Service Description

Court records can expose conflict, pressure and past behavior that shape a person’s story. This workshop teaches you how to navigate both civil and criminal court systems and how to understand what you find. **Search widely and strategically** Learn how to look for cases in state and federal courts, and how to examine filings involving your subject or their business interests. Judgments, motions and complaints often contain details unavailable anywhere else. **Go beyond the courthouse** Police reports, emergency calls and related documents can add essential context. This session shows how to find and request these records using tools such as MuckRock Requests, and how to interpret these records with caution and accuracy. This workshop gives you the tools to understand how legal histories fit into broader reporting and how to use court documents responsibly and meaningfully.