Just a comment about "slip opinions" posted on federal court websites and state court websites. Slip opinions are not always identical in text to what is eventually printed in the official reporters (and that lawyers, and those representing themselves in court, need to cite). It's not just page numbers that are inserted. The back-and-forth editing can change words in the opinion.
So, unfortunately, until the courts themselves publish the final versions of their opinions online -- something they may need to negotiate into the next round of their publishing contracts -- the opinons swept into the RECAP project are just rough drafts of the law.
To be clear: I have done a fair amount of scraping state court websites for my own projects, and I'd love to see the federal PACER system opened up. I can think of some great cross-docket research projects that could expand our understanding of how the legal system really works. But even opening 100% of PACER would not achieve the goal of public access to the official appellate opinions that actually serve as controlling precedent (or even to reported district court opinions, which also are edited by the official reporters).
So, unfortunately, until the courts themselves publish the final versions of their opinions online -- something they may need to negotiate into the next round of their publishing contracts -- the opinons swept into the RECAP project are just rough drafts of the law.
To be clear: I have done a fair amount of scraping state court websites for my own projects, and I'd love to see the federal PACER system opened up. I can think of some great cross-docket research projects that could expand our understanding of how the legal system really works. But even opening 100% of PACER would not achieve the goal of public access to the official appellate opinions that actually serve as controlling precedent (or even to reported district court opinions, which also are edited by the official reporters).