Old Court Order Copy Not Traceable: What to Do Next

Reviewed on: 2026-05-30.

RTI is useful when a public authority holds the record behind old court order copy not traceable. Ask for information, not action. Good RTI points are: current status of file, date-wise movement, copies of deficiency notes, inspection reports, payment release note, dispatch record, rule relied upon, name and designation of the office holding the file, and copies of correspondence between offices. Do not ask the PIO to “solve my grievance” or “punish the officer”. RTI cannot force a private company to refund money unless the record is held by a public authority, but it can expose government-side delay, missing file movement or reasons.

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• Court case records RTI
• RTI for court case delay
• Charge-sheet copy through RTI

When you need a copy of an old court order that is not traceable, here is the complete guide:

1. Step 1: Where court records are stored. (a) original case files are kept in the court's record room for a specified period (typically 5-10 years for civil, 10-20 years for criminal), (b) older records are transferred to the District Archives or State Archives, © digitized records may be available on the court's e-filing portal (eCourts.gov.in), (d) High Courts and the Supreme Court maintain their own digital repositories.
2. Step 2: How to search. (a) note the case number, year, court name, and parties' names, (b) visit the court's record room and submit a search application, © the court clerk searches the physical register and the digital system, (d) if the case number is unknown: search by party name in the court's index register, (e) the eCourts website (ecourts.gov.in) allows case status search by case number, party name, or advocate name.
3. Step 3: How to apply for a certified copy. (a) file an application (in the prescribed form) with the court's copying department, (b) specify: case number, year, court, parties' names, and the specific order/judgment sought, © pay the prescribed fee (typically Rs 2-10 per page), (d) the court issues the certified copy within 7-15 working days, (e) urgent applications (with additional fee) can get copies in 1-3 days.
4. Step 4: If the record is destroyed or missing. (a) the court issues a “record not traceable” certificate, (b) you can file an affidavit before the court stating the contents of the original order (based on your recollection and any available documents), © the court can reconstruct the order from the certified copies held by the parties, (d) secondary evidence (photocopies, lawyer's notes, correspondence) can be submitted under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (Evidence Act).
5. Step 5: High Court and Supreme Court. (a) High Courts maintain digital records on their websites, (b) the Supreme Court's website (sci.gov.in) has judgments from 1950 onward, © the Supreme Court's “Daily Orders” archive has orders from 2000 onward, (d) IndiaKanoon.org and IndianCourt.gov.in are free public repositories of court orders.
6. Step 6: Legal remedies. (a) if the court refuses to issue a certified copy: file an application under the Right to Information Act, (b) the court's copying department is a public authority under RTI, © if the record was destroyed due to negligence: file a complaint with the Registrar General of the High Court, (d) for old land dispute orders: approach the Revenue Department for mutation records.
7. Step 7: File RTI. File RTI with the court asking for: (a) the status of the case file, (b) whether the record is available in physical or digital form, © the procedure for obtaining a certified copy, (d) the reason for the record being not traceable.

See Registry Copy Unreadable and Find PIO.