Public Records Online: The National Guide to Private & Government Online Sources of Public Records

by Sankey, Michael L.; Flowers, James R.

• ISBN13: 9781889150109
• ISBN10: 188915010X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-03-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

This fully revised, 2nd edition is the authoritative guide to online accesss of public records and public information. Detailed profiles of over 1,000 sources zero in on access requirements, fees, Internet access, and user restrictions to a myriad of records including criminal, civil, corporate, lien, driver, vehicle, vital, real estate, trade name, address information,licensing, aviation, military, vessel, and many more. With plenty of overall searching hints and tips, this reference is a clear and concise path through a complicated maze of government bureaus and private automated distributors.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
How This Book is Organized	p. 3
Public Records Primer	p. 5
Public Records Unveiled	p. 7
Definition of Public Records	p. 7
Public vs. Private vs. Personal	p. 8
How Personal Information Enters the Public Domain	p. 8
Where Public Records Are Held	p. 9
The Common Methods Used to Access Public Records	p. 9
Using the Freedom of Information Act and Other Acts	p. 11
Fees, Charges, and Usage	p. 11
Using Personal Identifiers	p. 12
A Few Myths About Searching Public Records Online	p. 12
Public Record & Public Information Categories	p. 13
Business Records	p. 13
Lien and Security Interest Records	p. 15
Court Records	p. 17
Motor Vehicle Records	p. 18
Other Important Records on Individuals & Businesses	p. 20
Additional Record Sources of Note	p. 22
Credit Information and Social Security Numbers	p. 24
Searching County Court Records	p. 26
Some Court Basics	p. 26
State Court Structure	p. 27
How Courts Maintain Records	p. 28
Searching Court Records Online	p. 29
Court Record Searching Tips	p. 29
Searching Recording Office Records	p. 31
The Lowdown on Recorded Documents	p. 31
Record Office Searching Rules	p. 32
The County Rule	p. 32
The County Rule--Exceptions Chart	p. 33
Online Searching For Asset/Lien Records	p. 35
Special Categories of Collateral	p. 36
The Importance of Revised Article 9	p. 37
Searching Hints--State Agencies	p. 39
Types of Records Available	p. 39
State Agency Online Public Record Table	p. 40
Searching State Occupational Licensing Boards	p. 42
The Privacy Question	p. 42
License Lists Searchable Online	p. 43
Searching Tips	p. 43
Other Forms of Licensing & Registration	p. 44
Other Media	p. 45
Searching Federal Court Records	p. 46
Federal Court Struction	p. 46
How Federal Trial Courts Are Organized	p. 47
Electronic Access to Federal Courts	p. 49
Federal Courts Searching Hints	p. 51
Federal Records Centers and the National Archives	p. 52
Searching Other Federal Records Online	p. 55
Edgar	p. 55
Aviation Records	p. 56
Military Records	p. 56
Best US Government Gateways...	p. 57
Best US Government Websites...	p. 60
Motor Vehicle Records and the Driver's Privacy Protection Act	p. 65
Personal Information and the Permissible Uses	p. 65
When to Use a Public Record Vendor	p. 68
Hiring Someone to Obtain the Record	p. 68
Which Type of Vendor is Right for You?	p. 69
10 Questions to Ask a Public Records Vendor	p. 70
Government Online Sources	p. 73
51 State Chapters
Alabama	p. 75
Alaska	p. 82
Arizona	p. 87
Arkansas	p. 95
California	p. 103
Colorado	p. 120
Connecticut	p. 128
Delaware	p. 137
District of Columbia	p. 140
Florida	p. 143
Georgia	p. 166
Hawaii	p. 176
Idaho	p. 180
Illinois	p. 184
Indiana	p. 193
Iowa	p. 201
Kansas	p. 206
Kentucky	p. 212
Louisiana	p. 218
Maine	p. 225
Maryland	p. 230
Massachusetts	p. 235
Michigan	p. 248
Minnesota	p. 257
Mississippi	p. 264
Missouri	p. 269
Montana	p. 278
Nebraska	p. 283
Nevada	p. 289
New Hampshire	p. 295
New Jersey	p. 301
New Mexico	p. 308
New York	p. 313
North Carolina	p. 322
North Dakota	p. 332
Ohio	p. 337
Oklahoma	p. 356
Oregon	p. 363
Pennsylvania	p. 370
Rhode Island	p. 382
South Carolina	p. 387
South Dakota	p. 393
Tennessee	p. 397
Texas	p. 410
Utah	p. 432
Vermont	p. 438
Virginia	p. 442
Washington	p. 466
West Virginia	p. 474
Wisconsin	p. 477
Wyoming	p. 485
[greater than sign] Guam - Puerto Rico	p. 488
Private Database Vendors	p. 489
Why These Vendors Appear in the Book	p. 490
Vendor Information Index	p. 491
Addresses/Telephone Numbers (People Finder Companies)	p. 492
Associations / Trade Groups	p. 493
Aviation	p. 493
Bankruptcy	p. 494
Corporate / Trade Name Data	p. 495
Credit Information	p. 496
Criminal Information	p. 497
Driver and/or Vehicle	p. 498
Education / Employment	p. 500
Environmental	p. 500
Foreign Country Information	p. 500
Genealogical Information	p. 501
Legislation / Regulation	p. 501
Licenses/Registrations/Permits	p. 501
Litigation/Judgments/Tax Liens	p. 502
Military Service	p. 503
News / Current Events	p. 504
Patents	p. 504
Real Estate / Assessor	p. 504
SEC / Other Financial	p. 506
Tenant History	p. 506
Trademarks	p. 506
Uniform Commercial Code	p. 507
Vessels	p. 508
Vital Records	p. 508
Voter Registration	p. 508
Wills/Probate	p. 509
Workers' Compensation	p. 509
Companies Who Will Sell Their Databases	p. 509
Vendor Profiles	p. 510
Company Profiles	p. 511
Editors' Choices-11 Great Websites	p. 576
Appendix	p. 577
Trade Associations	p. 578
Unclaimed Property	p. 581
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.