Shawn Stephenson

I run inet-investigation.com, a free resource covering how to search public records, court filings, background check databases, and OSINT methods. I've written guides on PACER, vital records, property records, and people-search databases used by journalists, genealogists, and legal professionals.

What Are Public Records?

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Quick Answer: Public records are government-created documents that record official actions and are generally available to the public unless restricted by law. Common examples include court records, property deeds, business registrations, and criminal case records. They are maintained by the government agency that created them — not by any single centralized database. Public records are … Read more

How to Search State Court Records Online

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State courts handle the overwhelming majority of legal matters that affect people’s lives — criminal prosecutions, evictions, civil lawsuits, divorce, probate, restraining orders, and debt collection cases. For investigators, landlords, journalists, and anyone conducting serious due diligence, state court records are often far more important than federal records. The problem is access. Unlike the federal … Read more

What Is PACER? A Beginner’s Guide to Federal Court Records

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What Is Pacer A Beginners Guide To Federal Co — iNet Investigation

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is the official federal judiciary system for searching and accessing U.S. federal court case filings and documents online. It is operated by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and covers millions of case filings from federal district courts, courts of appeals, and bankruptcy courts across all 94 … Read more