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Case number format guide

PACER Case Locator case number format

Use the documented format cues and official entry route below before you try a case-number or party-name search.

Independent tool. Not a court, government agency, law firm, or background-check service.

Jurisdiction added — enter a case detail when available

Private by design. Matching happens in this browser. Case numbers and names are not uploaded or stored here.

24 verified official routes · Last reviewed 2026-07-22

U.S. federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts

Verified official output

Your official court route

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  1. Best official match

    Verified 2026-07-22

    PACER Case Locator

    U.S. federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts

    Official sourcepacer.uscourts.gov/find-case/search-national-index

    Open official search
    Search by
    Case number · Party name
    Cost
    Usage fees may apply
    Account
    Registration required

    Why this route: This page is already focused on this official portal · Federal matches the selected jurisdiction · PACER Case Locator matches the selected court

    Registration, format, access, and source details
    Court level
    Federal / federal
    Query methods
    Case number · Party name
    Registration
    Registration required
    Fees
    Usage fees may apply
    Case number format
    Many federal district CM/ECF dockets use division:year-case-type-sequence, sometimes followed by judge initials. This is a district-court signal, not a universal PACER format: appellate and bankruptcy courts can use different local forms.
    Last verified
    2026-07-22
    Public / restricted
    Public records with court-specific sealed or restricted exclusions

    Use the nationwide index when you do not know the exact federal court. Switch to the specific court once you identify the filing court.

    Public docket reports and many filings are available, but sealed and protected records are excluded.

    Case number format guide Court source page

Officially documented format evidence

Case-number cues for PACER Case Locator

Many federal district CM/ECF dockets use division:year-case-type-sequence, sometimes followed by judge initials. This is a district-court signal, not a universal PACER format: appellate and bankruptcy courts can use different local forms.

Published examples

The official source documents the number components but does not publish a reusable sample number.

Signals used by this matcher

  • Federal district CM/ECF signal: division, year, case type, and sequence

Verified route ledger

PACER Case Locator official route ledger

Scan the court, search methods, expected cost, and verification date. Expand only the route you need.

01 Federal / federal PACER Case Locator U.S. federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts Search byCase number · Party name CostUsage fees may apply Verified2026-07-22
Registration
Registration required
Record access
Public records with court-specific sealed or restricted exclusions
Case number guidance
Many federal district CM/ECF dockets use division:year-case-type-sequence, sometimes followed by judge initials. This is a district-court signal, not a universal PACER format: appellate and bankruptcy courts can use different local forms.

Registration is free. Self-service PACER use is billed at $0.10 per page, and no bill is issued unless quarterly charges exceed $30.

Public docket reports and many filings are available, but sealed and protected records are excluded.

Open official search
Case number format guide Court source page

How the route is chosen

Three checks before one official click

The tool never searches court records itself. It narrows the right entry point and exposes the rules before handoff.

  1. 01

    Read the detail

    Use a case number, citation, party name, hearing task, or any combination you already have.

  2. 02

    Resolve jurisdiction

    State, county, court, case type, and documented number formats raise or lower each route.

  3. 03

    Verify before handoff

    See the official host, accepted search methods, account requirement, fees, and access limits first.

Trust boundaries

Clear limits, no broker-style promises

Official court systems remain the authority. This page helps you choose the right one without claiming access it does not have.

What this tool does

It identifies the most likely court or clerk path, lists supported search methods, and shows fee, registration, format, and public-record warnings before you leave.

What it never does

It does not sell background-check reports, impersonate a government agency, scrape restricted records, or promise access to sealed, juvenile, expunged, or protected files.

Why the court still matters

Hearing dates, docket availability, fees, and portal rules can change. Confirm time-sensitive or legally significant information with the court of record.

Next official path

Related lookup guides

Federal case lookup
Terms & Privacy

Terms of Use

Case Number Lookup is an independent directory that helps you reach official U.S. court search portals. It is not a court, clerk, law firm, or background-check service.

You are responsible for confirming any filing, hearing, deadline, or record status directly with the court that owns the case. Courts can change portals, fees, and access rules without notice.

We do not promise that every jurisdiction is covered or that every number format is accepted exactly as shown here. Format guidance is a practical lookup aid, not legal advice.

Restricted, sealed, juvenile, expunged, and otherwise protected records may not appear in public portals even when a case exists.

Use of this site is at your own risk. We provide information “as is” and disclaim warranties to the maximum extent allowed by law.