How to Use PACER for True Crime Research: Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you want to research true crime cases using primary sources instead of secondhand news reports, PACER is where you start.

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is the federal court system’s online database. It contains millions of case files from all 94 federal district courts, 13 courts of appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court—documents that form the backbone of serious true crime research.

This isn’t the dramatized version of events. These are sworn statements, official charges, and documented evidence that survived legal scrutiny.

The problem? PACER wasn’t designed for casual users. The interface is dated, the search functions are quirky, and knowing where to look matters more than knowing how to search.

This tutorial walks you through the entire process—from creating your account to downloading the documents that will transform how you understand criminal cases.

Related: For a complete overview of court document research methodology, see our Complete Guide to Court Document True Crime Research.

What You’ll Need

Before starting:

• Email address for account registration
• Basic case information (defendant name, approximate date, or case number)
• Payment method (though most casual users stay under the free threshold)

Cost note: PACER charges $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. However, if your quarterly charges stay under $30, the fees are waived entirely. Most true crime researchers never pay a cent.

Step 1: Create Your PACER Account

Register at PACER.uscourts.gov

1. Go to pacer.uscourts.gov
2. Click “Register for an Account”
3. Select “Register for a PACER Account” (not the attorney option)
4. Complete the registration form with your personal information
5. Create a username and password
6. Verify your email address

Important: Your account won’t be active immediately. Expect 24-48 hours for activation, though it’s often faster.

Account Types

• Individual Account: What most researchers need. Full access to case search and document viewing.
• Exempt Account: For qualified users (journalists, nonprofits). Requires application and approval.

For true crime research purposes, an individual account provides everything you need.

Step 2: Understand the PACER Structure

PACER isn’t one database—it’s a network of databases, one for each federal court. Understanding this structure saves hours of frustration.

The Court System Hierarchy

For true crime research, you’ll spend 95% of your time in district courts. That’s where criminal cases are tried, where plea agreements are filed, and where sentencing happens.

Finding the Right Court

Federal crimes are prosecuted in the district where they occurred. If you know where the crime happened, you can narrow your search:

• New York City: Southern District of New York (SDNY) or Eastern District of New York (EDNY)
• Los Angeles: Central District of California
• Chicago: Northern District of Illinois
• Miami: Southern District of Florida

Pro tip: If you’re unsure which district, use the national case locator (covered in Step 3) to search across all courts at once.

Step 3: Search for Cases

Option A: Case Locator (Search All Courts)

The PACER Case Locator searches across all federal courts simultaneously. This is your best starting point when you don’t know the jurisdiction.

1. Log into PACER
2. Click “Case Locator” from the main menu
3. Enter search criteria:
   • Party Name: Defendant’s last name, first name
   • Date Range: When the case was filed (expand if unsure)
   • Case Type: Select “Criminal” to filter out civil cases
4. Click Search

Search tips:

• Use partial names if unsure of spelling (e.g., “Thust” instead of “Thuston”)
• Criminal cases often list both “USA v. [Defendant]” format
• Expand date ranges if you don’t find results—cases can take years from crime to filing

Option B: Court-Specific Search (When You Know the Jurisdiction)

If you know the court, searching directly in that court’s CM/ECF system often gives better results:

1. From PACER, select the specific court
2. Use Query to search by:
   • Case number (if you have it)
   • Party name
   • Date filed

Understanding Case Numbers

Federal case numbers follow a standard format:

1:23-cr-00456-ABC

• 1: Division within the district
• 23: Year filed (2023)
• cr: Case type (cr = criminal, cv = civil)
• 00456: Sequential case number
• ABC: Judge’s initials

Once you have a case number, you can pull up the complete docket instantly.

Step 4: Navigate the Docket

When you find your case, you’ll see the docket—a chronological list of every document filed in the case.

Key Documents to Look For

Reading the Docket

Dockets are listed chronologically. Scroll to find the documents you need, or use Ctrl+F to search the page for keywords like “plea” or “sentencing.”

Cost awareness: Clicking a docket entry shows you the document list. You’re only charged when you actually open/download documents.

Step 5: Download Documents

Viewing vs. Downloading

• View: Opens the document in your browser (charges apply)
• Download: Saves a PDF to your computer (charges apply once)

Strategy: If a document is longer than 30 pages, it will cost $3.00 regardless (the per-document cap). For shorter documents, costs are $0.10 per page.

What to Download First

For true crime research, prioritize these documents in order:

1. Statement of Facts / Factual Basis — The clearest narrative of what happened
2. Plea Agreement — What was actually admitted vs. merely alleged
3. Indictment — The formal charges and statutory violations
4. Sentencing Memoranda — Both sides’ full arguments and context
5. Judgment — The official sentence

These five document types will give you 90% of what you need for most cases.

Staying Under the Free Threshold

PACER waives fees if you stay under $30 per quarter. Here’s how to manage costs:

• Check page counts before opening documents
• Download strategically—get the key documents first
• Use one session per case to minimize redundant access
• Consider using CourtListener (free alternative for many documents)

Step 6: Organize Your Research

Create a Case Folder

For each case you research, create a folder structure:

/Case_Name_Year/
├── 01_Indictment.pdf
├── 02_Plea_Agreement.pdf
├── 03_Statement_of_Facts.pdf
├── 04_Sentencing_Memo_Govt.pdf
├── 05_Sentencing_Memo_Def.pdf
├── 06_Judgment.pdf
└── Notes.md

Numbering files helps maintain chronological order.

Track Your Sources

For each document, note:

• Case number (e.g., 1:23-cr-00456)
• Document number from the docket
• Date filed
• Court (e.g., Eastern District of Virginia)

This attribution trail lets you—and your audience—verify every claim.

Common Challenges and Solutions

“I can’t find the case”

• Try variations: Names may be spelled differently in court records
• Expand date range: There’s often a delay between crime and charges
• Check state courts: Not all crimes are federal. Murder, for example, is usually state-level unless it involves federal property or crosses state lines.
• Use news reports to find jurisdiction: News stories often mention where charges were filed

“The document is sealed”

Some documents (particularly those involving minors, cooperating witnesses, or ongoing investigations) are sealed. You’ll see a docket entry but can’t access the content. This is normal—work with what’s available.

“I’m being charged for every search”

Searches are free. You’re only charged when you open documents. If you’re seeing unexpected charges, you may be accidentally clicking into documents.

Free Alternatives to PACER

CourtListener (courtlistener.com)

CourtListener, run by Free Law Project, mirrors many PACER documents for free. Check here first—you may find what you need without any cost.

RECAP Browser Extension

The RECAP extension (for Chrome/Firefox) automatically uploads documents you access on PACER to CourtListener, building the free archive. It also alerts you when free versions exist.

Public Access Terminals

Federal courthouses have free PACER access terminals. If you’re researching extensively, visiting the courthouse can save significant money.

Putting It Into Practice

Every episode of True Crime Cases You Haven’t Heard starts with PACER research. Here’s how court documents transformed our understanding of real cases:

Betrayal of Justice: The Linus Thuston Story — The court documents revealed details about the abuse of power that never appeared in news coverage.

Inside a Serial Fraudster’s Playbook — PACER records from multiple jurisdictions traced the defendant’s pattern of fraud across years and states—a pattern invisible from any single news report.

Field of Schemes: The $142M Organic Fraud — The plea agreement and statement of facts documented exactly how Randy Constant fooled USDA inspectors for years. The detail in these documents made the story.

Next Steps

Now that you know how to access federal court records, you can:

1. Research a case that interests you — Start with cases you’ve heard about and see what the documents reveal
2. Compare documents to news coverage — Notice what details appear in court records that media missed
3. Learn to read specific document types — We’ll cover indictments, plea agreements, and sentencing memoranda in upcoming tutorials

Continue learning: Return to my Complete Guide to Court Document True Crime Research for the full methodology.

Quick Reference: PACER Checklist

• Create account at pacer.uscourts.gov
• Use Case Locator for initial search
• Note the case number once found
• Download: Statement of Facts, Plea Agreement, Indictment
• Download: Sentencing Memoranda (both sides)
• Download: Judgment
• Organize files with case number and document numbers
• Check CourtListener for free alternatives

FAQ

How much does PACER cost?

$0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. Quarterly fees under $30 are waived, so most casual researchers pay nothing.

Can I access state court records through PACER?

No. PACER is federal courts only. State court access varies by state—some have online systems, others require in-person requests.

How far back do PACER records go?

Most courts have electronic records from approximately 1999 to present. Older cases may require contacting the court directly.

Is PACER information public?

Yes. Federal court records are public by default, though some documents (involving minors, sealed proceedings, etc.) may be restricted.

Can I use PACER documents in my own content?

Federal court documents are public records and generally not copyrighted. Proper attribution is good practice: cite the case number, court, and document.

Last updated: December 2025

Steve Rhode Podcaster - Investigator

30-year investigative journalist, former police dispatcher, and SAR pilot. Host of True Crime Cases You Haven't Heard podcast.

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