Tips on Refining Your Search
This is a compilation of the Search Tips included in the sections covering the three major
Search types: 1) Name Search; 2) Judgment Search; and 3) Civil Docket Report Search. Tips
in the individual search categories here are marked with pointers like this: 
Basics
Search Tip: Move quickly from subject to subject in Help by clicking on the desired topic in the Tables of Contents located in the upper left-hand corner of each section.
Search Tip: No "Wild Card" commands are available. The functions usually performed by Wild Card keystrokes are automatic for the Internet search types described here. (See Cautionary Note below)
Caution:
Since the Wild Card function is automatic, typing in only last names will produce cases for that name AND those that include those names within, or as a part of, the case entries. This may cause significant delay. For instance, just typing only "william" in the Last Name Box will find all cases with the letters: w-i-l-l-i-a-m as the last name AND those that have "william as part of the name.
For example: williaman, williamby, williams, and williamson. | |
Search Tip: Users should be prepared, and searches should be conducted, with as much reliable information as possible, in addition to last names. FASTER, MORE SPECIFIC RESULTS will be obtained when the First Name and Middle Name boxes are also filled in.
Moreover, you should include the Beginning Filing Date and Ending Filing Date components to further limit - and therefore FOCUS AND SPEED UP - your search results.
Tips on Refining Your: Name Search
Search Tip: As a first step, you may need to conduct a Name Search to obtain the Case ID Number in order to check the Civil Docket Report.
Search Tip: For a Company Name Search omit the spaces in the name of the company.
Example: A search for "Thomas Jefferson University" should be entered in the Last Name or Company Name field as "thomasjeffersonuniversity".
Search Tip: For Name Searches it is better to omit middle initial/name information of
which you are uncertain. Name Search results will reflect only cases where the filing includes the information that you enter in the Name Boxes.
Example: A search for James W. Smith will not include cases filed under James
Smith (No middle initial) in the results. Conversely, a search under
James Smith (No middle initial entered) will list files including those
for James W. Smith because the middle initial search restriction box
was not filled in.
Search Tip: Always use accurate information for the Last, First, and Middle Name boxes. Avoid using dubious, unreliable Middle Name or Middle Initial search markers. Instead, narrow your search by utilizing the Beginning Case Filing (or Judgment) Date and Ending
Case Filing (or Judgment) Date boxes.
Example: Using the James Smith case, let's say you enter "smith" in the Last
Name box, "james" in the First Name box, and leave the Middle Name
box blank; then enter "09-sep-1998" as the Beginning Case Filing
Date, and "10-oct-1998" as the Ending Case Filing Date. The search
will produce a list of cases where all people named James Smith (with
and without a middle initial) are named as parties in actions that were
filed on or between September 9, 1998 and October 10, 1998.
Search Tip: Entries for the month of the filing use the first three letters of the month:
jan, feb, mar, apr, may, and so forth. Capital letters are not necessary in all searches.
Search Tip: Note that the Name Search Results display includes the Case ID Number for use in searching the Civil Docket Report. The Civil ID Number is highlighted in blue and underlined. It may be found along with other information in the column marked "Address". (You should also know that if you click on the highlighted Case ID number, you will be taken immediately to that particular docket)
Tips on Refining Your: Judgment Search
Search Tip: For a Company Name Search omit the spaces in the name of the company.
Example: A search for Thomas Jefferson University should be entered in the Last Name or Company Name field as "thomasjeffersonuniversity".
Search Tip: As with the Search by Person or Company Name method, if you are positive that the case was filed with the middle initial or name, by all means use it to speed up your search. If you are not sure whether the filing included a middle initial or name,
omit it from your search.
Example: A search for James W. Smith will not include cases filed under James
Smith (No middle initial) in the results. Conversely, a search under
James Smith (No middle initial) will list files including those for
James W. Smith, and those with or without any other middle initial,
because the middle initial search restriction box was not filled in.
DO use starting and ending date boxes to refine your Judgment Search.
Tips on Refining Your: Civil Docket Report
Search Tip: The Case ID Number is a nine digit number. For typical lawsuits it takes the following format in reference to the filing:
yymm0xxxx
(Year year, month month, the number zero, four digit sequentially assigned case number)
Search Tip: To obtain the Civil Case ID Number to search the docket report, first conduct a search by Person or Company Name, or conduct a Judgment Search by Person or Company Name.
Search Tip: The Civil Case ID Number will be underlined, highlighted in blue, and
included with the address information in the NAME SEARCH and JUDGMENT SEARCH
results box displays (See Person/Company Name or
Judgment Search Results).
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