Case Details

id

(number)

The case's ID. Each case's ID is unique.

(string)

The URL to the case on the Clearinghouse site, which takes the format "clearinghouse.net/case/{id}".

name

(string)

The name of the case. Although a case's name may change as the case progresses, we generally do not update this field.

state

(string)

The state in which the case happens. This is typically a U.S. state, but other possible values for this field are U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, "- International -", "- United States (national) -", and "Other".

Typically cases occur all in one state, but if a case entry concerns litigation that happens in multiple states, state will be the main state of the case. In cases where there are appeals to courts that cover multiple states (e.g. the Supreme Court of the United States), state is the state where the case originated.

Full list of states
  • - International -

  • - United States (national) -

  • Alabama

  • Alaska

  • American Samoa

  • Arizona

  • Arkansas

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Connecticut

  • Delaware

  • District of Columbia

  • Federated States of Micronesia

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Guam

  • Hawaii

  • Idaho

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Iowa

  • Kansas

  • Kentucky

  • Louisiana

  • Maine

  • Marshall Islands

  • Maryland

  • Massachusetts

  • Michigan

  • Minnesota

  • Mississippi

  • Missouri

  • Montana

  • Nebraska

  • Nevada

  • New Hampshire

  • New Jersey

  • New Mexico

  • New York

  • North Carolina

  • North Dakota

  • Northern Mariana Islands

  • Ohio

  • Oklahoma

  • Oregon

  • Palau

  • Pennsylvania

  • Puerto Rico

  • Rhode Island

  • South Carolina

  • South Dakota

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Utah

  • Vermont

  • Virgin Islands

  • Virginia

  • Washington

  • West Virginia

  • Wisconsin

  • Wyoming

  • Other

court

(string)

The court where a case starts. If a case entry concerns litigation that happens in multiple courts (e.g. appeals, consolidations), court remains the first court relevant to the case.

There are several types of courts:

Type
Example(s)
Description

no court

No Court

This is for cases where no court was involved, e.g. private out-of-court settlements, U.S. Department of Justice investigations

state courts

  • Michigan state trial court

  • Ohio state appellate court

  • New York state supreme court

Courts part of a state's judicial system. If a case's court is a state court, it must be a court associated with state.

Because each state has its own way of organizing courts, we have three generic options for each state: trial court, appellate court, and supreme court. Trial courts are the courts where cases typically start, appellate courts hear cases on appeal, and the supreme court is the highest court in the state. Note: These do NOT necessarily correspond to the names of the courts. For example, "New York state supreme court" refers to the New York Court of Appeals, while "New York state trial court" refers to the New York Supreme Courts.

U.S. district courts

  • District of Massachusetts

  • District of Columbia

  • Western District of Washington

  • Northern District of Illinois

  • District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

  • District Court of the Virgin Islands

The trial courts of the U.S. federal judicial system. Each judicial district covers one U.S. state or one portion of a state. There is at least one judicial district for each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. If a case's court is a U.S. district court, it must be a court associated with state.

U.S. appellate courts

  • U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

  • U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

  • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

The intermediate courts of the U.S. federal judicial system. The courts of appeal are divided into 11 numbered circuits, each of which covers multiple states. In addition, there are circuits for the District of Columbia and the Federal Circuit.

If a case's court is a U.S. appellate court, it must be a court associated with state.

Note: The space between "U." and "S." is a typo that may be fixed in a future update.

U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court of the United States

The highest court in the U.S. federal judicial system.

specialty courts (FISA)

  • Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

  • Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) established these courts to oversee government requests for foreign intelligence surveillance warrants by federal law enforcement agencies.

specialty courts (international trade)

U. S. Court of International Trade

This court is for civil cases arising out of U.S. customs and international trade laws.

specialty courts (veterans claims)

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

This court receives appeals of decisions by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. This court is part of the U.S. federal judicial system and not part of the Department of Veteran Affairs.

specialty courts (multidistrict litigation)

U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML)

Known informally as "the MDL Panel," the JPML oversees the process of transferring similar cases in different districts in order to coordinate or consolidate pretrial proceedings.

Full list of possible courts
  • No Court

  • state courts:

    • Alabama state appellate court

    • Alabama state supreme court

    • Alabama state trial court

    • Alaska state appellate court

    • Alaska state supreme court

    • Alaska state trial court

    • American Samoa state appellate court

    • American Samoa state supreme court

    • American Samoa state trial court

    • Arizona state appellate court

    • Arizona state supreme court

    • Arizona state trial court

    • Arkansas state appellate court

    • Arkansas state supreme court

    • Arkansas state trial court

    • California state appellate court

    • California state supreme court

    • California state trial court

    • Colorado state appellate court

    • Colorado state supreme court

    • Colorado state trial court

    • Connecticut state appellate court

    • Connecticut state supreme court

    • Connecticut state trial court

    • Delaware state appellate court

    • Delaware state supreme court

    • Delaware state trial court

    • District of Columbia state appellate court

    • District of Columbia state supreme court

    • District of Columbia state trial court

    • Federated States of Micronesia state appellate court

    • Federated States of Micronesia state supreme court

    • Federated States of Micronesia state trial court

    • Florida state appellate court

    • Florida state supreme court

    • Florida state trial court

    • Georgia state appellate court

    • Georgia state supreme court

    • Georgia state trial court

    • Guam state appellate court

    • Guam state supreme court

    • Guam state trial court

    • Hawaii state appellate court

    • Hawaii state supreme court

    • Hawaii state trial court

    • Idaho state appellate court

    • Idaho state supreme court

    • Idaho state trial court

    • Illinois state appellate court

    • Illinois state supreme court

    • Illinois state trial court

    • Indiana state appellate court

    • Indiana state supreme court

    • Indiana state trial court

    • Iowa state appellate court

    • Iowa state supreme court

    • Iowa state trial court

    • Kansas state appellate court

    • Kansas state supreme court

    • Kansas state trial court

    • Kentucky state appellate court

    • Kentucky state supreme court

    • Kentucky state trial court

    • Louisiana state appellate court

    • Louisiana state supreme court

    • Louisiana state trial court

    • Maine state appellate court

    • Maine state supreme court

    • Maine state trial court

    • Marshall Islands state appellate court

    • Marshall Islands state supreme court

    • Marshall Islands state trial court

    • Maryland state appellate court

    • Maryland state supreme court

    • Maryland state trial court

    • Massachusetts state appellate court

    • Massachusetts state supreme court

    • Massachusetts state trial court

    • Michigan state appellate court

    • Michigan state supreme court

    • Michigan state trial court

    • Minnesota state appellate court

    • Minnesota state supreme court

    • Minnesota state trial court

    • Mississippi state appellate court

    • Mississippi state supreme court

    • Mississippi state trial court

    • Missouri state appellate court

    • Missouri state supreme court

    • Missouri state trial court

    • Montana state appellate court

    • Montana state supreme court

    • Montana state trial court

    • Nebraska state appellate court

    • Nebraska state supreme court

    • Nebraska state trial court

    • Nevada state appellate court

    • Nevada state supreme court

    • Nevada state trial court

    • New Hampshire state appellate court

    • New Hampshire state supreme court

    • New Hampshire state trial court

    • New Jersey state appellate court

    • New Jersey state supreme court

    • New Jersey state trial court

    • New Mexico state appellate court

    • New Mexico state supreme court

    • New Mexico state trial court

    • New York state appellate court

    • New York state supreme court

    • New York state trial court

    • North Carolina state appellate court

    • North Carolina state supreme court

    • North Carolina state trial court

    • North Dakota state appellate court

    • North Dakota state supreme court

    • North Dakota state trial court

    • Northern Mariana Islands state appellate court

    • Northern Mariana Islands state supreme court

    • Northern Mariana Islands state trial court

    • Ohio state appellate court

    • Ohio state supreme court

    • Ohio state trial court

    • Oklahoma state appellate court

    • Oklahoma state supreme court

    • Oklahoma state trial court

    • Oregon state appellate court

    • Oregon state supreme court

    • Oregon state trial court

    • Palau state appellate court

    • Palau state supreme court

    • Palau state trial court

    • Pennsylvania state appellate court

    • Pennsylvania state supreme court

    • Pennsylvania state trial court

    • Puerto Rico state appellate court

    • Puerto Rico state supreme court

    • Puerto Rico state trial court

    • Rhode Island state appellate court

    • Rhode Island state supreme court

    • Rhode Island state trial court

    • South Carolina state appellate court

    • South Carolina state supreme court

    • South Carolina state trial court

    • South Dakota state appellate court

    • South Dakota state supreme court

    • South Dakota state trial court

    • Tennessee state appellate court

    • Tennessee state supreme court

    • Tennessee state trial court

    • Texas state appellate court

    • Texas state supreme court

    • Texas state trial court

    • Utah state appellate court

    • Utah state supreme court

    • Utah state trial court

    • Vermont state appellate court

    • Vermont state supreme court

    • Vermont state trial court

    • Virgin Islands state appellate court

    • Virgin Islands state supreme court

    • Virgin Islands state trial court

    • Virginia state appellate court

    • Virginia state supreme court

    • Virginia state trial court

    • Washington state appellate court

    • Washington state supreme court

    • Washington state trial court

    • West Virginia state appellate court

    • West Virginia state supreme court

    • West Virginia state trial court

    • Wisconsin state appellate court

    • Wisconsin state supreme court

    • Wisconsin state trial court

    • Wyoming state appellate court

    • Wyoming state supreme court

    • Wyoming state trial court

  • U.S. district courts:

    • Middle District of Alabama

    • Northern District of Alabama

    • Southern District of Alabama

    • District of Alaska

    • District of Arizona

    • Eastern District of Arkansas

    • Western District of Arkansas

    • Central District of California

    • Eastern District of California

    • Northern District of California

    • Southern District of California

    • District of Colorado

    • District of Connecticut

    • District of Delaware

    • District of Columbia

    • Middle District of Florida

    • Northern District of Florida

    • Southern District of Florida

    • Middle District of Georgia

    • Northern District of Georgia

    • Southern District of Georgia

    • District of Hawaii

    • District of Idaho

    • Central District of Illinois

    • Northern District of Illinois

    • Southern District of Illinois

    • Northern District of Indiana

    • Southern District of Indiana

    • Northern District of Iowa

    • Southern District of Iowa

    • District of Kansas

    • Eastern District of Kentucky

    • Western District of Kentucky

    • Eastern District of Louisiana

    • Middle District of Louisiana

    • Western District of Louisiana

    • District of Maine

    • District of Maryland

    • District of Massachusetts

    • Eastern District of Michigan

    • Western District of Michigan

    • District of Minnesota

    • Northern District of Mississippi

    • Southern District of Mississippi

    • Eastern District of Missouri

    • Western District of Missouri

    • District of Montana

    • District of Nebraska

    • District of Nevada

    • District of New Hampshire

    • District of New Jersey

    • District of New Mexico

    • Eastern District of New York

    • Northern District of New York

    • Southern District of New York

    • Western District of New York

    • Eastern District of North Carolina

    • Middle District of North Carolina

    • Western District of North Carolina

    • District of North Dakota

    • Northern District of Ohio

    • Southern District of Ohio

    • Eastern District of Oklahoma

    • Northern District of Oklahoma

    • Western District of Oklahoma

    • District of Oregon

    • Eastern District of Pennsylvania

    • Middle District of Pennsylvania

    • Western District of Pennsylvania

    • District of Puerto Rico

    • District of Rhode Island

    • District of South Carolina

    • District of South Dakota

    • Eastern District of Tennessee

    • Middle District of Tennessee

    • Western District of Tennessee

    • Eastern District of Texas

    • Northern District of Texas

    • Southern District of Texas

    • Western District of Texas

    • District of Utah

    • District of Vermont

    • Eastern District of Virginia

    • Western District of Virginia

    • Eastern District of Washington

    • Western District of Washington

    • Northern District of West Virginia

    • Southern District of West Virginia

    • Eastern District of Wisconsin

    • Western District of Wisconsin

    • District of Wyoming

    • District Court of Guam

    • District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

    • District Court of the Virgin Islands

  • U.S. appellate courts:

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

    • U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

  • Supreme Court of the United States

  • specialty courts:

    • Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

    • Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review

    • U. S. Court of International Trade

    • U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

    • U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML)

case_types

(array[string])

The case types that apply to the case. Every case has at least one type, and some will have multiple.

For a full list of possible case types (with descriptions), see here.

special_collections

(array[string])

The special collections that a case belongs to. Special collections are pre-tagged groupings of cases that we think might be of particular interest. If the case does not belong to any special collections, special_collections is an empty array.

For a full list of possible special collections (with descriptions), see here.

case_ongoing

(string)

Whether the case is ongoing. Possible values:

Value
Description

Yes

There are still things that will happen in the case.

Unknown

We aren't sure if anything else will happen.

Perhaps, but long dormant

We think there might still be things to happen in the case, but nothing has happened for awhile.

No reason to think so

We don't think the case is still ongoing, but we're not sure.

No

The case is closed.

Last updated