Link to the PDF

Your friendly neighborhood consumer of legal journalism, encouraging access to primary-source court documents. A manifesto:

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

I’m just a lawyer, standing in front of a reporter, asking her to link to the PDF. 🏛

Here’s why:

https://t.co/ob12LxXo84

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

A stupendously good overview of the PACER Problem and attempts to fix it, from @SeamusHughes and Peter Beck of Court Watch. Thought that judicial order unsealing a filing would make it public? No, you may need a Motion to Unseal But For Real This Time ⚖️🫣

[Seamus Hughes @SeamusHughes]

Prosecutors are ignoring judicial rules, clerks are requiring new court orders for documents already ordered unsealed, and judges are rubber stamping excessive redactions.

Our Sunday story about the state of transparency in the U.S. judicial system.

https://t.co/yK1JXFYlqF

[Seamus Hughes @SeamusHughes]

Prosecutors are ignoring judicial rules, clerks are requiring new court orders for documents already ordered unsealed, and judges are rubber stamping excessive redactions.

Our Sunday story about the state of transparency in the U.S. judicial system.

https://t.co/yK1JXFYlqF

[Abhi Kambli @AbhiKambli1984]

Pure insanity from the federal court filing system that everyone is required to use. While we’re at it we should eliminate the fees that PACER charges and have an accessible court system that anyone can utilize for free.

[Eric W. @EWess92]

I 100% agree with Trent. Something weird is going on with the courts. Why are they *mandating* user multifactor authentication? Why are they mandating changing every six months? People will start using passwords like idiots use on their luggage!

[Trent McCotter @TrentMcCotter]

Stop the PACER password madness. First MFA then this, which means everyone will write down PWs, making them less safe. No basis to believe PACER was compromised from filer side. Next: passwords must be 255 characters, changed every 24 hrs, accessible only from a SCIF.

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@DavidDavid97609 @marcorandazza Shucks! Very kind, but primary sources shouldn’t be heroic—we’re out to change that 🦸 And props to @marcorandazza, who is out there doing the work on court access and overreach, including indefatigably in this case.

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@jmetr22b We’d love to read more than just a half paragraph of this!

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

Don’t even get us started on state courts… @TylerMcBrien

[A. Mando @AMandoSch]

Oh, and they are super expensive too when it comes to filings because they can't balance a budget and rely on charging you $200.00 to $475.00 for any substantive filing and you are lucky if you can file a Proof of Service for under $20.00 these days.

And let's not discuss the .50 a page cost to pull something from the docket if they even permit online access in the first place (Looking at your Orange County). LA Superior docket is pretty solid however, not great, but better.

But hey, access to Justice and the Courts for all, right?

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

“Americans should not have to sell plasma or wrestle with clunky government websites just to read public court records.” 💯

[Benjamin S. Weiss @BenjaminSWeiss]

Opponents of free PACER have claimed that implementing reforms could cost $2 billion and that filing fees would increase to cover costs of removing the existing paywall, but proponents say it would instead save tens of millions in operating costs.

Full report: https://t.co/OYE0SQ7Pag

[Nick Penzenstadler @npenzenstadler]

The bipartisan bill to end the PACER paywall has been reintroduced by Sens. Kennedy/Wyden. Read it here: https://t.co/JWDpYAD9YG (h/t @FixTheCourt)

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

And @Law360 even links the bill’s PDF! ❤️🔗

[Law360 @Law360]

U.S. Sens. John Kennedy and Ron Wyden on Tuesday jointly introduced the Open Courts Act, which they said would modernize the court records systems PACER and CM/ECF. https://t.co/x4EUkK7eBX #Law360Pulse

[Courtney Bublé @courtneybuble]

Wyden and Kennedy introduced a bill to modernize PACER

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@RobertFreundLaw Could we see this PDF? Presumably it’s not on only the dark web 🕸️

[Keeks 🦋 @DietCoke_Esq]

Girls just want functional e-filing platforms

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@TylerMcBrien Heck yes!! Sent around your unbelievable state docket resource to my day-job colleagues when you posted it. So, so needed. https://t.co/o2b292iEkU

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

Shout out to @rparloff for encouraging the media to #LinktothePDF in their legal reporting on the law on this week’s @lawfarepodcast! See link in our bio for all the many reasons why ⛓️‍💥

[Tyler McBrien @TylerMcBrien]

@LinkToThePDF Yes it was! I’m down with the movement: https://t.co/imHhgQs43E

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@Tereina_ @alittleleader You answered the call! Thanks so much!

[Link to the PDF @LinkToThePDF]

@Elbi_L_Lug @ProudSocialist @OrinKerr Ah I see, that was us misreading your post. And you’re most welcome! Little by little, PDF by linked PDF.