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What Is FindLaw?

FindLaw was founded in 1995 and became one of the internet's earliest comprehensive legal resources. Thomson Reuters acquired FindLaw in 2001, and it has since grown into a multifaceted platform serving three distinct audiences: the general public seeking free legal information, attorneys looking for practice management tools and client development, and legal professionals researching case law. For more information, visit the FindLaw expungement basics.

The platform hosts an enormous volume of content: case law from federal and state courts going back decades, legal news and analysis, attorney profiles and directories, legal topic explanations, and legal forms. The case law section - which is where court records appear - is particularly well-indexed by Google due to FindLaw's exceptional domain authority and the structured format of its case pages. Learn more about expungement vs. record sealing on our blog.

FindLaw's case law database covers:

Why FindLaw Results Are So Damaging A FindLaw page for a court case involving your name will often outrank every other result for your name in Google - including your LinkedIn profile, your company website, and any other positive presence. This happens because FindLaw's domain authority (estimated DA 90+) gives its pages an enormous advantage over personal or small business websites.

Why Your Court Record Appears on FindLaw

FindLaw populates its case law database through several channels that operate largely automatically: For more information, visit the US Courts.

Your record is probably showing in more places than you realize - and each one can be addressed.
Most people who reach out to us had no idea how many places their record had spread. Justia, Google Scholar, UniCourt, background check sites - each one a new place where employers, landlords, or dates might find you. A free scan shows you exactly where you stand, so you can do something about it.
See Every Place Your Record Appears →

Official Court Data Feeds

FindLaw receives official opinion feeds from many federal and state courts. When a court publishes an opinion - meaning a judge's written decision in a case - it enters FindLaw's database, typically within days or weeks of publication. This process is automated and does not involve human editorial review of individual cases. Learn more about court record removal on our blog.

Thomson Reuters Legal Data

As part of the Thomson Reuters family, FindLaw has access to the same underlying court data that powers Westlaw - the gold standard of legal research. This means FindLaw's coverage is exceptionally comprehensive and up-to-date for published opinions. Learn more about background check reports on our blog.

Third-Party Legal Data Aggregators

For records that aren't directly from court feeds, Thomson Reuters supplements its database with licensed data from legal data aggregators, including historical records that predate digital court filing systems.

Importantly, FindLaw only indexes published opinions - formal written decisions issued by courts. Routine docket entries, plea agreements, and unpublished opinions generally do not appear in FindLaw's case law database. However, if your case was significant enough for a judge to write a published opinion (even a brief one), it is likely on FindLaw.

FindLaw Also Covers Legal News In addition to case law, FindLaw publishes legal news articles that summarize notable cases. If your case received media coverage or was considered significant, FindLaw may have published a news article about it in addition to the underlying case opinion. These news articles require a separate removal strategy.

Does FindLaw Offer a Removal Process?

FindLaw does not offer a simple, self-service removal tool for court records. Because FindLaw considers published court opinions to be matters of public record and essential to its mission as a legal information resource, its default position is that court opinions should remain accessible.

That said, Thomson Reuters (FindLaw's parent company) does have a formal privacy request process, and removal is possible under specific circumstances. The process runs through the Thomson Reuters Privacy Center at privacy.thomsonreuters.com, the same portal used for Casetext and Westlaw removal requests.

Grounds that have historically supported successful removal requests include:

Requests based solely on embarrassment, professional inconvenience, or a preference for privacy are generally insufficient to overcome FindLaw's public record argument. You need a legal basis - which is why working with professionals who understand these frameworks often makes the difference.

Step-by-Step: Requesting Removal from FindLaw

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  1. Document all FindLaw URLs containing your record Search FindLaw.com directly using your name and case-related terms. Also perform Google searches using site:findlaw.com "your name" to find all indexed pages. Screenshot each result with the date and URL clearly visible.
  2. Distinguish between case law pages and news articles FindLaw's case law pages follow a URL structure like caselaw.findlaw.com/[court]/[year]/[casenumber].html. News articles have different URLs. Each type may require different arguments for removal. Identify which type(s) you are dealing with before submitting a request.
  3. Assemble your legal documentation The stronger your legal basis, the better your chances. Gather: certified copies of any expungement, sealing, or vacatur orders; the original case number and jurisdiction; any court orders specifically directing third-party databases to update their records; and documentation of specific harm caused by the continued publication.
  4. Submit via Thomson Reuters Privacy Center Navigate to privacy.thomsonreuters.com and select "Submit a Privacy Request." Choose "Deletion" or "Correction" as appropriate. In the description field, clearly state that the data appears on FindLaw.com (not just Casetext or Westlaw), provide all URLs, and attach your documentation.
  5. Send a parallel legal request to FindLaw's editorial team For news articles specifically, try emailing FindLaw's editorial team through the contact form at findlaw.com/company/contact-us. Explain the factual basis for your request and reference the specific URLs. News article requests are sometimes handled separately from case law removal requests.
  6. Simultaneously file for Google de-indexing Do not wait for FindLaw to respond before pursuing Google de-indexing. Submit Google removal requests for all FindLaw URLs immediately. This is the most time-sensitive step because Google de-indexing can reduce visibility within 3–6 weeks even if FindLaw's underlying page remains live.
  7. Track responses and escalate if needed Thomson Reuters should acknowledge your request within 30 days. If denied, you can provide additional information. If ignored, consider escalating with a formal legal letter or consulting with a privacy attorney or reputation management professional.

What to Do If FindLaw Refuses

FindLaw refusals are common, especially for published federal court opinions where Thomson Reuters takes a strong public-record position. If your removal request is denied, you have several effective alternatives:

Pursue Aggressive Google De-Indexing

This is the primary practical remedy for most people. Google's Personal Information Removal Tool allows you to request that specific URLs be removed from Google's search index. When a FindLaw page is de-indexed from Google, it stops appearing in search results even though the FindLaw page itself remains live. For most people, Google is the only realistic way their record gets discovered - so removing it from Google is functionally equivalent to removing it from public view.

Use Bing and Other Search Engine Removal Tools

Don't forget that Bing also indexes FindLaw pages prominently. Bing has its own content removal tool at bing.com/webmaster/tools/contentremoval. Submit requests to Bing in parallel with Google. Yahoo Search, DuckDuckGo, and others largely follow Google's index, so Google de-indexing has downstream effects on those platforms as well.

Implement a Suppression Strategy

If de-indexing requests are denied, a strategic suppression campaign involves building authoritative positive content that outranks the FindLaw result. This includes optimizing your LinkedIn profile, creating professional author pages, getting featured in legitimate press coverage, building out your company website, and potentially creating a personal brand website. With enough authoritative positive content, the FindLaw result can be displaced from the first page of search results over time.

Return to Court for Additional Relief

In some cases, the most powerful tool is going back to the court that issued the opinion and seeking an order to seal, expunge, or de-publish the record. If the court issues such an order, Thomson Reuters / FindLaw has a much harder time refusing removal. Some courts are willing to issue targeted privacy relief orders in cases involving minor offenses, dismissed charges, or significant time elapsed since the original matter.

De-Indexing FindLaw from Google Search

Because FindLaw pages carry such high domain authority, Google de-indexing is especially valuable here. When Google de-indexes a high-authority page, it creates a significant gap in search results that competitors with lower authority (like your own positive content) can fill more effectively.

To submit a Google de-indexing request for FindLaw URLs:

  1. Go to Google's removal tool Visit support.google.com/websearch/troubleshooter/9685456. Sign into your Google account for faster processing and better tracking of your requests.
  2. Choose "Remove information you see in Google Search" Then select "In Google's search results and on a website." This path covers third-party URLs like FindLaw that you don't own or control.
  3. Select the most applicable harm category For court records involving criminal matters, select the category related to "arrest, conviction, or sentence for a crime" if applicable. For civil matters or cases involving sensitive personal information, select "personal information" or "doxxing content" as appropriate.
  4. Provide each FindLaw URL individually Each URL must be entered as a separate request. Be thorough - include the main case page plus any related FindLaw news articles or summaries referencing your case.
  5. Write a clear, factual explanation Explain why the information should be removed. Reference any legal orders you have. Avoid emotional language - focus on factual grounds. Google's reviewers assess each request based on specific criteria, so clarity and specificity matter.
Google's Decision Criteria Google evaluates removal requests based on whether the privacy interest outweighs the public interest in the information remaining accessible. For criminal records where charges were dropped or dismissed, or where significant time has passed and rehabilitation is evident, Google is more likely to approve removal. For ongoing matters of genuine public interest, Google is more likely to deny.

After Expungement or Sealing: Does FindLaw Update?

FindLaw does not automatically update when a court record is expunged or sealed. This is a systemic limitation of how legal databases work - they capture the record at a point in time and don't maintain live connections to court systems that would notify them of subsequent changes.

Even when a state court orders a record expunged, that order only applies to the originating court's records. It does not create a legal obligation for Thomson Reuters, FindLaw, or any other private database to update their records - at least not without a specific court order directing them to do so.

Some states have more proactive digital expungement statutes. California, New York, and several other states have enacted or proposed laws requiring private legal databases to honor expungement orders. If you're in one of these states and have a valid expungement order, your legal position for demanding FindLaw removal is stronger than in states without such laws.

State-Specific Expungement Laws Are Evolving Laws governing private legal database obligations after expungement are changing rapidly. Several states passed new digital privacy and expungement legislation between 2023 and 2025. If you have an expungement order, it's worth consulting with a privacy attorney or professional service to understand what rights you may have under your state's current law before submitting a DIY request.

Working with Professionals

FindLaw is one of the most challenging platforms for DIY removal because of Thomson Reuters' size, legal sophistication, and strong public-record philosophy. Most individual removal requests submitted without supporting legal documentation or professional framing are denied quickly.

Professional reputation management services that specialize in legal database removal offer:

We help identify whether removal may be possible for your specific FindLaw record. The free case review lets us assess your options before recommending any course of action - no upfront cost, completely confidential.