Q: If it is possible, where would I be able to monitor a court docket for a case filed against the DOD for contract protest

A: To monitor a court docket for a case filed against the Department of Defense (DOD) for a contract protest in California, you would likely need to follow the case in the United States Court of Federal Claims (COFC). The COFC has jurisdiction over post-award bid protest cases against federal agencies, including the DOD, when the Government Accountability Office (GAO) protest process has been exhausted.

Although the COFC is located in Washington, D.C., you can monitor the case electronically through the court's online filing system called "CM/ECF" (Case Management/Electronic Case Files). Here's how you can access and monitor the docket:

1. Visit the COFC website: https://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/

2. Click on the "CM/ECF" link under the "Electronic Filing" tab.

3. If you don't have a PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) account, you will need to register for one. PACER is a service that provides electronic access to federal court records. Visit the PACER website (https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) to register.

4. Once you have a PACER account, log in to the COFC's CM/ECF system using your PACER credentials.

5. Search for the case using the plaintiff's name, defendant's name (DOD), or the case number if you have it.

6. Once you locate the case, you can view the docket and access publicly available documents filed in the case.

Please note that accessing documents through PACER incurs a small fee per page (currently $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document). However, if your quarterly usage is below $30, the fees are waived.

Additionally, some law firms and legal news outlets may provide updates on high-profile cases, so you could also monitor their websites or subscribe to their newsletters for information on the case's progress.