

  1. Create or use a PACER account.

    Account registration is free, but accessing federal records can produce usage charges.

  2. Select the federal court if you know it.

    Search the district where the federal case was filed. This is more direct than searching the national index.

  3. Use PACER Case Locator if the court is unknown.

    The national locator indexes federal cases and can help identify the district, case number and filing information.

  4. Enter the party name or case number.

    A full case number usually produces a more precise result. Common-name searches can return many unrelated cases.

  5. Open the appropriate docket report.

    Review the case entries for filings, hearings, motions, orders and the final judgment.

  6. Access documents when needed.

    Available public documents can be viewed through PACER, subject to redactions, restrictions and applicable fees.

How much does PACER cost?

As of October 2026, PACER lists a charge of $0.10 per page for most electronic access. Many individual documents are capped at $3, although exceptions apply.

When a user’s quarterly charges total $30 or less, those charges are automatically waived. If charges exceed the threshold, the applicable fees are billed.

PACER has announced that, beginning January 1, 2027, the per-page fee will rise to $0.12 and the automatic quarterly waiver threshold to $40.

Official references: PACER pricing and 2027 fee announcement.

Avoid unnecessary federal search costs: PACER can charge for name-search result pages even if no matching case is found. Searching a known case number and limiting the date range of a docket report can help reduce charges.
Official case filings

How to Obtain Criminal Court Documents and Certified Judgments

An online criminal docket and the actual documents filed in the case are not identical.

A docket may indicate that a judgment, motion or order exists without making that document available for online viewing.

Documents you might need

Charging document

A complaint, information or indictment identifies charges filed under the applicable criminal procedure.

Judgment or disposition

An official judgment or disposition helps establish how the court resolved the criminal charges.

Sentencing order

An order may provide information about imprisonment, probation, fines or other sentence conditions.

Appellate decision

A published or available appellate order may explain whether the judgment was affirmed, reversed or otherwise modified.

Requesting a certified criminal court record

  1. Find the case number and court.

    Use the official case search or existing court paperwork to identify the correct proceeding.

  2. Locate the court clerk’s records office.

    Search the filing court’s official website for Criminal Records, Record Requests, Certified Copies or Clerk’s Office.

  3. Identify the exact document needed.

    For example, ask for the final judgment or disposition rather than every document associated with the defendant.

  4. Confirm public availability and the fee.

    Some records are accessible through courthouse public terminals; copies, certification and archived record retrieval may involve charges.

  5. Follow the records-request instructions.

    Depending on the court, you may be able to request documents electronically, by mail or in person.

Example of a focused court records request:

I am requesting a copy of the final judgment or disposition in criminal case [case number], filed in [court name]. Please let me know whether the document is publicly available, the fee for an ordinary or certified copy, and the available request methods.

Including the case number and exact document needed helps the clerk identify the record without relying on a broad name search.

Certified versus uncertified: A screenshot, online docket or printed public summary is not necessarily a certified copy. If a court, licensing board or another institution requires certification, obtain it through the responsible clerk.
Upcoming court proceedings

How to Find Criminal Court Dates and Hearing Dockets

If you are trying to find when a criminal case will be heard, the most useful source is usually the assigned court’s online calendar or case docket.

Court systems may call these schedules Daily Docket, Court Calendar, Hearing Search, Criminal Calendar or Scheduled Hearings.

How to check a hearing date

  1. Open the official court’s calendar or case portal.

    Use the court where the case is currently assigned.

  2. Search with a case number.

    A known case number usually identifies the correct proceeding more reliably than a broad defendant-name search.

  3. Review the listed events.

    Check hearing date, start time, court, location and event description where these details are published.

  4. Confirm important appearances.

    Court calendars can change because of continuances, reassignment or emergency scheduling. Confirm with the clerk or the official notice when necessary.

Calendar entries can change. Do not rely on a previously saved search result for a required court appearance. If you are a party, follow your court notices and attorney’s instructions.
Public access charges

Are Criminal Court Records Free to Search?

Many courts permit the public to search case indexes, review basic docket information or inspect records at a courthouse without paying for a commercial background report. However, free search access does not necessarily include every document.

Service Typical availability Possible cost
State court case index Often publicly searchable Varies; some states or counties charge for particular searches.
Public criminal docket Often accessible online or at a courthouse May be free, account-based or fee-based depending on court.
Courthouse public terminal Available in many courts Inspection may be free; copies may cost extra.
Criminal case documents Depends on the court and document Copy, download or retrieval charges may apply.
Certified judgment Request through court clerk Certification and copy fees may apply.
PACER federal records Account-based federal electronic access Usage fees apply, subject to exemptions and quarterly waivers.
Official statewide criminal-history report Separate state agency process Often fee-based and subject to authorization requirements.

For example, Minnesota’s MCRO provides downloadable eligible public documents without a charge, while Kansas warns that a public case summary may be available online even though its older filed documents are not.

Cost-saving approach: Search the court index first, record the case number, identify the specific document you need and then check whether the clerk offers public inspection or an affordable ordinary copy before requesting certification.
A critical legal distinction

Criminal Court Records vs. Criminal Background Checks

A court’s criminal records system describes proceedings handled by that court. A formal criminal-history background check may combine information reported by multiple law-enforcement agencies, courts and criminal-history repositories.

This difference is particularly important when someone searches one county, finds no result and assumes that the person has no criminal history anywhere.

Criminal court records

  • Usually organized by court and case number.
  • May show charges, hearings and judgments.
  • Often accessible through public court systems.
  • Can exclude cases outside that jurisdiction.
  • May omit sealed, restricted or older records.
  • Do not necessarily confirm identity by fingerprints.

Official criminal-history records

  • Usually maintained by state or federal criminal-history agencies.
  • May contain multiple reported arrest or prosecution events.
  • Often have specific authorization requirements.
  • Fingerprint checks can provide stronger identity matching.
  • May require formal applications and fees.
  • Are not unrestricted public court databases.

Can you search another person’s FBI criminal-history record?

The FBI does not provide unrestricted public access to another person’s Identity History Summary, often called a rap sheet.

Its fingerprint-based Identity History Summary Check is a formal personal record-review process, with other disclosures governed by applicable legal authority.

See the FBI Identity History Summary Check instructions.

Search problems and missing cases

Why Criminal Court Records May Not Appear Online

A failed online search does not necessarily mean there is no case. Court portals differ in their search methods, the years covered and the records they are permitted to disclose.

Problem Likely explanation Next step
No defendant-name match Wrong spelling, wrong jurisdiction or name-search restriction. Use the case number or try a permitted search variation.
Pending criminal case missing Some jurisdictions restrict pending case name searches, including Minnesota. Check whether a case number or attorney search is required.
Case summary appears without documents Documents may be unavailable remotely or not electronically filed. Contact the clerk or check courthouse public access.
Older case is missing It may predate electronic conversion or be stored in archives. Ask the filing court about historical records.
Misdemeanor missing from felony search The county may maintain separate criminal court systems. Check county or municipal courts as appropriate.
Federal case missing from state search Federal proceedings are maintained separately. Search PACER or the relevant U.S. District Court.
Case or document is restricted Sealing, expungement, juvenile confidentiality or another legal restriction. Respect the access rules and contact the custodian about lawful procedures.
Unexpected result under a common name Different people may share identical names. Verify the defendant’s identity through lawful, reliable case information.

What if the criminal court record contains an error?

Start with the clerk of the court that maintains the original case file. Explain the specific docket entry or document you believe is incorrect and ask about the available correction process.

If the problem is instead in a state or FBI criminal-history report, the correction may need to begin with the reporting agency or criminal-history repository.

No result is not a clearance certificate. A public court search cannot establish that someone has never been arrested, charged or convicted in another county, state or federal court.
Legal access and responsible use

Are All Criminal Court Records Public?

No. Although many criminal proceedings and court files are public, access can be restricted by statute, court rule or a specific judicial order.

Examples include certain juvenile matters, sealed proceedings, expunged records, protected victim information, confidential personal identifiers and specified investigative or mental-health information.

A public court portal may also omit documents that are legally open for courthouse inspection but not suitable for unrestricted internet publication.

Can public criminal court records be used for employment screening?

Employment and other eligibility decisions can trigger additional obligations. When employers use consumer reports from a background-screening company, the Fair Credit Reporting Act generally requires appropriate notice, authorization and procedures before taking adverse action.

Federal nondiscrimination laws and state or local restrictions may also govern how criminal-history information is considered, even when the source is publicly accessible.

Official guidance: FTC and EEOC — Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know.

Use caution with old or incomplete results. An arrest is not proof of guilt, a dismissal is not a conviction, and a same-name court entry does not establish identity. Do not use an informal lookup as a substitute for a legally compliant screening process.
Common questions

Criminal Court Records Search FAQs

How can I search criminal court records online?

Visit the official state or county court where the case was filed. Open its public criminal case search, enter a case number or permitted defendant-name search, and review the matching case docket, charges, dates and dispositions. Federal cases are searched separately through PACER.

Are criminal court records free to search?

Many courts provide free public case information, but fees vary. Some charge for name searches, copies, archived records or certification. PACER federal court searches and documents are subject to usage charges and applicable waivers.

Can I find criminal court records by a person’s name?

Some official state and county court systems offer defendant-name searches. Others restrict those searches for certain cases or require a known case number. Always verify a possible match using official case details.

What is the difference between a criminal case and a criminal docket?

A criminal case is the court proceeding concerning an alleged offense. The docket is the court’s recorded list of events, filings, hearings and orders associated with that proceeding. The docket is not necessarily the complete court file.

How do I find a criminal court date?

Use the assigned court’s case search, hearing search or daily calendar. Search by case number where possible and confirm important dates with the clerk or an official court notice because hearing schedules can change.

Can I get a criminal court judgment online?

Some courts make eligible public judgments available electronically, while others provide only the disposition summary online. For a certified judgment, request the official document from the filing court’s clerk.

Where do I search federal criminal court records?

Use PACER to search U.S. District Court cases or the national PACER Case Locator when the filing district is unknown. A PACER account is required and usage fees may apply.

Why does a criminal court search show no results?

Possible reasons include a spelling mismatch, incorrect county, restricted name search, older archived case, federal rather than state jurisdiction, or a sealed or expunged record. A missing result does not establish that no record exists.

Is a criminal charge the same as a conviction?

No. A charge is an allegation. The defendant may later be convicted, acquitted, have charges dismissed or receive another outcome. Review the disposition of each count and any later court orders.

Can I use court records as an official criminal background check?

A public case lookup is not automatically a complete or legally compliant background check. State and federal criminal-history repositories use separate processes, and regulated screening decisions may require authorization, accuracy safeguards and other legal procedures.

Official government sources

Criminal Court Records: Official Search Websites and References

The following judiciary and government resources explain the search systems, public access limitations, fees and records procedures covered in this guide.

About This Criminal Court Records Guide

CriminalCourtRecord.org is an independent public-information resource that helps readers locate official criminal court websites and understand publicly accessible court records. It is not operated by any state court, county clerk, federal judiciary, police agency or criminal-history repository.

The website does not run criminal background checks, provide certified judgments or furnish consumer reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Public court information may be incomplete, restricted or later modified, and access procedures vary by jurisdiction.

For official records, court appearances, certified documents or consequential legal matters, verify information directly with the responsible court or government agency.

Official sources checked: October 2026.

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