Help with Donations to Free Law Project

CourtListener is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) non-profit based out of Oakland, CA.

Below we have several Frequently Asked Questions that you may have about your donation.

General Questions

How do I donate?

We accept donations in a variety of ways:

• Online — Payments via Credit Card, PayPal, ACH, Apple or Google Pay can be made via our online donation tool.

• By Mail — Please send us an email if you're interested in sending a check, and we'll follow up from there. Unfortunately, due to the nature of our work, we no longer publish our address online.

• Stock Transfer — To contribute a stock you own, please see details below.

• Employer Matching — Free Law Project is a member of most employer matching systems. Enhance your contribution by finding us in your corporate matching program.

• Something Else? — For additional options, contact Jenifer Whiston, Director of Philanthropy at jenifer@free.law.

How is Free Law Project supported?

Free Law Project is supported by grants from foundations, individual and corporate donations, memberships, and data service and consulting projects.

Where does the money go and why does it matter?

When you support Free Law Project your donation makes the law more accessible and understandable.

Your donations are critical. They sustain CourtListener, RECAP, Bots.law and all of the other services we offer. Without your contributions, we won't be able to offer the services we do.

What is Free Law Project's history?

CourtListener was created by Michael Lissner in 2010 as a final project while at UC Berkeley's School of Information. At that time, it was a small, simple alerting tool for circuit courts.

RECAP was created at Princeton's Center for Information Technology Policy around the same time. In 2014, Free Law Project partnered with CITP to continue supporting and maintaining RECAP.

The Free Law Project organization was founded in 2013.

Is my contribution tax-deductible?

Free Law Project is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity, so most donations are tax-deductible. Please check with your tax adviser if you have questions about your specific situation.

What is Free Law Project's Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number?

Our EIN number is 46-3342480.

Whom do I contact if I have a question or problem making an online donation?

Please send questions about donating or website issues via email to Jenifer Whiston, Director of Philanthropy at jenifer@free.law with the subject line DONATION PROBLEM.

Questions about Donations

Do you accept matching donations from employers?

Yes! Free Law Project is available in most employer matching tools. If your employer has a giving program, please use it so we can maximize your contribution. Please let us know if you or your company need any information from us to help set up the match.

If you want to champion our work inside your company, we also have a corporate sponsors program that some organizations prefer.

Do you accept checks?

Yes, we do. Please send us an email if you're interested and we'll follow up from there. Unfortunately, due to the nature of our work, we no longer publish our address online.

Can I donate stocks?

Yes.

In fact, a gift of appreciated stock generally offers a twofold tax savings. First, you avoid paying any capital gains tax on the increase in the value of the stock. Second, you receive a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock on the date it is transferred. Generally, you must own the stock for a "long-term" period (more than 12 months) to qualify for these tax advantages. Gifts of appreciated stock are generally fully deductible — up to a maximum of 30% of your adjusted gross income.

Please check with your accountant or tax advisor regarding your particular tax status.

To facilitate the transfer of securities, please use the following information:

• Brokerage Firm: National Financial Services
• Account Name: Free Law Project
• Account Number: 0BP-803-269
• DTC#: 0226
• Tax ID: 46-3342480

Once the transaction is complete or if you need assistance, please email donate@free.law with the subject line STOCK TRANSFER so we can verify the transaction, thank you for your support, and issue a tax receipt for your gift. You may find it convenient to email a copy of the letter of authorization from your broker to this address.

Do you accept BitCoin or other Cryptocurrencies?

No. We used to but the environmental impact and criminal use of cryptocurrency cannot be ignored. If you believe in our work we hope you'll use normal dollars to support us.

Are there other ways to help?

There are a few yes:

• PayPal Giving Fund will cover your credit card fees when you donate via their website.

• You can donate to Free Law Project when buying and selling on Nextdoor through their "Sell for Good" initiative.

• You can sponsor Free Law Project via your Github account.

• You can donate while buying or selling on Ebay.

• Organizations can join our corporate sponsors program

And of course, we are always looking for volunteers.

Recurring Donations

Can I make a recurring online donation?

Yes! Our donation form has an easy option to set up recurring donations. Simply choose between DONATE ONCE and DONATE MONTHLY at the top of the form. There is a dropdown under DONATE MONTHLY that will allow you to choose to have your donation recur monthly, quarterly, or annually.

When are recurring donations charged?

Recurring donations are charged monthly on the day that you set up your original monthly contribution. If that day is on the 29th, 30th, or 31st of the month, we will charge you on the 28th of each month instead.

What if the credit card I'm using for monthly donations is stolen or expires?

For American credit cards, our credit card processor is usually able to handle these issues seamlessly. If not, we'll send you an email when your card fails.

How do I cancel or make changes to my recurring donation?

Log into your donor portal to make any changes to your recurring donation. You can cancel, change the amount, frequency, or next payment date, or update your payment method.

If you have any difficulties logging in or making the changes, please email Jenifer Whiston, Director of Philanthropy at jenifer@free.law with the subject line DONOR PORTAL.