how to find out what cases were litigated by an attorney

by Donna Gutkowski 4 min read

Go to your local criminal courthouse and ask for a listing of recent cases in which the attorney has represented a defendant. While many jurisdictions have case records online, that is not the case in every state or municipality. File an open records request with the public defender's office or local court.

Full Answer

How do I find out what cases an attorney has had?

 · Posted on Feb 5, 2013. Some attorneys give examples of cases they've handled on their website, and some submit them to www.jvra.com, where you can search the name of your attorney, but you need to bear in mind that only case summaries the lawyer has chosen to submit will be found there.

How do I find out how many cases a lawyer won/loses?

Step 1 Talk to the lawyer. The easiest way to learn how many cases a lawyer wins or loses is to talk to them. Some attorneys keep this kind of information and can tell you their history, white others may not. All lawyers will be able to tell you, in general, what their history is. …

How do I find a lawyer’s legal history?

Step 1 Go to your local criminal courthouse and ask for a listing of recent cases in which the attorney has represented a defendant. While many jurisdictions have case records online, that is not the case in every state or municipality. Step 2 File an open records request with the public defender's office or local court.

Where can I find a list of my case records?

 · You can Google the lawyer’s name or the firm they belong to. Google will bring you all the relevant information about the lawyer. This includes any news stories, online reviews, or publications relating to the lawyer and, most importantly, the attorney track record.

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How do I find old court records online?

To obtain access to those records, researchers must contact the appropriate federal court. Online access to case and docket information is provided for a fee by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts through PACER. The court may refer you to a Federal Records Center to obtain copies.

Where are most cases litigated?

courthouseWHERE SHOULD COVERAGE LITIGATION BE FILED? Most lawyers file most complaints at the nearest courthouse. Product liability litigation, general negligence claims, commercial litigation and other such cases are typically filed, and tried, at the court across the street.

Can you request your files from your lawyer?

Practical Aspects of Getting Your Files Back From Your Attorney. You can ask your lawyer to send the files directly to you or your new attorney, in which case the safest way to make the request is in writing, via letter or email.

What type of information is protected from the public's view and inaccessible on Pacer?

Certain personal identifiers are removed or redacted before the record becomes public, including Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, the name of a minor, date of birth, and home addresses in a criminal case.

Do cases litigated in trial court always have a jury?

Cases litigated in trial court always have a jury. Who determines the facts of a particular dispute? Witnesses sometimes, but not always, testify at cases in appellate court. Pursuant to the holding in International Shoe Co.

What is the most you can sue in civil court?

Civil Court CasesLimited civil case — A general civil case that involves an amount of money of $25,000 or less.Unlimited civil case — A general civil case that involves an amount of money over $25,000. ... Small claims case — A civil case filed in small claims court for $10,000 or less.

Why do lawyers ignore you?

If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.

Are emails part of client file?

The client is entitled to documents that the lawyer filed, sent, or received in connection with the representation—e.g., pleadings, letters, e-mails, executed instruments, discovery or evidentiary exhibits, investigative and expert reports for which the client paid, and other materials “exposed to the public light” ...

How do you know if your lawyer is selling you out?

Signs of a Bad LawyerBad Communicators. Communication is normal to have questions about your case. ... Not Upfront and Honest About Billing. Your attorney needs to make money, and billing for their services is how they earn a living. ... Not Confident. ... Unprofessional. ... Not Empathetic or Compassionate to Your Needs. ... Disrespectful.

What is the difference between PACER and PacerPro?

Whereas the Case Locator will not find same-day data, PacerPro will. Search PacerPro by party or attorney name or case number. Another advantage is that PacerPro aggregates key case data in a single display, whereas in PACER, this data is shown piecemeal over multiple pages.

How can I get court transcripts for free?

The websites below are generally trustworthy sources of free dockets and court documents:SCOTUSblog. ... Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases. ... 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Collection. ... National Archives Catalog. ... Supreme Court of California Resources (SCOCAL) ... California Appellate Briefs.

Is PACER a legitimate site?

But I'm here to tell you that PACER—Public Access to Court Electronic Records—is a judicially approved scam. The very name is misleading: Limiting the public's access by charging hefty fees, it has been a scam since it was launched and, barring significant structural changes, will be a scam forever.

How to find out how many cases a lawyer wins or loses?

Step 1. Talk to the lawyer. The easiest way to learn how many cases a lawyer wins or loses is to talk to them. Some attorneys keep this kind of information and can tell you their history, white others may not. All lawyers will be able to tell you, in general, what their history is.

Do attorneys work locally?

Many attorneys work locally, especially those who practice family law, civil law or criminal defense law. You can ask the attorney in what jurisdiction or courthouse most of their cases are heard, and then contact the state judicial offices or go to their websites.

How to find out if a criminal lawyer has represented a defendant?

Go to your local criminal courthouse and ask for a listing of recent cases in which the attorney has represented a defendant. While many jurisdictions have case records online, that is not the case in every state or municipality.

How to find out if a lawyer has disciplinary action?

Call the local bar association and ask for the any records on file related to your attorney. The bar association will have information on disciplinary actions and complaints filed by prior clients.

Why is it difficult to find a criminal defense lawyer?

The traditional method of selecting a lawyer has been to rely on a referral from a family member or friend, because there are no publications that keep track of attorneys' overall won-loss records.

How to file an open record request?

File an open records request with the public defender's office or local court. If the attorney is a public defender, then his office has a duty to release information regarding every case he has defended while working there and even has to release performance reviews. If the attorney has worked as a court-appointed lawyer, then the court generally has the same duty to release any record related to his work for the court.

What is a lawyer's track record?

A lawyer’s track record is a clear indicator of how good an attorney is at their job. That’s why it’s so important to look at your lawyer’s track record before you get one for the job. However, not everyone knows how to do so. Here’s how to research an attorney track record before you sign any retainer agreement and get trusted personal attorney.

What does Google do for lawyers?

Google will bring you all the relevant information about the lawyer. This includes any news stories, online reviews, or publications relating to the lawyer and, most importantly, the attorney track record.

Is word on the street credible?

Word on the street isn’t a very credible source of information, but there’s always some truth to it. A lawyer’s street cred will speak volumes about their credibility and attorney track record. Try to get some recommendations from family and friends for some great lawyers.

Is it bad to googling a lawyer?

The downside to Googling your lawyer is that it might take you a while before you actually find any relevant information. This is especially true if you’re googling the lawyer by name.

Does Google bring you information about a lawyer?

Google will bring you all the relevant information about the lawyer. This includes any news stories, online reviews, or publications relating to the lawyer and , most importantly , the attorney track record. The downside to Googling your lawyer is that it might take you a while before you actually find any relevant information.

Do you have to do homework to win a court case?

Your chances of winning or losing a court case majorly depend on your attorney. As such, it is imperative to do your homework on any lawyer you settle for to handle your case. We know how frustrating it can be to get the right lawyer for your case.

Do state bar associations keep up with ethical violations?

That’s because the state bar associations keep up-to-date and accurate records on any ethical violations by their lawyers. However, any ethical violation doesn’t necessarily denote a bad lawyer; it just means the lawyer violated an ethical code.

How to search for a trial court order?

1. Click into either Cases or Trial Court Orders from the Westlaw or Westlaw Edge homepage. Then select the Advanced link to the right of the search bar to go to the template. 2.

What is the best way for an attorney to ensure that they are relying on arguments that reflect the true nature of

legal cases by particular judge or entity. The best way for an attorney to ensure that they are relying on arguments that reflect the true nature of the law is to use KeyCite on Westlaw and Westlaw Edge.

What is field search in Westlaw?

Field searching is a Boolean terms and connectors search that looks for specific terms in a particular part of the document–the title or author fields, for example. Field searching is incorporated into Westlaw and Westlaw Edge through the Advanced templates always linked at the top of the page to the right of the search bar.

Why is it important to know the background of a judge?

It is important to know the judge’s background on a case so that you can use your time as effectively, both in court and while you are preparing for a case. If a judge has been involved in similar cases, you can provide a brief summary rather than providing extensive background information and spend more time on your argument.

What states are in the pending lawsuits?

The agreement resolves pending state court lawsuits in Connecticut, Mississippi, and South Carolina, as well as potential claims by the Justice Department, 18 states, and the District of Columbia.

What is the case number for Francesco Guerra?

Docket Number: 15-cr-20471 (S.D. Fla.) On May 1, 2020, Francesco Guerra pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and attempted extortion in connection with his supervision of call centers in Peru that threatened consumers across the United States into paying fraudulent settlements for nonexistent debts.

What is the FDA complaint against Pharmaceutical Innovations?

The company makes gels that hospitals and other caregivers use to take ultrasound scans. The complaint alleges that the defendants are in violation of current good manufacturing practice and quality-system requirements, and are marketing medical devices without either clearance or approval. In February 2012, a Michigan hospital traced infections among 16 surgical patients to a specific gel made by Pharmaceutical Innovations. FDA testing on samples of the gel tested positive for bacterial contamination. The relevant lots of that particular gel were seized in a seizure lawsuit the United States filed in 2012; the company is actively contesting that lawsuit. In a third lawsuit, the company sued the FDA in early 2014 for denying it an export certificate attesting that it is in full compliance with the FDCA.

1. Search the web

Search by name. Filter by terms such as ‘lawyer’, ‘attorney’, ‘counsel’, ‘advocate’ and ‘law firm’.

2. Search the court records

The Canadian Legal Information Institute ( CanLII) covers the provincial, territorial and federal courts. For non-Canadian jurisdictions, see CanLII’s list of other countries’ databases, or the Free Access to Law Movement’s (FALM) member list.

4. Ask the lawyer

Commenter jqning suggests, “the way understand a lawyer’s trial experience is to ask the attorney.”

Can you find a win and loss chart?

You are not likely to be able to find a chart or graph of an attorney's wins and losses record. You may be able to put something together through public records searches, or through legal research services like Westlaw and LexisNexis. However, you probably won't be able to easily access these sections of the services even from a public law library.

Should I ak an attorney for a grand theft charge?

I know some attorneys that deal exclusively with DUI cases, so sure, they'll take your money on a grand theft charge, but you should consider this in your analysis . Be sure to bring all of the arrest reports to your...

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