Okay, I am definitely late to the game on this one, but there has apparently been a lot of discussion and concern about the new RECAP system introduced by Princeton University. Because it costs 8 cents per page to download court documents through the PACER system, a little browser plugin called RECAP allows downloaded files to be uploaded to the RECAP site where they can be viewed and shared with others who will not have to pay the per page fee. Concurring Opinions provides a description and some discussion of the system.
Sounds positively…. wonderful… in principle, but as others have subsequently pointed out, court filings often contain attachments that reveal sensitive personal identity information, making RECAP a potential free treasure trove for identity thieves who might otherwise not have access to the data if they had to pay for it.
The New York Personal Injury Law Blog had an article on this issue on August 17 that contains a number of links to other discussions of this topic and a subsequent article on Aug. 24.