Firefox plugin takes court record search out of the dark ages

By: JP Smith | Published: August 15, 2009

Categories: Open Source, Internet

Not being a legal scholar or even having a working understanding of the world of law, there are just some things that I'd never think about.  However, what I love about technology is that there are so many ways to apply it to work out solutions to the challenges we face in our daily lives. I came across something today that shows me the power of the web and open-source technology, all-in-one.

For those looking up federal court cases, there is a system called PACER which, from what I fathom, is horribly outdated.  Even worse, it charge 8 cents per page for retrieving a document, with a max of $2.40.  Get this -- it even charges for searching.  Imagine any online appliction today actually charging you to search.

In response to this problem, programmers from Harvard, Princeton and the Internet archive got together to create RECAP.

Here's an overview of what it does, a la Wired News:

RECAP, a Firefox-only plugin, that rides along as one usually uses PACER — but it automatically checks if the document you want is already in its own database. The plug-in’s tagline, ‘Turning PACER around,’ alludes to the fact that its name comes from spelling PACER backwards. RECAP’s database is being seeded with millions of bankruptcy and Federal District Court documents, which have been donated, bought or gotten for free by open-government advocate Carl Malamud and fellow travelers such as Justia.

And if the document you request isn’t already in the public archive, then RECAP adds the ones you purchase to the public repository.

In other words, it frees up this information.  Not just in terms of making it more searchable but, also, by literally make it no-cost, as it should have already been, since many of the documents PACER is currently charging for are copyright-free.

So, legal minds, take heart.  You now have a better and freer option for your federal court case searches.