DIY Records Search
Public Records Search Guide for Personal Investigations
Free and paid public‑records tools you can use right now to verify a name, address, or court history—and when to hand it over to a professional.
Free sources
Where to begin
- County court websites and federal PACER (USA)
- Companies House (UK), Trade Register (Germany), EGRUL (Russia)
- Interpol and other international wanted lists
- Sex‑offender registries (where public)
Paid aggregators
What instant databases deliver
Services like TruthFinder or BeenVerified aggregate public records into one search, but their data is often outdated. Always verify any finding against the original source before making a decision.
Professional research
When DIY hits a wall
If the records you need are behind language barriers, paywalls, or simply not digitised, a human investigator can retrieve, translate, and interpret them for you. AllRussian has direct access to more records and the experience to spot what matters.
How to Search Public Records for Background Checks
- Start with the full name and known location. Write down the person’s legal name (including middle initial) and the cities/states where they have lived or worked. Location is critical because most records are county‑based.
- Search county court dockets for civil and criminal cases. Go to the county’s clerk of courts website (e.g., for US counties). Look for online docket search. Enter the name to find lawsuits, small claims, or criminal charges.
- Check federal court records (PACER). Register for PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) to search federal bankruptcy, district, and appellate cases. Each search costs a few cents.
- Look up property ownership and tax records. Search the county assessor or recorder’s website by owner name. You can see address, purchase price, mortgage history, and tax liens.
- Verify professional licenses. Use state‑level databases for doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, contractors, etc. A missing license or past disciplinary action is a serious red flag.
- Search sex offender and inmate registries. Check the state’s sex offender registry (public by law) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. Many states also offer free wanted person searches.
- Use aggregated public records search engines (cautiously). Sites like Black Book Online, Judy Records, or FamilySearch can combine data, but always verify with the original government source – errors are common.