{{Short description|News service focused on civil litigation}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = Courthouse News Service | logo = | type = | former type = | traded_as = | industry = Publishing | genre = Civil litigation | predecessor = | foundation = <!-- City, Country ({{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}) --> | founder = | location_city = Pasadena, California | location_country = United States | locations = <!-- Number of locations, stores, offices &c. --> | area_served = | products = {{unbulleted list|News service|Print reports}} | production = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{Official URL}} | footnotes = | bodystyle = }} '''Courthouse News Service''' is an American news service primarily focusing on civil litigation.<ref name=Courthousenewsservice.com>{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://www.courthousenews.com/aboutus.html|publisher=Courthouse News Service|access-date=December 13, 2020}}</ref> It offers both free and paid services. Its core audience is lawyers and law firms, who subscribe to the service;<ref name=Courthousenewsservice.com/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/09/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/dear-blog-its-another-day-in-connecticut.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 9, 2005|title=Dear Blog: It's Another Day in Connecticut|author=Jane Gordon|quote=Dan Levine, a reporter with Courthouse News Service, a national news wire for lawyers}}</ref><ref name=Schaefer>''[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=14033221730862891468 Courthouse News Service v. Schaefer]'', Civil Action No. 2:18-cv-39 (E.D. Va. February 20, 2020).</ref> other subscribers include nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, other media outlets, and academic institutions.<ref name=Schaefer/>
Courthouse News has reporters across the United States who cover proceedings in state and federal trial courts and appellate courts for its non-paywalled public website.<ref name="Courthousenewsservice.com" /><ref name="Schaefer" /> Its reporters also cover federal and state legislation and congressional activity. It is a member of the Senate Press Gallery.<ref name="Courthousenewsservice.com" />
In addition to digital print journalism, Courthouse News produces a podcast called Sidebar. It launched in May 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sidebar {{!}} A podcast from Courthouse News |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/category/podcast/}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Sidebar by Courthouse News |date=2021-05-25 |type=News |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21919560/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |publisher=Courthouse News}}</ref>
== Paid subscription service == Unlike CourtExpress and CourtLink, Courthouse News Service does not provide comprehensive docket information; rather, it alerts paid subscribers to new filings and rulings.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Levitt |first1=Carole |last2=Rosch |first2=Mark E. |date=December 19, 2006 |title=The Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet |publisher=American Bar Association |edition=3 |page=388 |isbn=978-1590316719 }}<!--|access-date=2014-01-10 --></ref>
As of 2020, the service had more than 2,200 subscribers.<ref name="Schaefer" /> It is a competitor to Thomson Reuters, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg.<ref name="Schaefer" />
== History and awards == Courthouse News Service was founded in 1990 by Bill Girdner, who remains the news agency's owner and editor.<ref name="Schaefer" /> It is based in Pasadena, California.<ref name="Courthousenewsservice.com" />
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group received between $2 million and $5 million in federally backed small business loans from City National Bank as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. The organization stated that the money would help it retain 256 employees.<ref name="proj_COUR">{{Cite web |last1=Syed |first1=Moiz |last2=Willis |first2=Derek |title=COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - Coronavirus Bailouts - ProPublica |url=https://projects.propublica.org/coronavirus/bailouts/loans/courthouse-news-service-5755b8a48934b8aea57cb2946c77a3c5 |access-date=10 July 2020 |work=ProPublica|date=7 July 2020 }}</ref><ref name="theh_Here">{{Cite web |author=James Bikales |date=6 July 2020 |title=Here are the major media companies that received coronavirus relief loans |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/506121-here-are-the-major-media-companies-that-received-coronavirus-relief-loans |access-date=10 July 2020 |work=The Hill}}</ref>
In 2023, Girdner received the James Madison Award for his First Amendment court victories.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 2023 |title=FOIFT honors Bill Girdner with James Madison Award |url=https://www.texaspress.com/foift-honors-bill-girdner-james-madison-award}}</ref>
== Press access litigation == Courthouse News Service has been the plaintiff in numerous First Amendment court cases seeking quicker access to new complaint filings.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=FOIFT |title=Courthouse News Service editor Bill Girdner to receive James Madison Award |url=https://foift.org/2023/09/08/courthouse-news-service-editor-bill-girdner-to-receive-james-madison-award/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Freedom of Information Foundation Texas |date=8 September 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Idaho === In 2024, Courthouse News Service won a key victory in the Northwest where a federal judge handed down a broad ruling that enjoined Idaho’s top court official from withholding public documents.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Girdner |first=Bill |title=Courthouse News wins public access case in Idaho |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/courthouse-news-wins-public-access-case-in-idaho/ |work=Courthouse News Service}}</ref>
=== Ohio === In March of 2023, U.S. District Judge Sarah Morrison ordered the Franklin County court clerk Columbus, Ohio to stop withholding e-filed complaints from public view during a clerk review process, as a result of litigation filed by Courthouse News Service.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pullano |first=Nina |date=March 21, 2023 |title=Federal judge orders Columbus court to stop delaying access to new complaints |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-orders-columbus-court-to-stop-delaying-access-to-new-complaints/ |work=Courthouse News}}</ref>
=== Vermont === A federal judge in November 2021 enjoined Vermont court clerks from withholding access to e-filed complaints. She decided in favor of news outlets contesting an access blackout while clerks review and process new court filings.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Girdner |first=Bill |date=November 22, 2021 |title=Federal judge enjoins Vermont clerks from withholding First Amendment access |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-enjoins-vermont-clerks-from-withholding-first-amendment-access/ |work=Courthouse News}}</ref>
=== Other states === Courthouse News has also secured injunctions over press access battles in Virginia, Illinois, New York, Texas, and California.<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{portal|Greater Los Angeles|Journalism|Law}} * {{official website}}
Category:1990 establishments in California Category:American legal websites Category:Companies based in Pasadena, California Category:Mass media in Pasadena, California Category:News agencies based in the United States