How to Find Court Records on a Person: Your Expert Guide

Cindy Ellis - December 26, 2022

Locating court records on a person can often seem overwhelming as this isn’t a task many of us undertake regularly. However, you don’t have to give up hope when it comes to tracking down important court records about yourself or someone else – our article will give you all of the information you need to get started with this search process. We also answer some important questions about accessing court records on yourself or someone else.

Why Are Court Records Useful?

Accessing court records can be an incredibly useful thing in several different circumstances. Whether you are searching for court records for yourself or you need to find important court information about someone in your life, there are several different reasons to locate court records. Below, we list some of the most common reasons people access court records.

• You are trying to figure out if a case has been filed against you
• You are searching for criminal records or civil court records on yourself or someone else in your life
• You want to determine if a case is ongoing against yourself or someone else in a different state
• You need to figure out if there is a past or current custody arrangement about someone else in a different state or in your current state

Of course, the reasons for searching court records and the situations in that they can be useful are varied. Don’t worry if you don’t see your specific reason for wanting to search these records on the list – this is a generally subjective process and your personal reasons for searching court records are unique.

Which Court Records Are Commonly Searchable?

Though many people tend to think that ‘court records’ only refers to criminal cases and convictions, there are plenty of other types of court records that you may be able to search. Court records also include records about civil cases such as small claims court lawsuits, evictions, debt collection, and personal injury cases.

Other court records you can generally search are family law cases (this includes divorces, custody and visitation agreements, domestic violence records, and guardianship information) and traffic violations (DUIs, driving without a license, and failure to show up in court for traffic violations resulting in an arrest warrant).

Keep in mind that different states will make different types of records available. What one jurisdiction lists as a searchable court record may not be searchable in another state; double-check which types of court records are available in the states that you are searching before beginning this task so you know what information you can expect to encounter.

Are Court Records Public Access?

Most court records are public access. This means anyone can research court records about themselves or someone else and gain important information such as previous criminal, civil, and traffic offense histories. The only items that may not be searchable are court records that have been expunged from someone’s history, records that were sealed due to the individual in question being a juvenile at the time of the offense, and certain records that are sealed due to ongoing investigations or special law enforcement requests.

It’s important to note that some websites or courts only allow researchers, lawyers registered with the state bar, or law enforcement professionals to access their records. You might need to try a few different search methods to locate the court record information you need that is fairly public access.

Best Methods for Finding Court Records on a Person

Finding court records on a person doesn’t need to be a difficult process. There are a few different search methods you can use to discover the court record information you need.

People Search Tools

People search tools are one of the most helpful ways to discover court record information about a person in addition to other background information. A tool like the one on Information.com allows you to put the name of the person into the search bar along with the location where you are searching for records.

Once you run the search, you will be able to access a full report compiled from publicly available information that gives you information about the person’s court records, including criminal, civil, and traffic infractions. From there, you can perform further research into the records and gain all of the important information you need.

PACER

PACER stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, and it is a search database provided by the United States Courts system. PACER provides access to federal cases for research and information purposes, and you are able to conduct a national search or a specific search for a federal case that occurred in a certain jurisdiction.

When accessing PACER, you are also able to gain access to older historical case records and court opinions. This search method works best for when you need to locate federal court records for research purposes. Keep in mind there may be a fee associated with obtaining these records, but exemptions might be available depending on your situation.

Visiting Local Courts and Records Offices

If you don’t want to utilize online search tools or the online court records search for your local county clerk or other records offices, you can visit local courts, records offices, or the county clerk’s office in person. Manually searching court records might be more time-consuming, but it can be more accurate when the person or case you are searching for isn’t available online or multiple parties are sharing a name.

Make sure you double-check where the court records you are looking for are held specifically and ensure that you don’t need an appointment. You may be required to pay a fee to access these court records, and you may not be allowed to do the searching yourself – an individual working at the records office will assist you with your search and provide you with more information if you have questions about obtaining certain court records.

This list of state courts can help you get started with access to online court records available in certain jurisdictions.

Are There Fees Associated With Accessing Court Records?

Most online websites, state-run court records websites, or the federal court record searching system associate fees with accessing court records. You may be expected to pay anywhere between $10 and $75 or more to access certain records depending on the type of file, the format you wish to receive, and that specific court system. In certain cases, there are fee exemptions for researchers or legal professionals, but you will need to research whether or not your court system allows this and what the eligibility may be.

Things to Consider When Looking for Court Records

Finding court records on a person may be incredibly helpful and provide you with essential information that you need to verify someone’s identity and keep yourself or your loved ones safe. It’s important to consider when looking for court records that not all records will be publicly searchable, though most generic court records are, in fact, public access. People search tools and online access to local court record databases are the best ways to locate the information you need, with the United States PACER system being a great option for researching federal court records and court opinions.

As long as you progress through all of these search options with patience and an open mind, you should easily be able to find the court records and the important information you need.