To get a copy of a court order, contact the clerk of court’s office where the case was heard, give them the case number and a description of the document you need, choose a plain or certified copy, and pay the fee. In federal district courts, a plain copy runs $0.50 per page and certification adds $12 per document.1United States Courts. District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule State court rates vary. You can usually make the request in person, by mail, or online.
What to Have Ready Before You Ask
The case number is the one detail that makes everything else fast. With it, a clerk can pull the docket and every filed document in seconds.
If you don’t have it, gather the full legal names of all parties, the exact court that issued the order (including the county and division, such as Superior Court or Family Court), and the approximate date the judge signed it. Those details often appear on other paperwork from the case: the original complaint, a motion, or correspondence from an attorney.
Searching without a case number costs extra. Federal district courts charge $34 per name or item when a clerk has to search the records manually.1United States Courts. District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule State court search fees vary widely. A few minutes tracking down the case number ahead of time can save real money.
How to Submit the Request
In Person at the Clerk’s Office
Going to the courthouse where the order was issued is the most direct route. You fill out a request form, give the clerk your case details, pay the fee, and in many offices leave with the copy the same day. Bring an accepted form of payment. Most clerks take cash, checks, and money orders, and a growing number also accept credit or debit cards.
By Mail
Send a written request to the clerk’s office that includes the case number (or the identifying details above), a description of the specific document you need, and payment by check or money order. A self-addressed stamped envelope speeds the return. Call first to confirm the exact amount. Overpaying means waiting for a refund; underpaying means your request sits until you send the difference. Expect a few business days of processing plus mail time.
Online for Federal Cases
Federal courts make most records available through PACER, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system. You create an account, search for the case, and download documents at $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document.2PACER: Federal Court Records. PACER Pricing: How Fees Work If your total PACER charges stay at $30 or less for the quarter, the fees are waived entirely.3United States Courts. Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule For someone who just needs a single order, that waiver will almost certainly cover it.
Courts can also grant fee exemptions case by case for unrepresented litigants or people who can show that paying the fees would be an unreasonable burden.4PACER: Federal Court Records. Options to Access Records if You Cannot Afford PACER Fees
One thing PACER won’t give you: a certified copy. Downloads are plain copies. If you need certification, you’ll have to request it from the clerk’s office directly.
Online for State and Local Cases
Many state and local courts run their own electronic portals for searching dockets and viewing documents. Quality varies. Some states offer full document downloads, while others only show case summaries and hearing calendars. A few systems now allow ordering certified copies electronically. Check the court’s website first; if online access isn’t available, in-person or mail requests remain the fallback.
Plain, Certified, or Exemplified: Which Do You Need
A plain copy is a standard photocopy for your own reference. It has no official seal or signature and won’t satisfy another court or government agency that demands proof of authenticity. In federal district courts, plain copies cost $0.50 per page.1United States Courts. District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule State court rates for plain copies generally fall somewhere between $0.25 and $1.00 per page.
A certified copy carries the clerk’s signature and the court’s official seal, attesting that it’s a true and accurate duplicate of the original. This is what government agencies, banks, schools, and other courts typically require. The federal certification fee is $12 per document, on top of the per-page copying charge.1United States Courts. District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule State certification fees run roughly $5 to $25 depending on the jurisdiction. If you aren’t sure which type you need, get the certified copy. A plain copy can’t be upgraded after the fact without making a new request.
An exemplified copy goes one layer further. It includes the clerk’s certification plus a judge’s written confirmation that the clerk who signed it actually has authority to do so. This extra authentication is sometimes required when a court order from one state is presented to a court in another state. The federal exemplification fee is $24 per document.5United States Courts. U.S. Court of Federal Claims Fee Schedule Not every situation calls for one, but if you’re using a court order from one state in legal proceedings in another, the receiving court may insist on it.
Getting an Older or Archived Federal Record
Federal courts don’t keep paper files forever. After a case closes, records follow a disposition schedule based on the case type and seriousness. Docket sheets, case indices, and judgment books are classified as permanent and transfer to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) when they reach 25 years old. Significant criminal case files transfer to NARA 15 years after the case closes, or 30 years for electronic records.6United States Courts. Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 10, Appx. 6B – Records Disposition Schedule 2
Less significant records are destroyed on a set schedule. Petty offense and misdemeanor records are typically destroyed five years after final action. Non-trial criminal cases with sentences of 15 years or less are destroyed 15 years after the case closes. If you’re chasing an old file, timing matters. Wait too long and it may no longer exist.
Once a record reaches NARA, you request it through the National Archives rather than the court. NARA doesn’t allow public browsing of court files on-site at its Federal Records Centers. You order reproductions online, by mail, fax, or email.7National Archives. New Access Procedures for Court Records at National Archives Federal Records Center Packages of pre-selected documents cost $35, a full case file runs $90 (with additional charges if the file exceeds 150 pages), and certification adds $15 per document.8National Archives. NARA Reproduction Fees Processing tends to be slower than at an active court, so plan ahead if you’re working against a deadline.
State courts run their own retention schedules, and older records may end up at a state archives or records center rather than the courthouse. If the clerk tells you the record has been transferred, ask where it went and how to request it from the receiving facility.
If the Order Is Sealed
Not every court record is available to the public. Judges can seal records when confidentiality outweighs the public’s interest in access. This happens most often in cases involving juveniles, adoptions, trade secrets, or information that could endanger someone’s safety.9Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 5.2 – Privacy Protection For Filings Made with the Court
A sealed record is effectively invisible. The docket entry and all associated documents are removed from public access; they won’t appear on PACER or at a courthouse terminal. Access is restricted to the party who filed the sealed material, certain court personnel, and anyone else the court specifically authorizes.10United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Indiana. Sealed Cases and Documents
If you need access and you’re not an authorized party, the standard route is to file a formal motion asking the court to unseal the record. You’ll need to articulate a compelling legal reason, and a judge will weigh your interest against the original reasons for sealing. The process isn’t always that rigid. Courts have occasionally unsealed records in response to informal written requests, particularly from journalists, when the justification for continued secrecy had weakened over time. Whether that works depends heavily on the judge and the circumstances.
If You Need the Order for Use Abroad
For a court order to be recognized in another country, you’ll likely need an apostille, a standardized certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates the document for use in any member country.11U.S. Department of State. Preparing a Document for an Apostille Certificate The process depends on which court issued the order.
For federal court documents, the clerk of the issuing court can attach an apostille directly, certifying that the signature and seal on the document are genuine.12United States District Court, Western District of Michigan. Apostilles For state court orders, you typically need a certified copy from the court first, then send it to that state’s Secretary of State’s office for the apostille. Fees run roughly $20 to $50 depending on the state and issuing office. The process usually takes a few weeks by mail, though some offices offer expedited or in-person service.