These records show convictions ranging from felonies such as murder, rape, robbery and kidnapping all the way down to misdemeanors such as minor traffic violations, petty theft, city code violations, drunk driving, and drug possession/use. Nearly every court has a name index, but little of this is currently online. You can find an index indicating that a particular criminal court record exists, but that is about it. If you cannot look it up yourself, a friendly clerk should be able to help you view at least part of the case file without charge. A friendly telephone manner never hurts. In a criminal court case, the key is to find the document called the complaint, which usually indicates the charge or charges against the defendant. It will often include the arrest report, with identifying information about the defendant and the reason for the arrest.
Civil court cases arise when someone - a person, a company, an association or a government agency - sues another person or entity. The suing party claims damage and seeks financial restitution. Civil cases can be a treasure trove because they are prompted by anger - the same anger that prompts the airing of dirty laundry. That is why divorce cases are such a valuable source of personal information.
The type of court depends on the amount of damages requested. Investigative reporter Don Ray notes that, interestingly, anger levels and court levels tend to be proportionately reversed, so that small claims court should be your first destination. In small claims court, the plaintiff might win, but learns that the defendant can hide and protect his assets, which can make actual collection impossible. The result is a victorious, but angry, plaintiff. Find that person and you will find an oft-times juicy source of information.
Divorce documents can be great sources of personal information. In a divorce proceeding, much of what is written is fiction created to get money from the opposing side. Figure that about half of what is said is true.
Depending on the state, probate court is sometimes part of county's main jurisdictional court and sometimes on its own. Probate court exists to resolve disputes over who gets what when someone with assets dies. As Don Ray likes to say, "where there's a will, there's a family," and "when there's a will, there's a fight" - because where there is a will, there is someone who feels cheated. When there is someone who feels cheated, there is a probate judge who will settle the dispute and make certain things are fairly distributed, or at least as the deceased meant for it to be. Probate court is a good place to check asset distributions to relatives. Remember the friends and enemies rule: look for a relative who may have been slighted and is willing to talk about it.
As with divorce records, tax cases sometimes involve proceedings that cause individual tax filings to be made public. Tax cases are heard primarily in Washington, D.C., but the court travels to regional offices around the country every year and conducts field hearings. Few, if any, tax court records are available online, though occasional news stories about significant tax cases are available.
These documents result from the process of petitioning for citizenship. Every applicant must fill out a lengthy questionnaire about his or her life in both countries and provide character references. These records are not yet online, but efforts are being made to computerize them in California and Texas. You can expect to see them online in the near future.
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