Investigative Research: Public Records and “Publicly Available” Information

Sue Altmeyer, J.D., M.L.S.Reference Librarian, University of

Akron Law LibraryNov. 5, 2015

What is available?

• Only public records. See ORC 149.43

Excluded: ▪ medical records▪ probation records▪ adoption records▪ confidential law enforcement investigatory records

Ohio Public Records Request

• See ORC 149.43

• Form: http://www.nfoic.org/ohio-sample-foia-request

FOIA Limits• Federal government will not disclose

▪ national defense information▪ personal and medical information▪ ongoing law enforcement investigations

and confidential sources▪ certain geological information▪ information exempt under federal law

See 5 USC 552(b)., (FOIA)

Restrictions on Accessing

• Public records may not be published or readily available – may have to do information request. http://www.foia.gov/how-to.html

Statutes limiting access

• Driver’s Privacy Protection Act,18 USC 2721

• Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq. – applies when obtaining information from a seller of “consumer reports”

Image: 'My Second Driver's License' www.flickr.com/photos/15914631@

N00/3348033929

Social Security No. protection

• Ohio 127th GA SB 6 (R.C. 149.45(B))

• Ohio Superintendence Rules 44-47

• Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004,

Gramm Leach Bliley

• Compiler of records obtains info from credit bureaus or other "financial institutions“

• Only permissible uses

Is “free background check”on the Web possible?

Only to a certain extent. Free materials on-line = discrete

bits of information. Pay databases retrieve information from many sources.

For Fee Databases

• Westlaw & LexisNexis (Accurint, KnowX.com)

• Openonline -minimal set-up fee and annual cost, pay per search.

Other reputable fee services include: Search Systems, NETRonline

Important Tips

• Cross-check results among multiple databases or websites to ensure accuracy.

• Check the coverage of the database.

How far does it go back ? What states or counties are included?

Starting Points and Portals• Comprehensive reports - Lexis, Accurint, Westlaw• Cleveland Law Library’s Public Records FAQ and

People Finder FAQ• Netronline• SearchSystems.net• PublicRecords.com • BRB Publications

Professional Licenses

Attorney Licenses - Ohio• Whether licensed, but not necessarily in good standing, ex. Ohio Supreme Court – Attorney Information Search

•Year licensed

•Disciplinary action

•Business address/phone

Ohio Supreme Court cases -disciplinary cases, 1993-

Attorney Licenses - Nationwide

• ABA National Lawyer Regulatory Databank (Request search in writing)

• ABA Directory of Lawyer Disciplinary Agencies

Other Licenses

• Ohio License Center

• Ohio.gov Professional License Verification

• Professional License Verifier (Links by State)

Ohio Driver’s License Verification

Other Professional License & Discipline

• Cleveland Law Library’s Public Records FAQ has links to information about:

• Doctors• Stock brokers – eg Finra broker check • Accountants

Criminal Records So-called "national" databases

inaccessible to non-governmental users.

Pay databases– LexisNexis, Westlaw, Openonline may not pick up misdemeanors or all arrests. Examine scope of database before pay to search it.

Criminal Records - Arrest

Summit County felony arrest records can be obtained at County Sheriff’s office. Cost = $10.00.

Cuyahoga County - Back to early 1970s. Cost =$6

www.buckeyesheriffs.org for other Sheriff’s offices

Docket Searches

• Do docket search of individual state courts for indictments/convictions.

• PACER – search all federal courts at once - .10 per page

• Low cost PACER alternatives: Justia Federal Court Dockets , Courtport's FreeCourtDockets.com

Dockets, cont’d

• Bloomberg Law searches many state court and all federal court dockets at once.

• Cleveland-Marshall Docket Research Guide

Free Criminal Records Sites

• Full legal name and date of birth will help

http://www.drc.state.oh.us/OffenderSearch/Search.aspx

Notes:This site displays data on those offenders who are currently incarcerated in an Ohio prison, currently under Department supervision, judicially released, or who died of natural causes while incarcerated.

http://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/

Criminal Records – Free Web• Corrections.com – Links to other states’

databases.

• Blackbook – Links to government sites for each state

• Vinelink.com – Info for victims, get notification of release. Searches county jails too.

• Policereports.com – NOT comprehensive and seeing actual reports not free. Tells you where person had possible offenses.

Employee Background Checks

• Employer’s obligations - http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/background_checks_employers.cfm

• Consumer Reporting Agency obligations: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2013/01/background-screening-reports-fcra-just-saying-youre-not

Search Systems - $15

Double check accuracy

• Look at dockets

Sex offender databases

o National Sex Offender Public Registry: Searches multiple state databases

o FBI's State Sex Offender Registries: Links to state databases.

Family Watchdog - Find offenders nationwide by street or offender name.

Other sources for criminal records

• Newspaper search (free databases from public or academic library)

• Google or other search engine

Apps

• JailBase - Arrests + Mugshots• Vine Mobile (mobile version of victim’s

database)• Search Quarry Toolbox (Apple)

Vital Records –Birth/Death

• National Center for Health Statistics

• Ohio Department of Health – order online or go to local office. (NOT free) Birth 1908-, Death 1964-

Death Records

• Social Security Death Index – via familysearch.org

• Online Searchable Death Indexes – links by State

• Sysoon.com – obits, not comprehensive• Library databases – geneology, obituaries

(great way to discover heirs)

Death Records - Ohio

• Ohio Historical Society, Death Certificate Index , some older birth records

• Cleveland Necrology File

• Ohio Obituary Index (1810 – present, mostly older)

Vital Records –Marriage and Divorce

• Court dockets (probate, domestic relations)• Don’t know the county: Abstracts (marriage

1950-, divorce1954-) can be ordered from Ohio Dept of Health

• Copies from the court

Cuyahoga County Marriage & Divorce

• Cuyahoga Probate • Summit Probate

• Divorces in the CP court docket

Assets – Generally

• Pay Databases the easiest, most comprehensive

• Portico: links for real estate (county assessor), aircraft, boats

Real Property

• County Recorders office for deeds (sale price), mortgages and liens

• County Auditor’s office for current property ownership, taxable value and property description. 

• County fiscal office has both

Info. About Properties

• Zillow , Realtor.com– Nat’l real estate sales listings. Search by address

• Property Shark.com – Information about properties. Search by address.

Apps – info about a property

• Property Shark• RPR Mobile• Zillow• Foreclosed Home• Been Verified

Summit County Real Estate

County Fiscal Officer

•Property Tax and Appraisal•Recorded Documents

•Sheriff’s Sales

Cuyahoga County Real Estate

• Foreclosure Sales – Cuyahoga county – available foreclosed properties.

• Neo Cando – Property, tax and transfer information for Cuyahoga County.

• Cuyahoga Enterprise Geographic Information System (CEGIS)detailed information on houses and businesses

UCC Filings

• UCC filings – Ohio Secretary of State

• Searchsystems.net for state links.

• UCC Article 9 filings may be with county recorder.

Airplanes, Cars & Boats• Airplanes – FAA Aircraft Inquiry, Portico,

Celebrity Aircraft • Boats - Portico • Ohio Department of Public Safety Online

Vehicle/Watercraft Title Inquiry – Boats, Autos, need VIN no. or title no.

• Autos by person’s name - Lexis, Westlaw, OPENonline , OpenOnline requires you know the person’s SS#

Stocks

• Corporate insiders – officers, directors, >10% shareholders

• SEC Forms 3, 4, 5 and 144 • SEC’s Edgar/IDEA

Unclaimed Funds

• Summit County Fiscal Officer• Ohio Department of Commerce Online

Treasure Hunt (UCF with county go to ODC after 5 years)

• National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators

• Federal Unclaimed Funds – US Treasury