PACER

For civil cases filed after June 1, 2004, and for criminal cases filed after January 1, 2005, case files are permanently maintained in electronic format on the court's electronic case management system (CM/ECF). Members of the public will need a PACER login and password to review electronic documents. You can obtain a PACER login on-line or by calling (800) 676-6856. If you have a PACER account, you may login to the court's electronic case files. You may also view the court's electronic case files free of charge at the public terminals in the clerk's office.

U.S. Government Information (GovInfo)

GPO’s Government Information System (GovInfo) provides free online access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government. Through GovInfo, you can search, browse, and download documents and publications.

Opinion Search

This feature allows you to search and browse judicial opinions issued by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Paper Casefile Archives

Civil cases filed before June 1, 2004, and criminal cases filed before January 1, 2005, are maintained in paper case files. The clerk's office keeps paper files on-site for two years after a criminal case is closed and for one year after a civil case is closed. After that, paper files are transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration-Federal Records Center (NARA-FRC) in Waltham, MA, for a fifteen-year storage retention period.

Cases stored at NARA-FRC are available for public review. Upon expiration of the fifteen-year storage retention period, however, NARA-FRC destroys some paper casefiles and designates others as permanent records. If you would like information on whether a paper case file still exists, or how you can review or obtain paper or electronic copies of paper documents that have been sent to NARA-FRC, please see ACCESSING COURT RECORDS STORED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (NARA-pdf).

Please note that paper case files for miscellaneous and magistrate judge cases are maintained for ten years after the case is closed. After that, and depending on the type of proceeding, most miscellaneous and magistrate paper cases are destroyed in accordance with the Records Disposition Schedule as established by the Judicial Conference of the United States. If you have questions regarding a miscellaneous or magistrate judge case, please contact the clerk's office.

Sealed records are never transferred to National Archives and Records Administration and are maintained on-site in the clerk's office. If a member of the public or media would like to obtain access to a sealed document, he or she must file a formal motion and seek the concurrence of all parties/counsel of record.

Retrieved paper casefiles can be viewed and copied but cannot be removed from the clerk's office without prior authorization from the clerk of court.