Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by Joseph Zernik
Human Rights Alert DN: cn=Joseph
Zernik, o, ou,
PO Box 526, La Verne, CA 91750 email=jz12345@e
Fax: 323.488.9697; Email: jz12345@earthlink.net arthlink.net, c=US
Blog: http://human-rights-alert.blogspot.com/ Date: 2010.11.11
23:09:04 +02'00'
Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/Human_Rights_Alert
10-11-11 Public Access to Judicial Records at the US District Court – Calendars and Docket
Activity Reports
Table 1: Public access to Judicial Records – Calendars and Docket Activity Reports
The Calendars of the courts are some of the oldest “Books of Courts” – public records by Common Law and
First Amendment rights, which are considered critical in enabling the public to “keep a watchful eyes” (Nixon
v Warner Communications, Inc, 1978) on integrity of the courts.
Public access to the Calendars was denied in many of the US district courts, which were inspected.
The Docket Activity Reports are likely considered critical public records in the safeguard of integrity of the
courts. Public access to the Docket Activity Reports was likewise often denied.
Moreover, review of PACER and CM/ECF – systems, which were implemented nationwide by the
Administrative Office of the US Courts – shows a pattern of denial of public access to judicial records among
the various US district courts, which is arbitrarily and capriciously.
Out of the 95 US District Courts, 22 were examined:
• In call courts, which were examined access is denied to Criminal Judgment/Conviction/ Sentencing Index
– a cause of particular concern.
• The Georgia Northern District Court also denies public access to the Civil Judgment Index – another
fundamental “Book of Court”.
• Among the 4 US District Courts in California, the California Central District is distinguished by denying
public access to both Calendar Reports and Docket Activity Reports. All three other courts permit public
access to both.
• Alabama Northern (but not the two other Alabama District Courts), Alaska, and the Georgia Northern and
Middle District Courts, likewise, deny public access to both Calendar Reports and Docket Activity
Reports.
• Additional reports where public access was at times denied: Parent Corporation Report, Statuses Pending
Report, Case File Location
• In some courts unusual case number designation practices were found:
o The Illinois Central District is using an unknown case numbering system, different from all
other US District Court, which were inspected, and which hinders easy public access to case
files.
o The US District Court, Arkansas Western uses case numbering and sealing pattern that defy
logic.
o In the Massachusetts District Court a case filed in 2003 was numbered 10-00000.
Parent
ii. Access denied to Deadlines/
Hearings
5. Arizona YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
ii. Access denied to Case File
Location
6. Arkansas Eastern YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
7. Arkansas Western YES/ YES NO/ NO i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
8. California Central NO/ NO NO/ NO i. Access Denied to
Deadlines/Hearing Report
ii. Access denied to Filers Report
9. California Eastern YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
10. California Northern YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
11. California Southern YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
12. Colorado YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents Report
13. Connecticut NO/ NO YES/YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents Report
14. Delaware NO/ NO YES/YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents Report
15. District Of Columbia YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Calendars provided both Daily
and Calendars of Events!
16. Florida Middle YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access Denied to Corporate
Parents Report
ii. Access Denied to Statuses
Pending Report
17. Florida Northern YES/ YES NO/ NO i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents Report
18. Florida Southern YES/ YES NO/ NO i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents Report
19. Georgia Middle NO/ NO NO/ NO i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents report
ii. Access denied to Status Report
20. Georgia Northern NO/ NO NO/ NO i. Access denied to civil Judgment
Index!!!
21. Georgia Southern
22. Guam
23. Hawaii
24. Idaho
25. Illinois Central YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parents report
26. Illinois Northern
27. Illinois Southern
28. Indiana Northern
29. Indiana Southern
30. Iowa Northern
31. Iowa Southern
32. Kansas
33. Kentucky Eastern
34. Kentucky Western
35. Louisiana Eastern
36. Louisiana Middle
37. Louisiana Western
38. Maine
39. Maryland
40. Massachusetts YES/ YES YES/ YES i. Access denied to Corporate
Parent Report
ii. Access denied to Case File
z Page 3/54 November 11, 2010
Location Reports
iii. Case filed in 2003 numbered 10-
00000
41. Michigan Eastern
42. Michigan Western
43. Minnesota
44. Mississippi Northern
45. Mississippi Southern
46. Missouri Eastern
47. Missouri Western
48. Montana
49. Nebraska
50. Nevada
51. New Hampshire
52. New Jersey
53. New Mexico
54. New York Eastern
55. New York Northern
56. New York Southern
57. New York Western
58. North Carolina Eastern
59. North Carolina Middle
60. North Carolina Western
61. North Dakota
62. Northern Mariana Islands
63. Ohio Northern
64. Ohio Northern (asbestos)
65. Ohio Southern
66. Oklahoma Eastern
67. Oklahoma Northern
68. Oklahoma Western
69. Oregon
70. Pennsylvania Eastern
71. Pennsylvania Middle
72. Pennsylvania Western
73. Puerto Rico
74. Rhode Island
75. South Carolina
76. South Dakota
77. Tennessee Eastern
78. Tennessee Middle
79. Tennessee Western
80. Texas Eastern
81. Texas Northern
82. Texas Southern
83. Texas Western
84. Utah
85. Vermont
86. Virgin Islands
87. Virginia Eastern
88. Virginia Western
89. Washington Eastern
90. Washington Western
91. West Virginia Northern
92. West Virginia Southern
93. Wisconsin Eastern
94. Wisconsin Western
95. Wyoming
z Page 4/54 November 11, 2010
c) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access to Corporate Parent Report is denied
z Page 6/54 November 11, 2010
d) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access to Corporate Parent Report is denied
z Page 8/54 November 11, 2010
g) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access to Corporate Parent Report is denied.
z Page 10/54 November 11, 2010
4. Alaska - ECF
h) Opening screen: 4 pull-down menus
j) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 12 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent and Deadlines/Hearings
z Page 12/54 November 11, 2010
5. Arizona - ECF
k) Opening screen: 4 pull-down menus
m) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 12 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report, Case File Location
z Page 14/54 November 11, 2010
q) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 16/54 November 11, 2010
t) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
• Most case numbers that were inspected were under seal, those accessible were all MC cases
z Page 18/54 November 11, 2010
# # #
2:10-mc-00001 10-0021 This case is under seal 10-0041 This case is under seal
2:10-mc-00002 10-0022 This case is under seal 5:10-mc-00042
4:10-mc-00002
2:10-mc-00003 2:10-mc-00023 10-0043 This case is under seal
4:10-mc-00003
2:10-mc-00004 10-0024 This case is under seal 10-0044 This case is under seal
10-0005 This case is under seal 10-0025 This case is under seal 10-0045 This case is under seal
10-0006 This case is under seal 5:10-mc-00026 10-0046 This case is under seal
2:10-mc-00007 10-0027 This case is under seal 10-0047 This case is under seal
3:10-mc-00007
10-0008 This case is under seal 10-0028 This case is under seal 10-0048 Cannot find case 10-0048
10-0009 This case is under seal 10-0029 This case is under seal 10-0049 Cannot find case 10-0049
10-0010 This case is under seal 10-0030 This case is under seal 10-0050 Cannot find case 10-0050
10-0011 This case is under seal 10-0031 This case is under seal 10-0051 Cannot find case 10-0051
5:10-mc-00012 5:10-mc-00032 10-0052 Cannot find case 10-0052
5:10-mc-00013 10-0033 This case is under seal 10-0053 Cannot find case 10-0053
10-0014 This case is under seal 10-0034 This case is under seal 10-0054 Cannot find case 10-0054
2:10-mc-00015 10-0035 This case is under seal
5:10-mc-00006 10-0036 This case is under seal
2:10-mc-00017 5:10-mc-00037
2:10-mc-00018 10-0038 This case is under seal
2:10-mc-00019 5:10-mc-00039
10-0020 This case is under seal 10-0040 This case is under seal
z Page 19/54 November 11, 2010
x) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 11 reports – Access Denied to Deadlines/Hearing, and ii. Filers
z Page 21/54 November 11, 2010
bb) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 23/54 November 11, 2010
ff) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Reports
z Page 25/54 November 11, 2010
jj) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 27/54 November 11, 2010
nn) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 29/54 November 11, 2010
rr) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 31/54 November 11, 2010
c) Case numbering
d) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 33/54 November 11, 2010
aaa) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 11 reports: Access denied to:
i. Corporate Parent!!!
ii. Status Pending !!!
z Page 37/54 November 11, 2010
eee) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 12 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parents
z Page 39/54 November 11, 2010
iii) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 12 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parents
z Page 41/54 November 11, 2010
mmm) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 11 reports – Access denied to:
i. Corporate Parents report
ii. Status Report
z Page 43/54 November 11, 2010
# # #
4:10-MJ-00001 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00001 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00001 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00002 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00002 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00002 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00003 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00003 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00003 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00004 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00004 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00004 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00006 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00006 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00006 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00006 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00006 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00006 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00007 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00007 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00007 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00008 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00008 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00008 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00009 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00009 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00009 Cannot find case
4:10-MJ-00010 Case Closed 5:10-MJ-00010 Cannot find case 6:10-MJ-00010 Cannot find case
# # #
7:10-MJ-00001 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00002 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00003 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00004 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00006 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00006 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00007 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00008 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00009 Case Under Seal
7:10-MJ-00010 Case Under Seal
z Page 44/54 November 11, 2010
ttt) Case numbering – an unknown case numbering system is used, different from all other US District Court, which were inspected,
which prevents easy public access to case files.
uuu) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 13 reports, access denied to Corporate Parent Report
z Page 49/54 November 11, 2010
yyy) Query pull-down menu - opening screen: 12 reports – Access denied to Corporate Parent and Case File Location Reports
z Page 52/54 November 11, 2010
z Page 53/54 November 11, 2010