There are still many US District courts that offer free opinions online. However most are only "recent", or of a "public interest". US District courts have never offered comprehensive listings of free opinions online through their web sites.
With the latest version of CM/ECF (for which you need a PACER account) written opinions are provided for free. This new version is not being used by all CM/ECF courts yet, but will be soon. http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/announcements/general/cmecf_relnotes.html
To see which courts still offer free opinions check Legal Dockets Online. Mr. Friedman already has a free account.
PACER has been around for well over a decade providing docket sheets through dial-up and web interfaces.
Paul M. Bush
Electronic Services Analyst
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
<http://www.friedfrank.com/> http://www.friedfrank.com
Founder & Web Manager
Legal Dockets Online
<http://www.legaldockets.com/> http://www.LegalDockets.com
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu]On Behalf Of Jacoby, Robert Andrew
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 9:37 AM
To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Pacer and District Court Opinions
I have a professor who, as part of his blog http://religionclause.blogspot.com/ wants to be able to link to new federal district court opinions. The problem is that it seems the only way to get them is through PACER, although the opinions used to be available for free on the courts' websites. He wants to know the history of when and why the courts went over to PACER, and, if possible, any sites that have current federal district court opinions up that are available for linking. Court of Appeals and Supreme Court opinions are not a problem here, only District Court Opinions.
I haven't been able to find too much via the law-lib archive, or LL Journal. Is there anyplace else I should be looking? (I must admit to not having paid too much attention to this issue before.)
Thanks,
Robert
Robert Jacoby
Reference/Electronic Services Librarian
LaValley Law Library
University of Toledo
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