In the late nineteenth century the term referred to a large folio book in which clerks recorded all filings and court proceedings for each case,[3] although use has been documented since 1485.
[4][5] The term originated in England; it was recorded in the form "doggette" in 1485, and later also as doket, dogget(t), docquett, docquet, and docket.
Rules of civil procedure often state that the court clerk shall record certain information "on the docket" when a specific event occurs.
Thus, either sense may be intended (depending upon the context) in the frequent use of the phrase "crowded dockets" by legal journalists and commentators.
[citation needed] In its meaning as calendar, the docket of the United States Supreme Court is different both in its composition and significance.