Courthouse News Service
Courthouse News Service is an American news service primarily focusing on civil litigation. It offers both free and paid services. Its core audience is lawyers and law firms, who subscribe to the service; other subscribers include nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, other media outlets, and academic institutions.
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. Its reporters also cover federal and state legislation and congressional activity. It is a member of the Periodical [Press Galleries of the United States Congress|Senate Press Gallery].
In addition to digital print journalism, Courthouse News produces a podcast called Sidebar. It launched in May 2021.
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.As of 2020, the service had more than 2,200 subscribers. It is a competitor to Thomson Reuters, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg.
History and awards
Courthouse News Service was founded in 1990 by Bill Girdner, who remains the news agency's owner and editor. It is based in Pasadena, California.During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group received between $2 million and $5 million in federally backed small business loans from City [National Bank |City National Bank] as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. The organization stated that the money would help it retain 256 employees.
In 2023, Girdner received the James Madison Award for his First Amendment court victories.