Skill: public-records-research-specialist
Time: ~30 minutes

Goal

Find dockets and key filings in federal court without overspending on downloads.

Steps

1. Access PACER via an account; understand per-page fees.
2. Search by party name and jurisdiction; disambiguate common names with middle initials.
3. Open docket report; identify complaint, key orders, and scheduling entries.
4. Download only necessary PDFs; note cost in your budget log.
5. For high-profile cases, check RECAP / CourtListener mirrors for free copies when lawful.
6. Cite docket number, court, and filing date in publications.

Pitfalls

• Sealed matters will not appear.
• Same name can refer to a different person.

Next steps

• Tutorial — OpenSecrets political money
• Tutorial — DocumentCloud annotation workflow