In addition to the many government sources for dockets, they can also be found on the three largest pay legal databases, Bloomberg Law, Lexis Advance, and WestlawNext. The latter two databases often include docketing information, but do not always give the user access to the actual documents listed on the docket.
Bloomberg Law has excellent federal docket coverage. It is probably the best tool for students who are doing docket searching, as other databases may not include all docket searching features in law school access. It draws content from PACER, downloading from it as required and making documents available to anyone with a Bloomberg password. It focuses on the Federal Court system, though for some states it also includes state courts.
One thing to remember about Bloomberg is that they often update dockets as needed, rather than on a regular schedule. If you are looking at a docket and do not see current information, there is an option to update the docket at the top right side of the document. Once you’ve requested an update, it may take a few minutes for the update to actually come through.
To get to the docket search, choose the “Litigation & Dockets” tab. From there you can choose either “Search Dockets,” which will bring you to a general search screen. You can narrow your search by different jurisdictions with the “Court” search box, or by selecting the “Browse.” If you wish to see the docket coverage by state, you can select “Docket Coverage.”
From the home screen, choose “Browse Sources.” On the left menu you can narrow by content type—if you choose “More” one of the options is Dockets, and selecting this will display all the docket databases on Lexis Advance organized by jurisdiction.
From the main page in WestlawNext select “Dockets” from the center right menu. You can either search all dockets, or continue to narrow by jurisdiction on the next page. When looking at a case in WestlawNext, if the docket is available it can be found in the "Filings" tab above the case.
On state court websites the coverage of opinions varies greatly based on the particular state. Though they are not avaliable for free Bloomberg Law, Lexis Classic, Lexis Advance, Westlaw Classic, or WestlawNext are all excellent case finding tools. Using any of these five databases should provide the user access to the full run of all state case opinions.