ANSWERS: 1
  • Public records are information that is filed or recorded by federal, state or local government agencies. Most public records are maintained by the government and are available to the public either free of charge or for a fee. Availability of such documents is determined by local, state and federal laws and regulations.

    About Public Records

    Access to public records in the United States is guided by the Freedom of Information Act, also known as FOIA. Each state has its own version of the FOIA, each offering different degrees of availability of public records and ease of access. States have various exemptions and restrictions regarding public records.

    Types of Public Records

    The following items are typically available under the FOIA: criminal records, court dockets, sex offender registration files, marriage licenses, divorce cases, mortgages, real estate appraisal records, census records, consumer protection information, and so on.

    Obtain Public Records through the Courts

    Go to the county courthouse for the county in which you are seeking the public records. Speak with the clerk about the public records you wish to receive. The clerk will advise you of the information needed to obtain the records and will lead you to the proper department to obtain them. You may be charged a per-page fee or a flat fee for the records. Not all records are immediately available and you may have to wait a few weeks before you receive them.

    Obtain Public Records Online

    Public records can also be ordered online by a number of public records search directories such as publicrecords.onlinesearches.com. You can search by Zip Code, state, or type or record. If you are looking for more detailed information on a specific person, you can run a comprehensive background search on websites such as ussearch.com and intelius.com. Enter the person's full name and last known city and state of residence. There are different options available, some offering more detailed information than others. The price for a background search ranges from $15 to $100. These reports offer information such as current and previous addresses, phone number, aliases, bankruptcies and tax liens, and state criminal records including case number, charge and offense, along with many other pieces of information.

    Source:

    US Department of State FOIA

    Public records free directory

    UsSearch.com: Background report

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy