pacer sticker shock!!!

[djt]

I just got my pacer login and password, and they're already into me for $113. For some reason I decided to search
the cases of the lawyer I was going to retain. 467 cases turned up. I only looked at 4 or 5. Each time I hit the back button all 467 registered again. Is there anything I can do?

Thanks

[Cali7]

Yes, go to the help section and contact them. Just say you made a mistake and didn't realize your search would turn up such a large return.

I made the same mistake to get a single search that cost $87. I contacted them and within a couple days they let me know the charge was returned. From now on I'll be looking for my case only.


(why they charge you for a search return that's just a list that doesn't actually provide any real information is beyond me)

[StaciMM]

My understanding is you only get charged $.08 for the search that leads to a list, but if you open up a long document, you are charged $.08 for each page in that document.

[sunshine08]

That is the same info I got. I looked at other things besides my case. I have looked at alot. Pick up the phone and give 'im a call.

[djt]

I called and emailed pacer about the 1390 pages and $111. The guy said that they bill quarterly and that I should wait until the January bill comes out to dispute the charges. What they should do is tell you how many pages they will bill you and have you accept the charges like they do when you view scanned images. That would alleviate all the uncertainty.

[AMISLANDER]

OH my god!

this makes me afraid to use this "Pacer" site...hmmm...I think this kind of happened to me the other day. I only looked myself up and somehow I saw a charge of like 2.32? guess I'll have to watch what I do on that site!

[StaciMM]

Did you view your petition? That would be multiple pages, and each is $.08.

this makes me afraid to use this "Pacer" site...hmmm...I think this kind of happened to me the other day. I only looked myself up and somehow I saw a charge of like 2.32? guess I'll have to watch what I do on that site!

[djt]

I did view my petition, and I understand how they charge for viewing actual documents. They tell you how many pages and how much you will be billed. For general queries, however, they tell you nothing. If you query an attorney or a trustee you could turn up 300 or 1000 cases. They bill you for the number of cases that turn up in your query. I found that out the hard way. Maybe someone will want to see how their particular trustee handles cases.

DON'T DO a 10 year or even a year long search. Make sure it's narrow. I think they should tell you how many cases there are in your search and how much they will charge you so that you can accept or decline before being blindsided. Each time i hit the back button the darned thing reloaded and did the search again. If you don't look at the bottom of the page you woun't even know how much their charging.

Whacky and misleading, if you ask me.