Privacy Policies


Fourth Circuit case dockets and documents are available to the public over the Internet through the Judiciary’s PACER system (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). The PACER system protects sealed documents and party filings in social security, immigration, and railroad retirement cases from public Internet access. The Federal Rules of Procedure require the filing party to remove protected information prior to filing a document in federal court and specifically require redaction of social security and tax ID numbers, the names of minor children, dates of birth, financial account numbers, and home addresses in criminal cases. For instructions on redacting information from filings, please see How do I redact items from pleadings?

Federal Privacy Protection Rules

  • Fed. R. App. P. 25(a)(5)

  • Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2

  • Fed. R. Crim. P. 49.1

  • Fed R. Bankr. P. 9037