Public Records in the United States
Public records in the United States include any record that is created and filed by a public official and available for the general public to view. This can include local, state, federal or other government agencies; however, individual companies can file public records also. The most important public records are vital records (which are composed of birth records, death records, marriage records, and divorce records) and available for free or at a very low cost. These kinds of files are typically stored in physical, often fireproof vaults. With the advancement of the Internet, however, most public records are being placed online so the public can order a copy or view the record from the safety and comfort of home.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) guides the standards and statutes that must be followed when allowing people access to certain information. There are many components and rules included in this law, so those who try to access information using this act are often thwarted by various federal agencies. Additionally, each state has its own version of the FOIA, further bungling requests.
As with the coming of the information age, there are companies who will purchase large quantities of public records and repackage them, in order to make a public records search in the United States easier and more accessible. Whereas before, someone who wanted to research public records had to visit several different websites and physical locations, a public records paid site may have all the records available for one city or one state for a fee. This can be quite helpful for those who make frequent use of public records, such as employers doing a background check on many employees or lawyers who have to research great volumes of information about a client or case.
Generally, criminal records, real estate appraisal records, sex offender registration files, legislation minutes, government spending reports, consumer protection information, professional and business licenses, census records and court dockets are all easily accessible public records in the U.S.
