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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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PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) is the official system used to search and access U.S. federal court case filings and documents online. Anyone with a free account can look up federal lawsuits, bankruptcy filings, criminal prosecutions, and court documents filed in federal courts across the country. PACER is operated by the Administrative Office … Read more