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Courthouse Research - Top 5 Tips for You
Courthouse research has proven to be a veritable treasure trove of data for
historians and people tracing their roots. Aside from the extensive indexed
materials, there also exist sundry un-indexed records (church books, journals,
etc.) that may just surprise the patient searcher.
Although the US Judiciary has institutionalized public access and
transparency by making use of the power and pervasiveness of the Internet
through easy-access federal court databases, the general public should not
expect that courthouse records would be as user-friendly.
For one thing, opinions regarding what constitutes court records in courthouses
across the United States have not been institutionalized. As a result, many
courthouse records have turned into catchalls, resembling huge,
not-quite-organized libraries in the wide spectrum of data they contain.
Many have become depositories for all sorts of “refugee” records from other
buildings ruined by war or time. It is, therefore, not uncommon to find the
following among courthouse records:
• town council minute books
• club member rolls
• church license books
• cemetery ledgers
Courthouse Research - Five Reminders
In courthouse research, you have to be resourceful and resilient because you may
not always get or be allowed access to what you need. Here are some tips to make
your trip to the courthouse more fruitful.
• Have a battle plan. You can spend hours and days wrapped up in the interesting
trivia you uncover, but if it does not help your research, you are wasting time.
• Watch your manners. Courthouse employees are public servants, but do not treat
them like YOUR servants ready to do your bidding. A kind word can sometimes gain
you more access than is typically given to strangers.
• Strike up a conversation with locals. The best search tips you can get will
probably come from old courthouse employees or “old timers” hanging around town.
Depending on your purpose, you can ask about things such as old houses in the
area with private burial grounds or abandoned cemeteries for useful pointers on
birth and death dates.
• Bring a digital camera. This can be useful for snapping photos of maps, framed
photographs, and even documents that cannot be copied. If you are writing an
essay or book, you can even document your trip using photos to help you remember
mood and ‘local color’.
• Bring enough money. Never assume that public access means FREE access. Even
just having documents photocopied can make you quickly run through your budget.
If you want immediate access, you may have to pay an access fee. Of course, you
can always resort to filing a request at the vital records website or office for
a cheaper copy. But remember that at one request per record, this can prove to
be a really time-consuming alternative to simple courthouse research.
What? No time to go to the local country courthouse? Don’t worry, conduct your
search in the comforts of your home. Visit
RecordsSiteReviews'
court records section for a list of our top picks
of courthouse records providers.
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