When people have research to do, they
often start by heading for the nearest Internet connection. Whether
you’re looking for a phone number, driving directions or a
dessert recipe, the World Wide Web has piles of goods to offer.
Researching public records is no different.
With the Web as a starting point – or, at the very least, an
important stop along the way – your research will almost
certainly turn up beneficial results. Here are some guidelines for
using resources on- and offline to search public records.
One of the most comprehensive online resources for public records
is Search Systems (http://www.searchsystems.net). Search Systems
functions as a directory – a well-organized list of
categorized links – for different sources for and types of
public records. This directory – functioning like a
specialized version of the general directories found at Google,
Yahoo and other search engines – points users toward public
records sorted by type or geographic location and includes links to
information from all around the world. There is even a link to
information from outer space!
This directory service is free, as are many of the public-records
databases found within. Some of the links provided guide users to
pay sites. This isn’t much of a problem, though, because the
sites are clearly labeled within the directory. You always know
what you’re getting yourself into, and, if you’re
willing to pay the usually small fees, you can access the fee-based
information.
There are several more public records-oriented sites on the Web,
but Search Systems is really the best place to start.
There is a vast amount of information beyond the World Wide Web,
too. Although a massive amount of information is available online,
many resources remain available only by old-fashioned, paper-based
means. For access to these public records, you’ll have to go
to – or at least contact – the appropriate office or
department.
If you’re looking for information about a specific person,
city householder directories are a fantastic source of information,
assuming you know where your subject lives (or at one point lived).
These public records are available almost solely in print at local
libraries, but, like anything else, they are slowly migrating to
the Web. Similar to a phone book, these records contain valuable
people search information such as addresses and telephone numbers.
They have more information, such as employment information, that
can be very useful.
The federal government’s Social Security Index is another
great resource. If you know a person’s Social Security
number, the IRS will attempt to forward information to or contact
the subject based on its information. The Social Security Index
death records will tell you if the subject is deceased, and where
the Social Security lump sum death payment was sent. This can give
you information about where the subject lived and how to contact
next of kin.
The information in this article will definitely get you started on
your public records search. There is a wealth of information that a
person could never squeeze into a single article, but that
doesn’t mean it’s not useful. If you have any questions
about any sort of public records, contact a related government
office – like city hall or the DMV – or a library.
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Find Someone
Using Public Records Databases
Search White Pages
(Nationwide and Statewide Directories)