Quick Overview
- Court calendars and dockets showing upcoming hearing dates are generally public record.
- Court dates in Google search results typically come from: For more information, visit the FOIA.
- Past court dates are part of the official case record.
100% Results-Based PricingYou pay only once the court record link is gone from Google search results. No retainer, no upfront fee.
Are Upcoming Court Dates Public?
Yes. Court calendars and dockets showing upcoming hearing dates are generally public record. This applies to: For more information, visit the US Courts.
- Criminal arraignments, bail hearings, and pretrial conferences
- Trial dates in criminal and civil cases
- Sentencing hearings
- Civil motion hearings
- Appellate argument dates
Many courts post their daily calendars online, and court dockets (accessible through PACER for federal courts and state portals for state courts) show all scheduled upcoming events in a case. This information is publicly accessible before, during, and after any hearing. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.
How Court Dates Appear in Google
Court dates in Google search results typically come from: For more information, visit the FOIA.
- Court docket pages: PACER-derived pages on CourtListener show all docket entries including scheduled hearings
- State court calendar pages: Many state courts post searchable daily or weekly calendars online, which Google indexes
- News coverage: Reporters cover criminal cases and note upcoming trial dates in articles
- Data broker profiles: Some aggregators include court date information in their reports
- Legal aggregators: Justia and similar sites sometimes display docket information including hearing dates
Can Past Court Dates Be Removed Online?
Past court dates are part of the official case record. Changing them in official court records takes a sealing or expungement order. After such an order: Learn more about background check reports on our blog.
- The docket entry (including past hearing dates) is restricted on official portals
- CourtListener and Justia can be asked to remove or de-index the case
- Google pages can be requested for de-indexing through the Personal Information Removal Tool
- News articles are not bound by court orders, so removal runs through publisher outreach and de-indexing
Protecting Privacy Before a Court Date
If you are concerned about a future court date appearing in search results, there are practical steps:
- Sealing request: If your case involves privacy-sensitive facts, your attorney may be able to request that the proceeding be sealed or conducted in camera
- Name change redaction: In certain cases, courts can order party names partially redacted from online-accessible dockets
- Audit current online presence: Know what is already indexed before the hearing date
- Work with a reputation professional: Post-hearing, address data broker and aggregator profiles proactively
"Transparent, specific, and honest from day one. They told me which records were removable and which weren't before I paid anything."
Free consultation
Is your court date showing as public record? Find out - free.
Tell us about your situation and a removal specialist will personally review it and respond within one business day. No pressure, no obligation.
- No upfront payment - you only pay if we succeed
- A+ BBB Rated · 5,000+ Cases Handled · Since 2013
- 100% Confidential · Response within 1 business day
As seen in
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Court hearing dates in the United States are public record as part of the court's docket and calendar. This applies to criminal and civil proceedings. Courts post their daily calendars online and dockets showing upcoming events are publicly accessible through PACER (federal) and state court portals. Sealed cases have restricted dockets where upcoming dates may not be visible to the public.
Yes, you can search for upcoming court dates through state court online portals and PACER (for federal courts). Most state courts have name-based search functionality that shows open cases and their upcoming hearing dates. CourtListener (courtlistener.com) indexes federal court dockets. Some states display courtroom calendars daily online. Sealed and expunged cases are excluded from these public searches.
Removing a court date from Google requires first addressing the source page. If the court date appears on an official court portal, a sealing order is required to restrict that access. After restriction, Google's Personal Information Removal Tool can be used to request de-indexing. If it appears on a news site, direct removal typically requires the site's voluntary cooperation. Data broker profiles can be addressed through opt-out requests.
Yes. Criminal court dates are public record. The date and time of arraignments, hearings, and trials are part of the court's public docket. This public access exists so community members can observe proceedings. Exceptions include sealed cases, juvenile court proceedings, and certain domestic relations matters where the court restricts access. After expungement, the case record including court dates is restricted from public access.
Search the court portal for the jurisdiction where your case was filed. For federal cases, check PACER (pacer.gov). For state cases, visit your state's court website and look for 'case search' or 'court calendar.' You will need your name, case number, or both. You can also call the court clerk's office directly. Your attorney, if you have one, will always have access to your upcoming court dates.
Keep reading
Related guides
ExplainerAre Family Court Records Public: Divorce, Custody & Child…Read the guide →ExplainerAre Immigration Court Records Public: EOIR, Asylum & Online…Read the guide →ExplainerAre Court Records Public? What's Actually Accessible Online…Read the guide →Situation guideCan Court Records Be Removed from the Internet in 2026?Read the guide →Pillar guideHow to Remove a Court Case from Public RecordRead the guide →