A pilot program between the U.S. Government Printing Office and the Administrative Office of the Courts is now posting court opinions on FDsys.gov. Court opinions from 3 appellate courts (2^nd, 8^th and 10^th Circuit) and almost 20 district courts are now searchable and freely accessible on FDsys. The associated dockets and court documents are also being uploaded for most opinions.  The site claims that “the content of this collection dates back to April 2004, though searchable electronic holdings for some courts may be incomplete for this earlier time period.”

This resource is most useful for those looking for a specific court opinion, especially with a known docket number or named party. A search for a docket number will retrieve a list of opinions and documents associated with that case. Simply click on the case name to read the opinion or click on the “more information” link for access to the docket and supporting court documents.

While still in the beta stage, it is the expectation that more federal court material will be added to FDsys as this program expands public access to court opinions.