Which search to use
Six ways in, and which one to reach for when.
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Reviewed 24 September 2026
Step by step
- CNR number Sixteen characters, unique to the matter across the country. If you have it, use it: it returns one case and nothing else.
- Case type, number and year What is written on the file cover. The type has to match the court’s own list — a civil suit is not the same entry as a civil appeal.
- Party name Broad, and useful when the papers are in somebody else’s office. Add a court to cut the result list down.
- FIR number Police station, number and year, for criminal matters where the FIR is all anybody has.
- Filing number The number the registry gave on presentation, before registration. Useful in the window between filing and a case number.
- Advocate name Everything listed for an advocate. A chamber uses this to see what is coming up across the practice.
Worth knowing
- A search is not free and a refined search is cheaper than three vague ones. Fill in the court and the year before you run it.
Questions
Where do I find the CNR?
On the order sheet and on most court receipts. Once a matter is tracked, the CNR is on its page here too.
Why is a party search returning so many rows?
Common names. Add the court, or the filing year, or both.
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Reviewed 24 September 2026