PACER
Law & Legal abbreviation · Litigation
| Stands for | Public Access to Court Electronic Records |
|---|---|
| Categories | Law & Legal |
PACER stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, a litigation abbreviation.
Online service run by the federal judiciary that lets the public view and download docket sheets and filed documents from US district, bankruptcy and appellate courts. Users pay per page, subject to caps and fee waivers.
Example: A reporter pulled the indictment from PACER minutes after it was unsealed.
Usage notes
Pronounced "PAY-ser". Fees are 10 cents per page, capped at $3 per document, and waived for users who accrue $30 or less in a quarter; judicial opinions are free. A class action over PACER fees ended in a $125 million settlement approved in 2022. The free RECAP project archives documents bought by its users.
Related abbreviations
More litigation abbreviations
- NIED – Negligent infliction of emotional distress
- NOA – Notice of appeal
- OC – Opposing counsel
- ODR – Online dispute resolution
- Opp'n – Opposition
- OSC – Order to show cause
- Pet'r – Petitioner
- PI – Personal injury
- PJ – Personal jurisdiction
- Pl. – Plaintiff
- PO – Protective order
- POS – Proof of service
See all 71 litigation abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.