There are four categories on the left side of the search bar, each with a check box. The currently visible cateogry is highlighted yellow. To search multiple categories at once, place a check mark next to each desired category. Note if none are selected, the search will default to all categories. You must select additional search parameters (keyword, judicial officer, date range) if you specify a case category.
To search for specific words, enter one or more keywords in the search term box, then click the Search button. To search for a phrase, enclose it in quotes, "like this." Keywords and search terms are not case sensitive. You do not need to use wildcards.
To search by case number, enter the case number in xx-yyy format in the keywords box. The first two digits before the dash are the year in which the case was opened. If this year is 2000 through 2009, include the leading zero for best results.
To search by judicial officer (a particular judge or special master), click the drop-down menu "(judicial officer)" then make your selection from the list. If you decide to not search for a specific judicial officer, choose "(judicial officer)" from the list.
Dates are expected to be month/day/year format, also known as mm/dd/yyyy format. If you use a dash/hyphen as the separator, the search engine will expect the date to be in yyyy-mm-dd format (in other words, the year comes first; this is the European format).
Search results will have relevant terms highlighted so you can see why a particular item appears in the results. Note: Results are limited to 500 items; if your search returns 500 items, try adjusting it to get more specific results.
To clear your search results and view posted opinions, click on one of the category labels.
To close this help text, click on the Help! button again, or click the blue X in the upper right corner of this box.