Courts run on software that logs every event. Asking for "the audit trail" gets refused. Asking for named fields on named events, for a specific case and date range, is a request with a defined answer.
The Steps
- 1Identify the exact events
Name the case number, the docket entry date, and the specific rows in dispute. A request tied to three identified events is far stronger than one aimed at a whole case.
- 2List the fields by name
Request: authenticated operator ID, workstation or terminal identifier, original submission identifier, acceptance or override event, image creation time, image-to-docket attachment time, received-date value, filed-date value, reason code, and before-and-after modification history.
- 3Ask for the format
Request a native export or a certified report rather than a screenshot. Screenshots of an audit view lose the underlying values.
- 4Send it to the right custodian
The Circuit Clerk holds the case management system. Court administration and the Chief Judge’s office hold administrative authority over court-controlled technical records. Send to each separately.
- 5Include a preservation demand
State expressly that the request triggers a duty to preserve the identified logs, backups, and any vendor-held copies pending production.
- 6If refused, move for it
File a motion asking the court to order production of the identified audit fields, attaching the conflicting artifacts that make the log necessary.
What the Record Shows
- In this record, a June 8 written filing refusal, a June 15 FILED stamp, a June 18 PDF creation timestamp, and a June 19 portal entry cannot form one chronology. See the conflict and the records demand.
- The audit log demanded in this case has not been produced as of July 30, 2026.