Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Comparing Federal & State Courts
Why most tort and probate matters begin in state court and why state structures differ.
After a death
To understand a wrongful-death case, start with the right court
GuideWeSpeakLaw EditorialUpdated August 24, 2026Sources reviewed
The state, court and docket matter more than a broad label. Finding the filed complaint and later orders separates allegations from decisions.
Verification ledger
Primary sources
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Find a Case (PACER)
How to locate federal dockets and documents.
Identify the state before the rule
A death can touch several bodies of law at once. Before searching for a wrongful-death rule, identify where the events occurred, where a case was filed and whether an estate or probate matter exists. The answers point toward the court system and official sources that actually control.
The federal judiciary explains that state courts hear most personal-injury tort cases and probate matters. Each state's own constitution and laws establish its court structure, so court names and online access vary.
Read the docket as a timeline
Start with the case number, court and party names. On the docket, find the complaint, any response, motions and the latest court orders. A complaint tells you what was alleged and requested; an order tells you what the court decided at that point.
Do not turn a filing into an outcome. A case may change through amended pleadings, dismissal, settlement, trial or appeal, and the latest reliable answer comes from the record itself.
Use PACER only for federal cases
PACER provides federal appellate, district and bankruptcy docket information and documents. If the matter is in federal court, the PACER Case Locator can help when the specific federal court is unknown.
PACER does not search state-court records. For a state case, use that state's judiciary or the clerk of the court where the matter was filed. Keep the source court, document title, filing date and docket number with every copy you save.
Corrections
Updated August 24, 2026. No corrections are recorded.