Are there fees to access docket sheets and documents through PACER?
The Judicial Conference of the United States approved an Internet access fee of $.08 per page. This access fee applies to information retrieved through the system for all users. Attorneys of record and parties in a case receive one free electronic copy of all documents filed electronically, if receipt is required by law or directed by the filer. No fee is owed until an account holder accrues charges of more than $10 in a calendar year. There is a cap of $2.40 placed on the amount a person will be charged to retrieve a document, no matter the page count. The cap applies to all case documents, including docket sheets and case-specific reports, with the exceptions of transcripts of federal court proceedings. For example, if you want to retrieve a 50 page document, you will receive the entire 50 pages, but only be charged for the equivalent of 30 pages. Each attachment in CM/ECF is considered a separate document; therefore, the cap will apply to each attachment over 30 pages separately.
