Finding a Case by Docket Number

You can retrieve a case when you know its docket number:

At the Home page, click Find a Case by Docket Number.
Type the court docket number of the case in the Type a Docket Number text box, select a jurisdiction, and click GO.

For example, to retrieve a U.S. district court case from Minnesota, type its docket number (e.g., 01-846mjdsrn), select U.S. district courts, select Minnesota from the drop-down list, and click GO.
If you are not already registered or signed on, you will be prompted to do so.

Either the case or a list of cases with the docket number you entered is displayed. If a list is displayed, you are not charged until you click a link to display a case.

To browse the retrieved case using headnotes, click a headnote number. You will jump to the beginning of the corresponding paragraph in the text. To return to the headnote, click the highlighted paragraph number in the text.
To access KeyCite information for the retrieved case, click the KeyCite status flag (if available) at the top of the case or click KeyCite this headnote from a headnote. See Checking a Document in KeyCite and Viewing Citing References from a Case Headnote for details.
To print the case, click Print Doc. See Printing Documents for details.
To retrieve a document that is cited in the retrieved document, click its hypertext link.
If your Find request retrieved a list of cases, you can retrieve the next or previous case in the list by clicking a Doc arrow at the bottom of the displayed case.