Malamud Linked to PACER Pilot Shut Down

Carl Malamud, founder of Public.Resource.org, instigated the massive download of documents from PACER that led to the suspension of the free PACER pilot program last September, reports John Schwartz in the February 13 New York Times. According to Schwartz, Aaron Swartz downloaded more than 19 million pages from PACER, or approximately 20% of the database, in response to Malamud’s public call for individuals to download PACER documents and have them published on Public.Resource. A spokesperson for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts declined to tell the Times whether or when the pilot program would resume, or whether the federal government would pursue legal proceedings against Malamud or Swartz.  Respecting his future plans for PACER, Malamud told the Times, “I want the whole database in 2009.”  The Times also reports that Malamud has discovered many instances of allegedly unlawful disclosure of personally identifying information in PACER documents, which he has asked the courts to correct.  Malamud has posted the courts’ response here. [Robert Richards]