How-To: Get Free Access to PACER
| Background: | You are litigating your case in federal court |
| Problem: | You cannot afford the access fees to online court records |
| Solution: | You move the Court to exempt you from PACER access fees |
I. Legal Citations
II. Samples
| # | Comments | ₧ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | TBD case. Plaintiff's Filing (pro se). Poor Person. Calculation Included. Affidavit Included. |  |
III. Templates
| # | Link | Comments | ₧ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Replace all of the placeholder tags with real information (eg "[plfName]" becomes "John Doe"). |  |
IV. Quick Commentary
- Legal Note: Read this useful decision on the matter
- The template is designed for indigents
- Click Here to learn more
- Bad News: Your Judge might only grant you free access for your case's docket.
- Good News: It only takes 20-50 minutes to complete (even faster with the use of TBD's template!)
- Better News: This is a great introduction into using 'standards for review' for testing the validity of a motion or petition
- Please download as many sample documents as you'd like
- Proofread your document as much as possible.
- Save the final version as a PDF file.
- Email the PDF to the other party (read about Serving Court Documents here).
- File the document with your federal court.
V. Additional Notes
- Total Time needed ≈ 0-1 hours
- The 'Standard for Review' comes from the Judicial Conference of the United States
- External Link: https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/fees/electronic-public-access-fee-schedule
- Four-Part Test. You must show that:
- (a) the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable burdens;
- (b) the exemption will promote public access to information;
- (c) you will not sell/transfer the data obtained; and
- (d) you will only need access for a specific period.
- The Court might ask you to supply your email address (the one the Court will use to alert you of docket entries).
VI. Additional Resources
- Item 1.02: Electronic Filing, Pro Se Handbook (USNYWD)
VII. Bibliography
VIII. Conclusion
...POINTS & THINGS...
Please get the justice you deserve.
Sincerely,
www.TextBookDiscrimination.com
