Getting Copies of Your Own Court File

Your case file is public and cheap to copy — and it is the evidence base for everything after.

The short version

The register of actions lists every filing; the file itself contains the papers behind each entry. Copies cost pennies per page. Get them before any post-judgment motion, appeal, or settlement talk.

What to do, in order

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Evidence and records to keep

['Request the file from the clerk in person or online.', 'Check the register against what you actually received.', 'Note any filings you never saw — service on you may be defective.', 'Organize chronologically with a one-page index.', 'Keep a complete second copy off-site.']

Verify before you file

Deadlines, fees, and forms in this area are set by statute, court rule, or tribunal practice, and they change. Confirm the current requirement on the official your state self-help portal or with the clerk before relying on anything here. This page is general procedural information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship.