
Paper & Microform
The content of U.S. appellate records and briefs received by the Law Library of Congress varies with each circuit and may not be comprehensive. The receipt of materials is unpredictable and may be several years after publication. The Law Library no longer adds paper copies to the collection. The Library transfers new paper materials to microfiche format and then adds them to the microfiche collection.
*NOTE: Most existing paper holdings have been moved to off-site storage in Fort Meade. Reference librarians can consult an internal index of paper holdings transferred to Fort Meade (via the MIS Statistical System) to confirm the availability of materials for particular cases (search by docket number, party name, circuit, and year). Most microfilm has also been moved to Fort Meade. Items moved to Fort Meade are indicated by an asterisk (*) in the table below.
Request materials in person at the Law Library Reading Room (LLRR). Materials in all locations (Fort Meade, LLRR, and stacks) may be requested. On the request form under Call Number, list “Records & Briefs” & the relevant number (see below); under Author, identify the circuit (e.g., USCA 2nd Circuit); under Title, provide the Docket Number (e.g., 91-123).
CIRCUIT |
FORMAT |
HOLDINGS |
CALL NUMBER |
LOCATION |
Fiche Collection Growing? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st |
Paper* |
1907-1930 scattered holdings; 1930-1987 |
Fort Meade |
No |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
85-1815 to 94-2479 (coverage range) |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2nd |
Paper* |
1891-1926 scattered holdings; 1926-1974 |
Fort Meade |
Yes |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
74-1001 to 2005-8302, 2009/2010 [Silver fiche] & 2006-0004 to 2007-5796 [Diazo fiche] |
LLRR [2009/2010 in LM-335: contact CSD staff] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3rd |
Paper* |
1911-1930 scattered holdings; 1930-1971 |
Fort Meade |
Yes |
|
|
Microfilm |
1895-1970* |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfilm |
1972-1981 |
Stacks |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
1981/1982 to 1999/2000, 2004/2005 to 2010/2011 (coverage range) |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th |
Paper |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
TBD |
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
98-1647, 98-2083, 2000-0002 to 2007-7671, 2008/2009 |
LLRR [2008/2009 in LM-335: contact CSD staff] |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
76-0080 to 98-9359 (coverage range) |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5th |
Paper* |
1910-1930 scattered holdings; 1930-1988; 1989-1995 scattered holdings |
Fort Meade |
Yes |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
74-3471 to 2008/2009, 2010/2011 to 2014/2015 |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th |
Paper* |
1895-1930 scattered holdings; 1930-1989 |
Fort Meade |
No |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
84-1296 to 90-5492 (coverage range) |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th |
Paper* |
1895-1921 scattered holdings; 1921-1935; 1935-1982 U.S. Department of Justice briefs only; 1983-1989; 2001 |
Fort Meade |
No |
|
|
Microfilm |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Microfiche |
89-2585 to 2000-4236 |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th |
Paper* |
1891-1974; scattered holdings 1974-1989. |
Stacks (1891-1970); Fort Meade (1971-1989) |
No |
|
|
Microfilm |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Microfiche |
91-1001EA to 91-3875EM |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9th |
Paper* |
1906-1977; 1983-1987 |
Fort Meade |
TBD |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
1990-30219 to 2007-99024 [Diazo fiche] & 775 F.2d 1037 to 857 F.2d 673 (1985-1988), 1980-5464 to 1996-99024, 1993/1994 to 1999/2000, 2002/2003 to 2003/2004, 2005/2006 to 2008/2009 [Silver fiche] |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10th |
Paper |
1929-1968; 1970-1984 scattered holdings |
Stacks |
No |
|
|
Microfilm |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Microfiche |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11th |
Paper* |
1981-1990 |
Fort Meade |
Yes |
|
|
Microfilm |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Microfiche |
80-7035 to 1999/2000, 2005/2006 to 2014/2015, 2005-2011 Miscellaneous |
Stacks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D.C. |
Paper* |
1891-1893 scattered holdings; 1896-1987 |
Stacks (1896-1968); Fort Meade (1968-1987) |
Yes |
|
|
Microfilm* |
1891-1975 (coverage range) |
Fort Meade |
|
|
|
Microfiche |
21,865 to 24,428 & 72-1283 to 96-1017 & 2002/2003 to 2007/2008 [Silver fiche]; 2008-0205 to 2008-7146 [Diazo fiche] |
LLRR [2002/2003 to 2007/2008 [Silver fiche] in LM-335: contact CSD staff] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal |
Paper |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Microfilm |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Microfiche |
T73-B341 to TI67-134-B & 83-0505 to 2012/2013 Term (coverage range) |
LLRR [2009/2010 to 2012/2013 in LM-335: contact CSD staff] |
|
Other Sources
PACER, Public Access to Court Electronic Records, https://www.pacer.gov/, is an electronic public access service provided by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for obtaining case and docket information from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts. Documents may be available in full text. Coverage varies by court; the Court Information menu in the PACER Case Locator shows available date ranges. For information on registering for a personal account and costs see https://www.pacer.gov/psc/faq.html.
Oral Arguments. The CourtListener website, https://www.courtlistener.com/coverage/, provides free audio of oral arguments from selected U.S. Federal Courts of Appeals. Coverage varies. New arguments added daily.
The National Archives and Records Administration maintains the Records of District Courts of the United States (1685-1993), http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/021.html, and Records of the United States Courts of Appeals (1891-1995), http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/276.html. For assistance, contact the National Archives, http://www.archives.gov/contact/inquire-form.html.
Information on the Library’s collection of U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs is available online at http://www.loc.gov/law/help/sct-records.php
For further assistance consult a reference librarian at the Law Library Reading Room Reference Desk by calling (202) 707-5080 or by using Ask a Librarian.
Last Updated: 12/30/2020