Public records

Federal Courts Are Running a Surplus Charging for Public Records

The Public Access to Court Electronic Records system rakes in about $145 million per year but only costs a fraction of that to operate.

C.J. Ciaramella | From the October 2026 issue

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For years, members of Congress and advocates of open government have been urging the federal court system to eliminate fees for its electronic records. In June, the federal judiciary took a look at the problem—and decided to hike the fees.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts announced that it was temporarily raising the search and download fees for its Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) database. Temporary fees tend to be like "temporary" emergency measures, but the........

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