National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Archived files are not available at the Clerk's Office, but can be retrieved from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA can be accessed on-line for more detailed information. Dockets can be reviewed on the Internet via CM/ECF PACER.

Location of Case Files

All cases have distinctive numbers in the following format:

The first 2 numbers indicate the year the case was filed;

• Followed by 2 letters that indicate the case type (cv = civil, cr = criminal, mj = magistrate, mc = misc);
• Followed by an individualized four or five digit case number. Civil and criminal case numbers also indicate the judge assignment by following the case number with a hyphen and the initial(s) of the district judge assigned. Magistrate and miscellaneous case numbers do not indicate judge assignment.
• Civil case numbers also indicate the magistrate assignment by following the district judge initial(s) with the initial(s) of the magistrate judge in parenthesis.

For Example:
The first civil action number in 1997 was 97cv0001-H(CM).
The first criminal action number in 1997 was 97cr0001-GT.
The first magistrate case number in 1997 was 97mj0001.
The first miscellaneous case number in 1997 was 97mc0001.


Archived files are not available at the Clerk's Office, but copies can be retrieved from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA can be accessed online for more detailed information HERE.

Electronic review of docket sheets, images of filed documents, and party indexes is available on the Internet via Web Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). For CM/ECF PACER information and registration, contact the PACER Service Center in San Antonio, Texas on-line or by phone at 800/676-6856.

CM/ECF PACER Billing

The fee for Internet access to case dockets and party indexes via CM/ECF PACER is $.10 per page.

The PACER Service Center accepts VISA, Mastercard, and Discover credit cards. To pay your statement by credit card, contact the PACER Service Center at 800/676-6856.

The PACER Service Center's Federal Tax Identification Number is 74-2747938.

CM/ECF PACER

All records in the Clerk's Office are filed and retrieved by case number. If the case number is unknown, CM/ECF PACER can be searched to identify the case number for a given plaintiff or defendant. Docket sheets of criminal cases filed in or after July 1991 and civil cases filed in or after May 1989 can be reviewed via CM/ECF PACER.

Microfiche and Card Files

Complete indexes of all participants in federal cases from 1962 to 1995 are available. The following table describes the type of participant index that should be searched depending on case filing year.

The Clerk’s Office can perform party name searches at a charge of $15 per name.

* Some of the cases listed on Microfiche will also be available in CM/ECF PACER. See above.

Cooper V. Brown Cooper V. Brown Cooper V. Brown Case#: 04cv656-H​   Order Denying Successive Petition for Write of Habeas Corpus 04cv656
Crowe et al v. County of SD et al Crowe et al v. County of SD et al Crowe et al v. County of SD et al Case#: 99cv241-R(RBB)   Order Addressing Defendants Motions to Dismiss and For Summary Judgment 99cv241
Dumas v. Fleer/Skybox International Dumas v. Fleer/Skybox International Dumas v. Fleer/Skybox International Case#: 99cv1739-B(AJB)   Order Vacating Order and Dismissing Claims 99cv1739
Dumas v. Major League Baseball Properties et al Dumas v. Major League Baseball Properties et al Dumas v. Major League Baseball Properties et al Case#: 98cv1772-B(AJB)   Order Vacating Orders and Dismissing Claims 98cv1772
Dumas v. Pinnacle Brands Dumas v. Pinnacle Brands Dumas v. Pinnacle Brands Case#: ​98cv1059-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 98cv1059
Dumas v. Playoff Dumas v. Playoff Dumas v. Playoff Case#: ​99cv1963-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 99cv1963
Dumas v. Racing Champions Dumas v. Racing Champions Dumas v. Racing Champions Case#: 99cv1780-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 99cv1780
Dumas v. Upper Deck et al Dumas v. Upper Deck et al Dumas v. Upper Deck et al Case#: 99cv1946-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 99cv1946
Imber v. Nintendo of America et al. Imber v. Nintendo of America et al. Imber v. Nintendo of America et al. Case#: ​99cv2010-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 99cv2010
Lucent Technologies et al vs. Microsoft Corp. Lucent Technologies et al vs. Microsoft Corp. Lucent Technologies et al vs. Microsoft Corp. Case#: ​02cv2060-B(CAB)   Special Verdict Form 02cv2060
Partnoy v. Shelley Partnoy v. Shelley Partnoy v. Shelley Case#: ​03cv1460   Amended Final Judgment of Declaratory and Injunctive Relief 03cv1460   Judgment 03cv1460   Memorandum Decision and Order 03cv1460   Final Judgment of Declaratory and Injunctive Relief 03cv1460   Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Judgment on the Pleadings 03cv1460
Rodriquez et al v. Topps Company Rodriquez et al v. Topps Company Rodriquez et al v. Topps Company Case#: 98cv2121-B(AJB)   Order Vacating Order and Dismissing Claims 98cv2121
Schwartz et al v. Upper Deck Schwartz et al v. Upper Deck Schwartz et al v. Upper Deck Case#: ​96cv3408-B(AJB)   Order Vacating Orders and Dismissing Claims 96cv3408
Torres v. Pacific Trading Cards Torres v. Pacific Trading Cards Torres v. Pacific Trading Cards Case#: ​97cv1658-B(AJB)   Order Dismissing Claims 97cv1658

File Request Form File Request Form File Request Form ​Customers must prepare a File Request Form prior to reviewing hard files in the Clerk's Office. We encourage the use of CM/ECF PACER to review files electronically, when possible.   File Request Form
Copy Request Form Copy Request Form Copy Request Form ​Copies prepared by the Clerk's Office are $.50 per page for non-federal employees. The attached Copy Request Form can be used to request such copies. Customers can print their own copies of documents at a computer work station for $.10 per page.   Copy Request Form
National Archives and Records Administration File Research and Review  National Archives and Records Administration File Research and Review National Archives and Records Administration File Research and Review ​National Archives at Riverside holds Federal Records from Southern California, Arizona and Clark County, Nevada. Address: National Archives at Riverside 23123 Cajalco Road Perris, CA 92570-7298 Telephone:(951) 956-2000 Fax: (951) 956-2049 Email: riverside.archives@nara.gov Hours: Open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Directions from San Diego: Take CA-163 North toward Escondido Merge into I-15 North Take I-215 North toward Riverside/San Bernardino Take the Cajalco Expressway exit westbound Left on Harvill Ave. Right on Cajalco Road to end of street