The best legal research databases, according to hackers
4 legal research databases were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 1 earns the Hacker Approved badge.
Top pick
The most recommended legal research database with the badge. Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Free access to court documents
Free, donation-funded search of US court documents and bulk case law from the non-profit Free Law Project, seen as a cheaper alternative to PACER.
All 4 legal research databases, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CourtListener | 10 | 0 | 100% | 8 | — | Approved |
| 2 | LexisNexis | 7 | 9 | 44% | 5 | — | — |
| Tied 3 | PACER | 5 | 11 | 31% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 3 | Westlaw | 5 | 6 | 45% | 3 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same legal research database in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to legal research databases that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.