Using Public Court Records to Access Valuable InformationPublic court records are accessible anywhere in the country. There are hundreds of databases to choose from and finding the one that offers the most comprehensive catalog at a reasonable price is the one you should go for.
What Constitutes a ‘Public Record’?Public records are government records that are available for research purposes to the general public. The Society of American Archivists' publication defines them as "documents created or received and accumulated by government agencies in the conduct of public business, which may or may not be open to public inspection”. Examples of these are estate records, business records, federal records, and court records amongst others.Information may be categorized into two: public and private. Since each state has its own laws which are markedly different from another state, it goes without saying that what is considered public information in one state may be considered private in another state. Further, information can somehow change its form from private to public. For instance, private information like phone numbers and addresses may somehow become public through observation, frequent use, or disclosure through various media (e.g., email, radio, newspapers, etc.). The Open Public Records ActThe Open Public Records Act states that “…all records shall be accessible. Government records shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying or examination by the citizens of the State”. This tenet sounds simple enough but certain exceptions also apply, all in the interest of preserving one’s privacy. Examples of these are military and school records, access to which are available… with certain restrictions.Searching for Public Court RecordsSearching for public records require skill. As mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of information readily available online but these also have their limitations. Creative strategies will prove beneficial to get the information you need. Suggested readings are found at the end of this article.Suggested Readings• Public Records Online 6th edition: This reference will guide you and give you helpful tips about online public records search.• The Sourcebook to Public Record Information 7th edition: This reference provides information on how to efficiently access public sources nationwide. Suggested Online Readings• NETROnline.com: This site contains public records links for all 50 states. Also the site offers people searches and background checks for a fee.• searchsystems.net: This site contains search engines to locate certain types of public records. It is broken down by state and includes Canada. Ready to conduct a public court records search? Feel free to visit RecordsSiteReviews' public court records section for a listing of today’s top online records search service providers. |
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