Public records are government-created documents and data maintained by agencies that are generally accessible to the public.
Definition
Public records consist of documents, databases, filings, and communications produced or maintained by government bodies in the course of official duties. These records are often available to the public through laws like freedom of information acts and include various types of information such as court filings, property records, business registrations, and administrative data.
Why It Matters
Public records provide verified and authoritative data critical for researchers conducting background checks, investigative journalism, legal research, and OSINT investigations. Access to these records enables the reconstruction of histories, confirmation of identities, verification of claims, and the tracing of relationships across individuals and entities.