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Full Text Search of US Court records (judyrecords.com)

449 points by FigurativeVoid · 470 days ago · 100 comments on HN

Article summary

A website is providing full text search of US court records, although the source of the documents is unclear. The discussion reveals that the records may be scraped and aggregated from various state, municipal, and federal courts. Some commenters mention that court records are not copyrightable and can be uploaded to platforms like RECAP once obtained from PACER. The website's coverage and accuracy are also being discussed.

Main themes

  • US court records
  • PACER and RECAP
  • Court record aggregation
  • Search functionality
  • Data accuracy
  • Government transparency

What commenters say

  • The website's source of documents is unclear, and it is likely that the records are scraped and aggregated from various courts.
  • Court records are not copyrightable and can be freely shared once obtained from PACER, which charges fees to cover infrastructure costs.
  • The website's search functionality is useful, but its coverage and accuracy are limited, with some records missing or incorrect.
  • Some commenters are concerned about the potential for misuse of the website, such as for background checks or to harm individuals' reputations.
  • Others see the website as a valuable tool for government transparency and accountability, allowing citizens to access important information about court cases.
  • There are differing opinions on the right to be forgotten and its potential impact on the website's sustainability, with some arguing that it would be too burdensome to comply with.
  • The discussion also touches on the issue of data quality, with some commenters noting that the website's search results can be misleading or incomplete.