How to Look Up a State Court Case Online
By The National Press Association editorial team · Last reviewed:
First, identify the correct state, county, and court. If the court has an online portal or search engine, check whether you can search by case number or party name. Portals like North Carolina's and New York's allow guest searches. California criminal proceeding records may be courthouse-only; sealed or confidential records may be unavailable.
Key takeaways
- Pin down the state, county, and court level before you search.
- Look for a guest search option. North Carolina and New York both offer one.
- Search by case number, case caption, or party name, and learn the portal's number format.
- Sealed, confidential, and some criminal records may not be online.
- Confirm details with the clerk of court, and read the portal's own help pages.
Why do state court searches vary so much?
Court filings are considered public records, but how easy they are to find varies widely by jurisdiction [1]. Individual court websites may offer public search engines for their docket information [1].
Expect to learn a new system each time you work in a new court. This guide uses North Carolina, California, and New York as examples. Each shows a different part of the picture. Your state may work differently, so check your state's law and the court's own help pages.
How do you find the right court first?
Before you open any portal, pin down three things: the state, the county, and the court level. In North Carolina, paper files for court cases may be accessed at the clerk of court's office in the county where the case is located [2].
County matters. In North Carolina, paper files for court cases may be accessed by visiting the clerk of court's office in the county where the case is located [2]. North Carolina also tells people with questions about case information or court file documents to contact the clerk of superior court in that county [3].
Court names can mislead you. In New York, the Supreme Court is a trial court, and the state's top court is the Court of Appeals [4]. In most other places, the Supreme Court is the top court [4]. If you are hunting for a New York trial case, do not skip the Supreme Court because of its name [4].
If you cannot tell which court holds a case, ask the clerk of court in the likely county. Ask which court has it and where the records are kept.
What can you search by?
Search options depend on the court. The examples below show what two states say.
Case numbers can follow a set format. North Carolina's Enterprise Justice system uses four parts: a two-digit year, case-type letters, a six-digit sequence number, and a three-digit county identifier [3]. Knowing the parts helps you enter the number correctly [3].
Partial numbers can still work. North Carolina's Portal allows wildcard searches by case number [3]. You enter at least four characters, then an asterisk [3]. Use this when you know only the start of a number [3].
Names and captions matter too. California's rule says a court may grant electronic access to a record only when the record is identified by case number, case caption, or party name, and only case by case [5]. Bring at least one of those to your search [5].
Once you find a case, look for the summary view. North Carolina's Portal Smart Search provides a detailed Case Summary, which the court also calls the Register of Actions [3]. Your state's portal may label this page differently, so look for a docket or case summary.
Document · North Carolina Judicial Branch
Portal Advanced User Guide: Accessing Judicial Records (07/16/2024)
Document from North Carolina Judicial Branch. Open at nccourts.gov. Content from nccourts.gov loads only if you click.
How do you look up a case on a state court portal?
These steps use North Carolina and New York as examples. Your court's screens will differ.
- Confirm the court. Know the state, county, and court level first. Check whether the court has its own website, since individual court websites may provide public search engines [1].
- Look for a guest option. North Carolina does not require registration for anonymous users to search and view publicly available court information [3]. New York's NYSCEF lets you choose Search as Guest if you have no user ID and password [6].
- Do not count on registering to get more. In North Carolina, registering for Portal does not give extra access, and registered users have the same access as anonymous public users [3].
- Search by case number if you have one. Enter it in the format the portal uses [3].
- Try a party name or a wildcard if you do not have the number. In North Carolina, a wildcard needs at least four characters plus an asterisk [3].
- Open the case summary or docket. In North Carolina, that is the Case Summary, also called the Register of Actions [3].
- Write down the court, the case number, and the date you looked. Confirm anything important with the clerk of court [3].
Video from NC Courts (official North Carolina Judicial Branch YouTube channel). Open at youtube.com. Content from youtube.com loads only if you click.
How does New York's system work?
New York's e-filing system is called NYSCEF. Its official manual explains that you can search cases as a guest by choosing Search as Guest [6].
A Columbia University library guide says NYSCEF offers full dockets with PDF documents, but only from courts authorized for e-filing [4]. A case from a court that is not authorized for e-filing may not show a full docket there [4].
The same guide describes WebCriminal. It says the tool covers only criminal cases with a future court appearance scheduled [4]. It does not include dockets [4]. A criminal case with no upcoming date may not appear there [4].
If a case does not show up in either tool, ask the court clerk how to see the file.
What is online, and what requires the clerk's office?
A portal is a starting point. It may not hold everything.
In North Carolina, criminal case information can be accessed at a public self-service terminal at a clerk of court's office in any county [2]. In North Carolina, paper files may be accessed by visiting the clerk of court's office in the county where the case is located [2]. Copies may be made of court documents for a fee [2]. Ask the clerk what copies cost and how to request them.
Do not assume a police report is in the file. North Carolina's Judicial Branch says the complete police report may not be a public record [2]. It also says the report may not be available unless discovery rules in a criminal case require it [2].
Keep notes on every request: who you asked, when, and what they said. If you want a record that documents your work as a reporter, see how a press credential can document your work. An NPA credential is not government-issued. It does not give you legal rights or special access to records.
What may not be online?
Some records are sealed, confidential, or limited to the courthouse.
California's trial court rule says all electronic court records must be reasonably available to the public in some form, electronic or paper [5]. The exceptions are records sealed by court order or made confidential by law [5].
California also lists categories that courts may not offer remotely [5]. For those, the court must provide electronic access at the courthouse where feasible, but not public remote access [5]. Records in a criminal proceeding are on that list [5].
"Feasible" has a set meaning in that rule. The court must provide electronic access to the extent it decides it has the resources and technical capacity [5]. What you can see from your desk may differ from court to court [5].
North Carolina limits elevated access to restricted case types or non-public information. Only users with a verified business need and authority granted by statute are approved [3]. North Carolina says registering for Portal does not provide additional access to information or restricted case types [3].
A missing case is not proof that no case exists. It may be sealed by court order or made confidential by law, or it may be available only at the courthouse [5]. [2]
Do you have a legal right to see court records?
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press publishes an overview. It says the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently recognized a presumptive First Amendment right of public and press access to judicial proceedings in criminal cases [7]. It also says the Court has not directly addressed whether there is a constitutional right of access to civil proceedings [7].
The overview quotes the Supreme Court on one more point. Courts recognize a general right to inspect and copy public records and documents, including judicial records [7].
Those are broad statements. Availability varies widely by jurisdiction, as the North Carolina and California examples show [1]. [5] [3] If a clerk denies you a record you believe is public, ask which rule or court order limits it. For advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer. The Reporters Committee's Open Courts Compendium is a good place to read further [7].
What cautions should you keep in mind?
Do not use a portal for background checks where the court says not to. North Carolina says people doing background checks should use the county clerk's office, not Portal [2].
Confirm case details with the clerk of court before you rely on them. North Carolina points people with questions about court file documents to the clerk in the county where the case sits [3].
Read the portal's help pages and training material. North Carolina has a Portal training and resources page, and New York has a NYSCEF user manual [3]. [6]
If you want to join a professional group for independent journalists, you can join the National Press Association. Membership is not a government credential. It does not give you legal rights or special access.
Quick checklist
- Know the state, county, and court level.
- Gather a case number, case caption, or party name [5].
- Look for a guest search option before you create an account [3].
- Open the Register of Actions or docket and save the details [3].
- Ask the clerk whether paper files or courthouse terminals are available; North Carolina, for example, offers both at county clerk offices [2].
- Remember that sealed, confidential, and restricted records may not appear [5].
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone look up a state court case online, or do you need an account?
It depends on the state. North Carolina says anonymous users can search and view publicly available court information without registering. New York's NYSCEF has a Search as Guest option. Other states differ, so check the court's own website for its rules.
What information do I need to search for a state court case?
California's rule allows electronic access only when a record is identified by case number, caption, or party name, and only case by case; other courts may differ. In North Carolina, it has four parts: year, case-type letters, sequence number, and county identifier. California's rule says electronic access depends on a case number, case caption, or party name. Bring at least one of these.
Why can't I find a case I know exists?
It may be sealed, restricted, or limited to courthouse access. California's trial court rule lists records in a criminal proceeding among those courts may not provide public remote access to, with courthouse electronic access where feasible. A Columbia University library guide says New York's WebCriminal covers only criminal cases with a future court appearance scheduled and does not include dockets. The case may also sit in a different court. Ask the clerk.
Are state court records free to view online, and can I get copies?
The research we used does not say whether online viewing costs anything. North Carolina says copies of court documents may be made for a fee, and paper files are at the county clerk's office. Ask the clerk about costs and how to request copies.
Is there one national website for all state court cases?
The research we used does not point to one. It says court filings are public records, but availability varies widely by jurisdiction. Individual court websites may offer their own public search engines for docket information.
What do I do if the case documents are not online?
Contact the clerk of court in the county where the case is located. North Carolina says paper files are available at the clerk's office, and criminal case information is available at self-service terminals there. Ask what you may view.
Answers restate the sourced facts on this page.
NPA membership is separate from any credential an agency issues
The National Press Association credential is a private association credential. It is not government-issued, it does not give you legal rights, and it does not guarantee access to any event, venue, or agency. It can serve as identity verification and supporting documentation alongside your published work. It is free to apply.
Sources
- Court Records & Briefs (research guide), Duke University School of Law library (secondary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Obtaining Court Records, North Carolina Judicial Branch (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Portal Training and Resources, North Carolina Judicial Branch (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Reporting on New York City: Courts, Columbia University Libraries (secondary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- California Rules of Court, Rule 2.503. Application and scope, Judicial Branch of California (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- New York State Courts Electronic Filing (NYSCEF) System User Manual, New York State Unified Court System (primary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
- Open Courts Compendium: Overview, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (secondary source; retrieved October 24, 2026)
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