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Cost: $40

Instructors: Michael Lissner, Free Law Project; William Palin, Free Law Project; Coulter Jones, Wall Street Journal; Carrie Johnson, NPR; Mollie Simon, ProPublica

Description

Journalists who cover the courts serve a time-honored role as the public's watchdog, but often it can be a challenge to find the legal documents and data that are necessary to break a story. This Master Class will teach attendees how to access legal documents via free or low-cost and easy-to-use tools. There will be time to look at case studies and to answer individual questions to help with research.

The session will include:

• Using CourtListener, RECAP, and other online tools from Free Law Project
• Getting timely updates on the cases you are interested in
• Looking at the Pulitzer Prize-winning stories that were mined from judicial financial disclosures, how the database was built, and how to find your own stories
• Learning how the courts are organized and how to get the legal documents you need
• How to gather data on the types of cases you are interested in

Preregistration is required and seating is limited.