There are many, many types of public records. Familiarize yourself with all of them because you may find that records that seeming unrelated to your search may actually contain that one kernel of information that will lead you to a major breakthrough. By stringing together multiple pieces of information, you may end up exactly where you want to be.
Here you will find the names and addresses of all the creditors owed by the debtor, as well as the amounts claimed. In addition, you will find a listing of the assets the person had at the time the case was filed and how much each creditor might actually get.
These records contain lots of detail - sometimes down to numbers of T-shirts owned. Bankruptcy proceedings can tip you off to other court records for details like alimony and child support. Through PACER, a government-sanctioned fee-based service, every bankruptcy court is now online. A few bankruptcy courts offer information online for free. Several companies offer nationwide bankruptcy indices, including Lexis-Nexis, Banko, ChoicePoint and Merlin Data Systems.
To do business in your state, a corporation must register with the Secretary of State's Office, which in most states collects and maintains extensive information on corporations, other business entities, and some political contribution records, depending on the state. Most offices have some sort of an online presence, but actual availability varies by state. Commercial vendors like Merlin Data, for example, offer much easier access and indexing of the information than does the state government. Many state offices will tell you over the phone if a commercial provider exists.
You can find valuable data in criminal court, civil court, family court, bankruptcy court, probate court, and U.S. district courts, which are discussed, in turn, below. Court records are loaded with good information and are invaluable for backgrounding individuals and companies. Naturalization court, tax court and most other court and hearing boards are also valuable resources for information, though they are just starting to come online.
Online searching is generally limited to a copy of the courts' docket sheets. The docket sheet contains the basics of the case: name of court, including location (division) and the judge assigned; case number and case name; names of all plaintiffs and defendants/debtors; names and addresses of attorneys; and nature and cause of action. Information from cover sheets and from documents filed as a case goes forward is also recorded on the docket sheet. While docket sheets differ somewhat in format, basic information contained on a docket sheet is consistent from court to court. Docket sheets are used in both the state court systems and the federal court system.
Some state courts provide electronic access to their records. In Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin, where "statewide" online systems are available, you still need to understand (1) the court structure in that state, (2) which particular courts are included in their online system, and (3) what types of cases are included. Without proper consideration of these variables, these online systems are subject to misuse, which can lead to disastrous consequences like failing to discover that an applicant for a security guard position is a convicted burglar.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Charlie W. Mysen at 09012010
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