UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
IN RE: APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION Administrative Order
FROM THE ELECTRONIC PUBLIC No. 24-MS-050
ACCESS FEES BY ARTHUR SMITH
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This matter is before the Court upon the application and request by Arthur Smith for
exemption from the fees imposed by the Electronic Public Access fee schedule adopted by the
Judicial Conference of the United States Courts.
The Court finds that Arthur Smith, a doctoral student associated with Kent State
University, falls within the class of users listed in the fee schedule as being eligible for a fee
exemption. Additionally, Smith has demonstrated that an exemption is necessary in order to
avoid unreasonable burdens and to promote public access to information.
Accordingly, Smith shall be exempt from the payment of fees for access via PACER to
the electronic case files maintained in this Court, to the extent such use is incurred in the course
of researching judgments in criminal cases with the goal of building an algorithm to predict
sentences of individuals in the federal court system.
Smith shall not be exempt from the payment of fees incurred in connection with other
uses of the PACER system in this Court. Additionally, the following limitations apply:
1. This fee exemption applies only to Arthur Smith (PACER Account #5877100), and
is valid only for the purposes stated above;
2. This fee exemption applies only to the electronic case files of this Court that are
available through the PACER system;
3. By accepting this exemption, Smith agrees not to sell for profit any data obtained
as a result of receiving this exemption;
4. Smith is prohibited from transferring any data obtained as a result of receiving this
exemption, including redistribution via internet-based databases;
5. This exemption is valid from July 8, 2024, through July 8, 2025.
This Order may be revoked at the discretion of the Court at any time. A copy of this Order
shall be sent to the PACER Service Center.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
FOR THE COURT:
Dated: July 10, 2024
HALA Y. JARBOU
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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