Check Public Records

What Are Public Records?

Public records are documents that are readily available and accessible to the public. There are various types of public records, which you can access anytime you like for whatever beneficial purposes you have in mind. However, it is also important to note that access to public records is governed by the FOIA or Freedom of Information Act that generally stipulates some rights to individuals for privacy when it comes to personal information.

Thus, the federal government reserves the right to refuse the requests of someone to access public records in compliance to the said act, or access may only be granted upon approval of the concerned person. However, these only apply to some highly confidential personal information. There are several public documents that are categorized as public files, accessible by anyone anytime.

It is important to know the different types of public records that are generally available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act; they are as follows:

 

Sex Offender Registration Records

Some countries like the United States of America have very efficient sex offender registration that keeps track on all individuals convicted of sexual abuse, rape, and sexual harassment. People registered to the system are normally restricted. Examples of some restrictions imposed by several States include living near schools, owning toys that lure children to them, ownership of computer with internet access, and going with minors, just to name a few. Each State has different legislations with regards to the restrictions. Nevertheless, the names of individuals registered to the sex offender records are normally available to the public. Their names are even published in public areas, to some extent, for public safety.

 

Criminal Records

The government is obligated to reveal the lists of people convicted with all sorts of crimes for the safety of the public. This is done to forewarn the citizens when dealing and interacting with individuals with criminal history. The lists of wanted criminals are even posted in public places and some government websites so that the citizens can take precautionary safety measures when in the presence of these criminals. Consequently, access to criminal records can be obtained for free at designated federal and local government sites.

 

Census Records

This is another database with free access rights. Census is a research procedure that obtains important facts and information about the community, or a defined territory. This is normally done on regular basis in order to keep the census records always updated. This type of record has many beneficial uses. There are also different types of census like traffic, population, business, and agriculture among many others. Census data can be accessed by anyone since this belongs under public records.

 

Court Dockets

Court dockets have different meanings. In the U.S. this is a summary of court proceedings. All court cases are recorded in the docket by the clerk of court. Access to court dockets is available to the public in order to keep the public well-informed on some court cases that are relevant to safety and health.

 

Consumer Protection Information

To help the public in arriving at better choices on the types of products to buy, the government provides consumer protection information that details more in-depth insights about certain products and manufacturing companies. Some of the information are ingredients of the products, the manufacturing process, and pricing to some extent. This is also aimed at preventing other brands from taking advantage of the competitor brands, and encourages fair trade when marketing products. The main goal of the consumer protection information is public safety and fair trade; that is why this is categorized under public records.

 

Real Estate Appraisal Records

Every real estate property has corresponding real estate value, as appraised by the federal, state, or county appraiser. The government normally follows certain standards in property valuation, which the government appraiser follows. All real estate properties are regularly appraised based on several factors that include the prevailing market value, location of the property, and type of community or neighborhood. The results of the appraisal are kept in a database that is readily accessible by anyone. The property appraisal records are very useful for those planning to buy or sell properties.

 

Business and Professional Licenses

The public deserves to know if the professionals or certain business institutions they are dealing with are truly licensed to practice or to do business. Hence, the records on professional licenses and business permits are made available to the public.

 

Vital Records

Personal records like birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce files are normally kept in the Department or Bureau of Public Health, under the Vital Statistics office. While viewing of these records are permitted in most States, request for certified copies of their personal documents are restricted only to the concerned individuals, or their close family members. In any case, if you want to view these files, you can gain access to it through the respective designated channels.

Aside from the above public records, other databases that can be accessed for free are voters’ registration records, military service records, government legislations, and minutes of government meetings among many others.

 

Where to Obtain Public Records

Access to public records depends on what type of records that you want to obtain. One of the best places to go is the office of the National Archives, which contains public government records like veterans and military services, genealogy, and legislations. Property records can be obtained at the Assessors Office in some States; while public records on birth, death, and marriage can be requested at the Office of Public Health.

It is important to note that the local government has the freedom to assign certain government agency as the repository agent of particular records. It is, therefore, recommended to visit the local government office or their official website if you want to access public records.

Another option is to use the services provided by third party companies that gathered all the public records in all States. Their databases are normally regularly updated to ensure accuracy of the results, thereby making their repositories seem like a one-stop-database of many types of public records. This is the ideal option to get your hands on all sorts of public records because everything can be obtained in one place, making your search fast, easier, more convenient, and cost-effective.