There is no fee to register. However, there is a fee to access court records once logged into PACER.

To register for a PACER account,

1. Go to https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account/pacer-case-search-only to register for a PACER Case Search Only account.
2. Click Register for a PACER account.
3. Complete the online registration form by following the PACER onscreen prompts to provide your contact information, create a username and password, and set up security questions.
   • For User Type, scroll down in the list to select the appropriate option under the section labeled
     **************** Individual Accounts ****************.
     • If you have a case pending in this court, select the “PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT, OR DEBTOR IN A CASE” option.
     • If you do not have a case pending in this court, select the “INDIVIDUAL” option.
4. Choose whether to provide a payment method:
   • If you provide a payment method during registration, your account is typically activated immediately.
   • If you do not provide a payment method, PACER will mail an activation code to the address you provided, and you can activate your account once you receive the code. 

After your account is activated, you can sign in to PACER to search for federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy court cases using the PACER Case Locator or by accessing a specific court's records.

You can search by:

• Case number (recommended)
• Party name
• Attorney name (if available)
• Filing date or other available search criteria

Using the full case number will provide the most accurate results.

If your search does not return any results:

• Verify the spelling of names.
• Confirm the case number is correct.
• If you're unsure which federal court the case was filed in, use the PACER Case Locator to search nationwide.

Newly filed cases are generally available once they have been entered into the Court's CM/ECF system. In many instances, cases appear shortly after filing, although processing times may vary. In the Southern District of Texas, the Clerk's Office typically opens new cases within 1-2 business days.

To search for cases nationwide, use the PACER Case Locator.

Yes. However, common names may return multiple results. Adding additional information, such as a case number or filing year, can help narrow your search.

Electronic access to certain documents is limited to parties in the case or restricted to viewing via public terminals in the Clerk's Office, such as documents in Social Security Administration and Immigration cases. 

Some documents are:

• Sealed by court order
• Restricted by statute or rule
• Available only to case participants

If a document is sealed or otherwise restricted, it will not be available to the public through PACER.

The court provides free access to PACER at public terminals in the Clerk's Office at each of the Southern District of Texas courthouses.

For remote access to view docket reports and filed documents online, you must have a PACER account. PACER charges statutory fees for accessing most documents, subject to applicable fee exemptions and waivers. The PACER Pricing page explains how fees work.

All court opinions are available through PACER for free for registered users. Additionally, access to court opinions from many appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts are available for no fee in a text searchable format through a partnership with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), consistent with the E-Government Act. Opinions are available from more than 130 courts and date back to April 2004. On the GPO website, you can search across all opinions. For example, search "USA v." and all opinions with that term will come up in your results.

Depending on the court and case type, McVCIS may provide information such as:

• Case number
• Case title or party names
• Filing date
• Case status
• Assigned judge
• Assigned attorney(s)
• Scheduled hearings or other case events
• Disposition information, if applicable

The information available varies by court and by the type of case.

Call the McVCIS toll-free number and follow the automated prompts. You can search for a case using information such as:

• Case number
• Party name
• Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number (when permitted and available)

The system guides you through each step of the search process using your telephone keypad. 

No. McVCIS is a free public service.

McVCIS retrieves information directly from participating courts' electronic case management systems. Information is generally updated as court records are updated, although recently filed documents or docket entries may not be available immediately.

Yes, McVCIS provides automated prompts and case information in English and Spanish. Select your preferred language when prompted after calling the toll-free number.

No. McVCIS provides basic case information only. To view or obtain court documents, use PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) or contact the clerk's office for the court where the case was filed.

If you cannot find the information you need through McVCIS, contact the Clerk's Office of the court where the case is pending.