Public Records can be searched either by accessing free public records online
via the record holders database (when available) or by requesting a copy from
the agency holding the record, usually for a small fee.
Or... You can run one of our Expert Compiled
Background Check online right now,
tapping our connections to a vast network of Public Records and Proprietary Databases.
Data (information) from all sources are collected by Information Distributors who, in turn, market and sell that information to others.Information Resources:
The government, at all levels, records every important event, transaction, and litigation concerning its citizens. Most of these records are created at the local or county level. The Bureau
of Vital Statistics keeps records concerning births, marriages, divorces, and deaths. The circuit and county courts have records pertaining to civil and criminal
cases. Various departments maintain applications for licenses for a variety of activities from fishing to business occupational licenses. Most of these records are
periodically forwarded to the state, usually in summary form, meaning they may not contain all the information that was in the original file.
See
Records by State
Most every state capital has a repository for records from all its counties, as well as a collection of records from state-level departments and agencies.
Records from Vital Statistics move up to the Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Court records are included with the records of the Department of Justice, State Supreme Court.
The Secretary of States office is the central repository for a variety of records, including the Department of Motor Vehicles (or "DMV" as it is known), one of your best sources for locating people.
Also included in the Secretary of State's records are various records regarding business and financial licenses and judgments, including corporation and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings, and information about workers compensation cases. These are often free public records.
Our "Extensive Background Check," accesses all of these databases and many more directly from the source. You only need to fill out our easy online
secure form and you will have your results in a few hours sent to your email.
Contact Information for National Records
At the federal level, US Government records are maintained in a number of depositories and government departments. The two largest are The Library of Congress, the nations mega-library, and The National Archives, a vast repository of government records and census.
The Interstate Commerce Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission keep extensive records about public companies.
The US Government Printing Office provides a selection of directories and books to help you weed your way through the maze of government records. Several Information Providers have federal records sources on-line. All these records are open to the public!
Records &
Listings & FeesIf fees
are applicable for the information you need, the listing will be so noted. In these days
of diminished operating budgets and creative revenue-raising strategies, a governing
body's decision to charge a "search fee" might be quietly implemented without
dissenting vote. There are three types of fees typically charged:
- Record fee: Fee per record
- Search fee: Fee charged if a physical search must be made
- Copy fee: Fee per copy
The amount of the fee should be determined before a request is made. Call or fax the agency before
making a request for information - not only about fee structures, but also about regulations, laws, policies, and form requirements.
Important! Read this: The Federal Credit Reporting Act (Public Law 91-508) states "Any
person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a Consumer Reporting Agency
under false pretenses shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one
year or both."
Obtain your subject's signature on a Consent Form. Know state, county, and local laws and ordinances
regarding the release of information about an individual to a potential employer,landlord, or other requestor.
I do hereby consent and authorize:
___________________________________________________
(firm, company, or yourself)
to examine, inspect, interview, or obtain Photostat copies of any and all records or reports
concerning my consumer credit history, criminal history, driving history, worker's
compensation claims history (in compliance with ADA), scholastic records, military
records, present or previous employment, and all medical records.
I understand that these reports may include information as to my character, work habits,
performance, experience, with reasons for termination of past employment from previous
employers."
Legal
Signature ________________________________________
Witness
_______________________________________________
Date
__________________________________________________
Under the law, you have certain legal rights to access most public records. Before you set out to delve into these records, know your rights, as well as the limitations you face.
Take for instance the top portion of a credit report, called a "credit header."
The Freedom of Information Act classes the credit header as "open information." Conversely,
The Fair Credit Reporting Act considers the body of the credit report "closed," unless the inquirer has been granted written permission to see it. The entire record, therefore, is considered "semi-open."
The Freedom of Information act is for everybody. You do not have to be a PI to benefit. You can just be someone who seeks information. The Freedom of Information Act is a federal law that designates which public records are open to the public for either reviewing or obtaining documents.
Each state has an act. For example, Georgia has an Open Records Law and that stands side-by-side with The Freedom of Information Act. These laws vary from state to state. Anyone can obtain certain records about individuals, companies, associations, and the like.
The Freedom of Information Act has really helped the general public in making information available. It's a federal Act which really doesn't apply all that often. The State of Florida has Chapter 119 which concerns public record information: what is available and what isn't. This law is more important for The
Freedom of Information Act, which would allow one to get federal documents and information about Congress and so forth. In other words, The
Freedom of Information Act is not as important as the local statutes when it comes to state-held information."
These important laws govern privacy, access, and the release of information:
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - 5 USCA Section 552 (1966) - provides for disclosure of information held by the administrative agencies of the US Government. The Act gives all citizens access to all records in the custody of the government's Executive Branch, unless specifically exempted. (An invasion of privacy is one such exemption.) The requestor need not furnish a reason for seeking particular information.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - 5 USCA Section 552 (1966) - provides for disclosure of information held by the administrative agencies of the US Government. The Act gives all citizens access to all records in the custody of the government's Executive Branch, unless specifically exempted. (An invasion of privacy is one such exemption.) The requestor need not furnish a reason for seeking particular information.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) - 5 USCA Section 552 (1966) - provides for disclosure of information held by the administrative agencies of the US Government. The Act gives all citizens access to all records in the custody of the government's Executive Branch, unless specifically exempted. (An invasion of privacy is one such exemption.) The requestor need not furnish a reason for seeking particular information.
If you would like to read the Act in it's entirety, write to the publishers of Topical Law Reports. Request a copy of the Citizen's Guide to the FOIA.
Commercial Clearinghouse Inc.
4025 W. Paterson
Chicago IL 60646
Center for National Securities Studies
122 Maryland Ave NE
Washington DC 20002
The Privacy Act -5 USCA, Section 552A (1974), is a companion act to FOIA, and guarantees certain records will remain closed without the written consent of the subject. Only he or she may have access to those records and those records may be used only for the purpose for which they were intended.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) - 15 USCA, Section 1681 est seq (1970) - is the first major federal law enacted to protect privacy. The act deals with consumer credit and governs how a consumer financial report may and may not be used. It prohibits the inclusion of obsolete data, describes information which must be released to the government, outlines how a consumer may learn exactly what is on file, and permits the challenge of incomplete or inaccurate information.
The Family Education Rights & Privacy Act allows schools to release directory
information to the public without the consent of the student. A student may
request in writing that all or part of the information remain confidential.
With very few exceptions, every American is on file somewhere. Hundreds, if not
thousands, of repositories throughout the country and around the world have a
record of you - and numerous details about you. Order our
Extensive Background Check
to see what is in public and proprietary database records about you.
|
