Public records are created by government agencies and court systems every time someone is arrested, files a lawsuit, buys a home, gets married, or registers a business. The challenge is not access — most of these records are public — but knowing where they are, which system holds them, and how to connect a name to the right jurisdiction. A criminal case filed in Harris County, Texas is not visible in a Dallas County search. A marriage license issued in DeKalb County will not show up in a Fulton County query. Getting useful results depends on knowing the structure before you search.
These guides cover how each record type works, which court or agency maintains it, and what the practical search sequence looks like county by county. The state and county guides are built around the specific details that determine whether a search succeeds — courthouse division assignments, municipal court fragmentation, cross-county metro supplements, and the address-reliability issues that affect high-vacancy cities and rapidly growing exurbs alike. Use the jump links below to navigate to the section most relevant to your search.
Jump to a section
- Search Specific Public Records
- Research and Background Investigation Guides
- Understanding People Search
- Identity Investigation Guides
- Find Someone in Jail by State
- Search by State
- County Search Guides
- Neighbor and Address Research
- Family Research and Biological Connections
- Reconnecting With People From Your Past
- Online Profile and Relationship Research
Search Specific Public Records
These guides explain how to search different categories of public records tied to a person's name.
Public Record Search
The starting point for all record-type research. Covers what public records include, where they come from, and which category to search first depending on what you're looking for.
Criminal Record Search
Look for criminal case history tied to a name.
Arrest Record Search
Check for arrest history associated with a person.
Court Record Search
Search court filings and legal case records.
Marriage Record Search
Find out how to look up marriage records by state and county.
Divorce Record Search
Learn how divorce filings are maintained in court systems and how to find them by jurisdiction.
Warrant Search
Learn how warrant-related records appear in public sources.
Mugshot Lookup
See how mugshot records appear in public record searches.
Death Record Search
Explore obituary references and public records tied to death notices.
How to Find Probate Records
Probate records are held county by county. Learn how to identify the right jurisdiction and what to expect before contacting a courthouse.
How to Find a Will
A will is only a public record once filed with a probate court. Learn how to locate a filed will and what to do when none exists.
How to Find Property Records
Property records are public in all 50 states. Learn how to search county assessor and recorder databases by owner name or address.
Military Record Search
Learn where military service records may appear in public sources.
Find Someone in Jail
Federal, state, and county jails are three entirely separate systems. This guide explains how each works, why searches come back empty, and the fastest path to finding someone in custody.
Research and Background Investigation Guides
These guides explain how to research a person online using public information and identity clues.
How to Find Information About Someone
Start here if you want a broad overview of researching a person.
How to Research a Person Online
Learn how online searches can narrow identity clues.
How to Check Someone's Background
Understand the types of public records used in background research.
How to Identify Someone Online
Use name, location, and related clues to narrow the correct person.
Find Public Records About a Person
Learn where public records tied to individuals may appear.
How to Find Someone's Address
Understand how address clues fit into people searches.
How to Find Property Records
Property ownership and tax mailing address are publicly searchable by owner name in virtually every county.
Research Someone Before Meeting
Understand how identity clues can help verify who someone is.
How to Find Someone's Phone Number
Learn why cell numbers require a different approach than landlines and how aggregators help.
How to Find Someone's Email Address
Understand what sources help for professional email versus personal email and where each falls short.
How to Find Out Where Someone Works
Learn how aggregators, licensing records, and business filings surface employment information.
How to Find Someone's Social Media
Understand how social media complements public records research and how to verify the right account.
Understanding People Search
These guides explain how people search services work, what they cost, how accurate they are, and how they differ from official public records.
Are Public Records Free?
Government records are free to access — but finding the right county, navigating portals, and compiling information across systems takes time. Explains what is free, what costs money, and where aggregators fit in.
How Accurate Are People Search Sites?
People search aggregators compile from public sources that are often months out of date and patchy by county. Explains what drives accuracy, what creates gaps, and how to verify before acting on a result.
People Search vs Public Records
People search services compile and surface public records — they are not a separate system. Explains the relationship between the two, when each is the right starting point, and when you need both.
Free vs Paid People Search
Free methods work for surface-level verification. Paid aggregators add address history, relatives, and court record signals in one place. Explains what each tier actually delivers and when the tradeoff makes sense.
What to Do If Search Results Are Wrong
Outdated addresses, wrong relatives, and merged records are common. Covers how errors get into aggregator data, how to correct them, and how to use official sources to verify the right information.
Why Your Search Came Back Empty
An empty result usually means the wrong system was searched — not that no record exists. Covers the seven most common causes and the systematic next steps for each.
Identity Investigation Guides
These guides help when you have partial information about someone and need to confirm identity.
Find Someone by Name and City
Use location clues to narrow the right person.
Look Someone Up Online
Start broad before moving into specific records.
Find Someone's Middle Name
Use identity clues to separate similar names.
Find Someone's Relatives
Family connections often confirm the right person.
Confirm Someone's Identity
Cross-check identity clues before trusting a match.
How to Find Someone by First and Last Name
Use a complete name as a stronger starting point and narrow the correct person with supporting clues.
Find Someone With Just a Name
Learn how to narrow the right person when a name is the only starting point.
Find Someone in Jail — by State
These guides explain each state's DOC portal, major county jail systems, and what to do when searches come back empty.
How to Find Someone in Jail
Hub guide — covers the three-tier system, VINE, BOP, and why searches fail across all systems.
Texas
TDCJ covers state prisons only. 254 separate county jail rosters. Harris, Dallas, and Tarrant are the highest-volume county systems.
Florida
FDOC is one of the strongest state DOC portals in the country. County access is strong under the Sunshine Law — but county and state are entirely separate systems.
California
CIRIS covers CDCR state prisons. AB 109 Realignment means many felons serve county sentences. 58 separate county jail systems.
New York
DOCCS covers state prisons. NYC DOC is entirely separate. 62 county jails cover the rest of the state — three unconnected tiers.
Illinois
IDOC covers state prisons. Cook County DOC is one of the largest single-site jail operations in the US and entirely separate from IDOC.
Pennsylvania
PA DOC covers state prisons. Philadelphia Prison System is entirely separate — a Philadelphia arrest goes to the city system, not PA DOC.
Ohio
ODRC covers state prisons. Cleveland Municipal Jail and Cuyahoga County Jail are separate systems covering the same city. 88 separate county jails.
Georgia
GDC covers state prisons. Atlanta metro spans five separate county jails — Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton. Atlanta address is not always Fulton County.
North Carolina
NCDAC covers state prisons with records back to 1972. 100 separate county jails. Research Triangle spans Wake, Durham, and Orange counties.
Michigan
MDOC OTIS covers state prisons but purges records 3 years after discharge. 83 county jails. Wayne County covers Detroit plus 42 other municipalities.
Washington
DOC covers state prisons. Two separate court portal systems (Odyssey and re:SearchWA) — both required. Clark County WA is not Oregon.
Tennessee
TDOC covers state prisons. No statewide court portal. 95 county jails, with Davidson and Shelby dominating by volume.
Virginia
VADOC covers state prisons. 38 independent cities each have their own jail — not part of any county system. NAAVI replaces VINE in Virginia.
Colorado
CDOC covers state prisons. Denver is a consolidated city-county with its own jail — separate from the state system. ADX Florence is federal.
Maryland
DPSCS covers state prisons. Baltimore City is separate from Baltimore County. ZIP code determines jurisdiction. NAAVI, not VINE.
Indiana
IDOC covers state prisons. Indianapolis Unigov didn't consolidate courts — Marion County still requires a separate search.
Missouri
MODOC covers state prisons. St. Louis City is not St. Louis County — separate since 1876. CaseNet covers courts statewide.
Wisconsin
WIDOC covers state prisons. WCCA covers all 72 circuit courts free — but ~240 municipal courts are not in WCCA.
Arizona
ADCRR covers state prisons. Maricopa holds 60%+ of the state population. 22 tribal nations with separate jurisdiction — no public web portal.
Minnesota
DOC covers state prisons. 2023 expanded expungement seals records from MNCIS — a clean result no longer means no history. BCA for comprehensive coverage.
Massachusetts
DOC covers state prisons. Sentences of 2.5 years or less are served at county houses of correction — never entering DOC. 14 county sheriffs.
New Jersey
NJDOC covers state prisons. 2017 bail reform means many defendants are released pre-trial and never enter county custody. NJ eCourts covers courts statewide.
Oregon
ODOC covers state prisons. OJD eCourt covers all 27 circuit districts free. Portland tri-county (Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas) are separate systems.
Kentucky
DOC covers state prisons. 120 counties, many served by regional jails. No statewide public court portal. Louisville merger didn't consolidate courts.
Nevada
NDOC covers state prisons. Clark County holds 75% of the state population. Las Vegas address churn is extreme. No statewide court portal.
Oklahoma
DOC covers state prisons. OSCN covers most district courts. McGirt ruling: post-2020 tribal member felonies in eastern OK may route to federal court, not OSCN.
South Carolina
SCDC covers state prisons. Public Index covers Circuit and Family Court — but not magistrate courts. Richland and Lexington split the Columbia metro.
Iowa
DOC covers state prisons. Iowa Courts Online covers all 99 counties free. Limited expungement means more complete results than most states.
Kansas
KDOC covers state prisons. No statewide portal for most of 105 counties. Kansas City metro cross-state: KCK (Wyandotte County) is not KCMO (Jackson County MO).
Alabama
ADOC covers state prisons. No statewide public court portal. Jefferson County has two circuits: Birmingham and the Bessemer Division.
Nebraska
NDCS covers state prisons. Statewide court portal covers all 93 counties free. Omaha (Douglas County) and Council Bluffs (Pottawattamie County IA) are cross-state.
New Mexico
NMCD covers state prisons. Bernalillo holds 30% of the state. Middle name required for common Spanish surnames. Rio Rancho is Sandoval County, not Bernalillo.
Utah
UDC covers state prisons. xChange portal covers most courts statewide (free registration). Severe surname clustering — DOB always required.
Arkansas
ADC covers state prisons. CourtConnect covers all 75 counties free. Fort Smith borders Oklahoma; West Memphis borders Tennessee — cross-state checks common.
Louisiana
DPSC covers state prisons. 64 parish jails with no statewide portal. Katrina fragmented Orleans records. Orleans and Jefferson are separate parish systems.
Mississippi
MDOC covers state prisons. 82 county jails, no statewide court portal. DeSoto County is Memphis metro — Shelby County TN records are often more substantive.
Connecticut
Unified DOC — no county jails. One search at ct.gov/doc covers the entire state. Fairfield County is NYC metro; NY OCA records are often relevant.
Hawaii
Unified DPS — no county jails. Inter-island transfers are common. No federal facility in state; federal inmates go to mainland BOP.
West Virginia
WVDCR covers state prisons. courtswv.gov covers all 55 counties statewide free. Eastern Panhandle is DC metro; Huntington is tri-state WV/OH/KY.
Idaho
IDOC covers state prisons. iCourt covers most counties statewide. Ada County (Boise) and Canyon County (Nampa) together hold 40%+ of the state population.
Maine
Maine DOC covers state prisons. 16 county jails. Cumberland County (Portland) dominates. York County borders NH — cross-state relevant for southern York subjects.
New Hampshire
NHDOC covers state prisons. 10 county Houses of Corrections. Southern Rockingham County is Boston metro — Massachusetts records commonly relevant.
Montana
MDC covers state prisons. courts.mt.gov covers most counties. Seven tribal nations with separate jurisdiction.
North Dakota
DOCR covers state prisons. ndcourts.gov covers all districts free. Cass County (Fargo) holds ~20% of population. Fargo-Moorhead is cross-state with Clay County MN.
Rhode Island
Unified ACI in Cranston — no county jails. Single search covers entire state. Providence metro blends into Bristol and Norfolk County MA.
South Dakota
SDDOC covers state prisons. ujs.sd.gov covers courts statewide. Nine Lakota Sioux tribal courts in western SD are entirely separate from the state system.
Vermont
Unified DOC — no county jails. doc.vermont.gov and vermontjudiciary.org cover the entire state. Expanding expungement statute means clean results are less definitive here.
Delaware
Unified DOC — 3 counties. courts.delaware.gov covers all three. New Castle County is Philadelphia metro — PA UJS records relevant for Wilmington subjects. Delaware County PA is a completely separate entity.
Wyoming
WDC covers state prisons. courts.wyo.gov covers district and circuit courts. Energy workforce creates address volatility in Campbell, Sublette, and Sweetwater counties.
Search by State
Each state guide covers the local court system, public records law, marriage and divorce record access, major cities, and county search patterns.
Alabama
67 counties. Circuit and District courts are separate — both required. Jefferson County has a Bessemer Division that covers the western half independently.
Alaska
No county government — organized as boroughs. Anchorage holds nearly half the state population.
Arizona
AZCourtConnect covers courts statewide. Maricopa County holds over 60% of the population. Queen Creek straddles the Maricopa-Pinal county line.
Arkansas
CourtConnect covers all 75 counties free. Fort Smith borders Oklahoma — OSCN is often a necessary supplement.
California
No unified portal. Each of 58 county Superior Courts is separate. CCPA opt-outs thin commercial results — county portals are outside CCPA scope.
Colorado
Two-tier trial court system. Denver is outside the iCourt statewide portal. Aurora straddles three counties.
Connecticut
County government abolished in 1960. 169 town clerks hold vital and land records. eCourts covers court records.
Delaware
Only 3 counties. courts.delaware.gov covers all three. New Castle County is Philadelphia metro — PA UJS records are commonly needed for Wilmington subjects.
Florida
Sunshine Law produces some of the best county portals in the country. Snowbird address churn is substantial. South Florida tri-county (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) always check all three.
Georgia
159 counties. Atlanta city limits cross the Fulton-DeKalb line — never assume Atlanta equals Fulton County. Five core Atlanta metro counties are separate systems.
Hawaii
Unified state court system. No county jails — all facilities under the Department of Public Safety. Inter-island address patterns require island-specific context.
Idaho
iCourt covers most counties statewide. Ada County (Boise) and Canyon County (Nampa/Caldwell) together hold 40%+ of the state population.
Illinois
Cook County is the second-most populous US county. Cook County DOC is entirely separate from IDOC. Collar county boundary confusion is common for Naperville, Bolingbrook, and Aurora.
Indiana
MyCase covers most counties. Indianapolis Unigov (1970) did not consolidate courts — Marion County still requires a separate search.
Iowa
Iowa Courts Online covers all 99 counties free. Limited expungement means more complete public results than most states. Council Bluffs borders Omaha NE — cross-state common.
Kansas
No statewide portal for most of 105 counties. Kansas City metro is cross-state: KCK (Wyandotte County KS) and KCMO (Jackson County MO) are entirely separate systems.
Kentucky
120 counties with no statewide public court portal. Louisville merger did not consolidate courts. Kenton County is Cincinnati tri-state.
Louisiana
Parish structure — no statewide portal. Each of 64 parish clerks is authoritative. Katrina displacement affects pre-2006 Orleans records.
Maine
Maine Judicial Branch covers courts statewide. Cumberland County (Portland) dominates. York County borders New Hampshire — cross-state relevant for southern Maine subjects.
Maryland
Baltimore City is independent from Baltimore County. Judiciary Case Search covers Circuit and District courts statewide. DC metro cross-state for Montgomery and Prince George's.
Massachusetts
Seven Trial Court departments. Boston Municipal Court is separate from District Court. County government largely abolished — 350K+ students create severe address churn.
Michigan
District courts handle misdemeanors; Circuit courts handle felonies. Wayne County covers Detroit plus 42 municipalities — highest-volume system in the state.
Minnesota
MNCIS covers all 87 counties. 2023 expanded expungement creates a significant gap — a clean result no longer means no history. BCA covers criminal history comprehensively.
Mississippi
82 counties with no statewide court portal. DeSoto County is Memphis metro — Shelby County TN records are often more substantive for DeSoto subjects.
Missouri
St. Louis City is not in St. Louis County — separate since 1876. Kansas City spans the Kansas state line. CaseNet covers courts statewide.
Montana
courts.mt.gov covers most counties. Yellowstone (Billings) and Missoula dominate by volume. Seven tribal nations with separate court jurisdiction.
Nebraska
court.nebraska.gov covers all 93 counties free. Omaha-Council Bluffs is bi-state (Iowa Courts Online for Pottawattamie County). Sarpy County is separate from Douglas County.
Nevada
Clark County holds 75% of the state population. Las Vegas address churn is extreme (~18-month average). No statewide court portal.
New Hampshire
10 county Houses of Corrections. Hillsborough County (Manchester, Nashua) holds ~40% of the population. Southern Rockingham County is Boston metro — Massachusetts records commonly relevant.
New Jersey
eCourts covers courts statewide. Bergen County has 70 municipalities. Hudson County is NYC metro. 2017 bail reform means many defendants never enter county custody.
New Mexico
Bernalillo County holds 30% of the state population. High-frequency Spanish surnames require middle name or DOB. Rio Rancho is Sandoval County, not Bernalillo metro.
New York
NYC DOC (Rikers and boroughs) is entirely separate from DOCCS (state prisons). Clean Slate Act (eff. Nov 2024) seals eligible records automatically. OCA criminal history costs $95.
North Carolina
Unified court system. eCourts rollout is ongoing. Mecklenburg and Wake are the highest-volume counties. Research Triangle spans Wake, Durham, and Orange.
North Dakota
ndcourts.gov covers all districts free. Cass County (Fargo) holds ~20% of the population. Fargo-Moorhead is cross-state with Clay County MN.
Ohio
88 separate county systems. Cleveland Municipal Court is separate from Cuyahoga Common Pleas. Cincinnati tri-state (Hamilton OH, Campbell and Kenton counties KY, Dearborn County IN).
Oklahoma
OSCN covers most district courts. McGirt ruling: post-2020 felony matters involving enrolled tribal members in eastern Oklahoma may be in federal court (PACER), not OSCN.
Oregon
OJD eCourt covers all 27 circuit districts free. Portland tri-county (Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas). Oregon Address Confidentiality Program can hide real addresses.
Pennsylvania
UJS covers all 67 counties (docket sheets only). Philadelphia is city-county coextensive. Delaware and Montgomery County addresses often carry Philadelphia postal labels — different court systems.
Rhode Island
Unified ACI in Cranston — no county jails. Providence metro blends into Bristol and Norfolk County MA. Massachusetts records frequently relevant for southern Rhode Island subjects.
South Carolina
Public Index covers Circuit and Family Court statewide — but not magistrate courts. Richland and Lexington split the Columbia metro.
South Dakota
ujs.sd.gov covers courts statewide. Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls) dominates. Nine Lakota Sioux tribal courts in western SD are entirely separate from the state system.
Tennessee
95 counties with no statewide court portal. Davidson (Nashville) and Shelby (Memphis) dominate. Fort Campbell straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky line.
Texas
254 counties with no unified portal. District Clerk (felonies) and County Clerk (misdemeanors) are always separate systems. DFW spans Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties.
Utah
xChange portal covers most courts statewide (free registration). Wasatch Front holds 80% of population. Severe surname clustering — Hill AFB in Davis County adds military volatility.
Vermont
Unified DOC — no county jails. vermontjudiciary.org covers all courts. Expanding expungement statute means clean results are less definitive here than in low-expungement states.
Virginia
38 independent cities each have their own court system, separate from surrounding counties. OCIS covers General District statewide. Northern Virginia is DC metro spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Washington
Odyssey Portal (superior courts) and re:SearchWA (courts of limited jurisdiction) — both required. Vancouver WA is Clark County WA, not Oregon.
West Virginia
courtswv.gov covers all 55 counties free. Eastern Panhandle is DC metro. Cabell County (Huntington) is tri-state WV/OH/KY.
Wisconsin
WCCA covers all 72 circuit courts free. Approximately 240 municipal courts are not in WCCA. Milwaukee ring counties (Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine) are all separate systems.
Wyoming
courts.wyo.gov covers district and circuit courts. Laramie (Cheyenne) and Natrona (Casper) dominate. Energy workforce creates address volatility in several western counties.
County Search Guides
These county guides explain local court systems, search patterns, and how county-level records differ from statewide sources. View all county guides.
Los Angeles County, CA
9.7M population. Each of 25+ courthouse districts has a separate online docket. No unified LA County court search — you must know the district.
Cook County, IL
Second-most populous US county. Cook County DOC and IDOC are entirely separate systems. Collar county boundaries cause routing confusion for Naperville and Bolingbrook.
Harris County, TX (Houston)
Largest county in Texas. District Clerk (felonies) and County Clerk (misdemeanors) are separate databases — both required for a complete search.
Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix)
Holds over 60% of Arizona's population. AZCourtConnect covers all courts statewide, but Maricopa volume requires name-plus-DOB to narrow results.
Dallas County, TX
DFW metro spans Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties — all separate systems. Dallas County cases filed in Collin or Tarrant will not appear in the Dallas portal.
Miami-Dade County, FL
Always search all three South Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach). Strong Sunshine Law access. Highest Hispanic surname density in Florida.
Kings County, NY (Brooklyn)
Brooklyn is Kings County — but NYC DOC covers Rikers and borough detention, entirely separate from DOCCS state prisons. OCA criminal history costs $95.
Tarrant County, TX (Fort Worth)
DFW metro: Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties are four separate court systems. Fort Worth is mostly Tarrant County, but some areas are in Parker or Johnson.
San Diego County, CA
California's second-most populous county. No statewide portal — San Diego Superior Court has its own online docket. Military population creates address volatility.
Orange County, CA
LA metro spillover. Orange County Superior Court docket is separate from LA County. High suburban name density requires DOB anchor.
Clark County, NV (Las Vegas)
75% of Nevada's population. Extreme address churn (~18-month average in Las Vegas). No statewide court portal — Clark County District Court is the primary source.
King County, WA (Seattle)
Odyssey Portal (superior courts) and re:SearchWA (courts of limited jurisdiction) are two separate systems — both required. Vancouver WA is Clark County, not King County.
Wayne County, MI (Detroit)
Detroit plus 42 other municipalities. District courts handle misdemeanors; Circuit court handles felonies. MDOC OTIS purges records 3 years after discharge — court records persist longer.
Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh is in Allegheny County. UJS portal covers all 67 PA counties (docket sheets only). 130 municipalities, each with its own local government — ZIP codes don't map cleanly to municipalities.
Philadelphia County, PA
City and county are coextensive. Philadelphia Prison System is entirely separate from PA DOC — a Philadelphia arrest goes to the city system. Delaware County PA is entirely different from Delaware the state.
Hennepin County, MN (Minneapolis)
MNCIS covers all 87 counties. 2023 expanded expungement seals records — a clean result no longer means no history. BCA covers criminal history comprehensively.
Riverside County, CA
Inland Empire growth corridor. No statewide portal — Riverside Superior Court docket is the authoritative source. High summer heat creates seasonal population shifts.
San Bernardino County, CA
Largest US county by area. San Bernardino Superior Court docket covers the county. Distinct Inland Empire search patterns from LA or Orange County.
Bexar County, TX (San Antonio)
District Clerk (felonies) and County Clerk (misdemeanors) are always separate. San Antonio is mostly within Bexar, but suburban growth pushes into Comal and Medina counties.
Cuyahoga County, OH (Cleveland)
Cleveland Municipal Court and Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas are separate systems covering the same city. Always check both for a complete result.
Neighbor and address research
These guides cover finding out who lives nearby, identifying residents at a specific address, and how public property records and people search work together.
How to Look Up Your Neighbors
Property ownership records are public in every US state. Covers reverse address lookup, the difference between owner and renter data, and what a people search adds beyond a county assessor lookup.
How to Find Who Lives at an Address
Reverse address lookup connects a street address to a name. Covers when property records are sufficient, when people search adds value, and the persistent challenge of identifying renters.
How to Find Property Records
County assessor and recorder databases are publicly searchable by owner name in virtually every county. Learn the difference between assessor and recorder records and how to use both.
Family research and biological connections
Guides for finding biological family, determining whether someone is still living, and the role public records play after DNA identification.
How to Check if Someone Is Married
Marriage records are public in most states. Covers people search reports as the fastest route, county clerk lookups for confirmation, and how to read name change signals.
Find Biological Family After a DNA Match
DNA services identify the connection. They don't provide a current address. Covers how to use a name from a DNA match to find contact information through public records.
How to Find Adoption Records
Adoption records are sealed in most states, but access laws have changed. Covers original birth certificate requests, non-identifying information, mutual consent registries, and DNA as an alternative path.
How to Find Probate Records
Probate records are public but held county by county with no national database. Covers how to identify the right jurisdiction and what a people-search report confirms first.
How to Find a Will
A will is only a public record once filed with a probate court. Covers how to locate a filed will and what to do when the estate bypassed probate entirely.
How to Find Out if Someone Died
Covers the Social Security Death Index, obituary search, official death records, and how a people search report can signal living status when other sources come up empty.
Death Record Search
How to access official death records through state vital records offices and what those records contain.
Reconnecting with people from your past
These guides cover finding lost friends, childhood connections, and people you've fallen out of touch with — using public records and address history when social media hasn't worked.
How to Find a Lost Friend
Social media finds the findable. Public records find everyone else — current addresses, phone numbers, and relatives that don't depend on whether someone has an active profile.
How to Find a Childhood Friend
Decades of address changes and married name changes stack up. Covers the maiden name approach, the parents angle, and how alumni routes complement people search.
How to Reconnect With Someone From Your Past
Covers old colleagues, neighbors, family members, and former mentors — with different search approaches for each and guidance on making first contact well.
How to Find Someone Who Moved
When a forwarding address isn't available, address history and public records fill the gap. Covers the full sequence of methods in order of reliability.
How to Find an Old Roommate
You shared an address. That address is a public record anchor. Covers the reverse-address-to-name approach that works even when you only half-remember their name.
Online profile & relationship research guides
These guides cover the practical side of online identity research — what people search services actually surface, and how to use that data to locate accounts, profiles, and identity information that isn't visible on the surface.
How to See If Someone Is on a Dating App
Dating apps don't offer public name search. The practical route uses registration email addresses, phone numbers, and username leads from a background report to check specific platforms.
How to Find Someone Online for Free
Covers what free methods actually return, where they fall short, and when a people search aggregator is the more practical tool. Google, LinkedIn, county records, licensing databases.
Find Someone on Facebook by Phone Number
Facebook's phone search rarely works. The reliable route: reverse the number first to get a name, then search Facebook by name with a city anchor.
How to Find Someone's Online Profiles
What a background report actually surfaces — email addresses, usernames, linked accounts, and phone numbers. The starting point for any online profile research.
How to Find Dating Profiles by Name
Dating apps don't offer public name search. The practical route is surfacing registration email addresses and usernames through a people search report, then checking specific platforms.
How to Find a Tinder Profile
Tinder profiles with a username are accessible at tinder.com/@username. How to identify the right username to check using identity data from a background report.
How to Find Out if Someone Is Cheating
How to use publicly available identity data — unknown email addresses, phone numbers, and usernames — as a concrete starting point for verification research.
How to Find Someone's Secret Accounts
Secret accounts are only as hidden as the credentials used to create them. The username consistency pattern and email prefix approach are the most practical discovery methods.
How to Check if Someone Has a Criminal Record
How to run a practical criminal record check on a specific person — what a people search report surfaces, how state court portals work, and what gets missed.
How to Tell if Someone Is Lying About Their Identity
How data mismatches in public records expose fabricated backgrounds — address history, age inconsistencies, name aliases, and reverse phone and image checks.
How to Find Out Someone's Real Name
How to work from a phone number, username, or email address back to a legal name — what each identifier reveals and which methods are most reliable.
How to Find Out Someone's Age
Age is verifiable through public records even when someone hasn't disclosed it. Covers date of birth in court filings and voter registration, and how address history implies an age range independently.
Virginia independent city guides
Virginia has 38 independent cities — each with its own court system, not part of any county. These guides cover the largest ones.
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia's largest city and an independent city. OCIS with Virginia Beach selected covers all records.
Norfolk, VA
Home to Naval Station Norfolk. Military address volatility is extreme.
Richmond, VA
State capital. Many "Richmond, VA" postal addresses are actually in Henrico County — a separate court system.
Alexandria, VA
Surrounded by Fairfax County on three sides but legally separate.
Chesapeake, VA
Hampton Roads independent city south of Norfolk.
Hampton, VA
Joint Base Langley-Eustis creates the Virginia Peninsula's highest military address volatility.
Roanoke, VA
Three separate OCIS jurisdictions: City of Roanoke, Roanoke County, and City of Salem. All three required.
Additional county guides
Richmond County, NY (Staten Island)
Most suburban NYC borough. New Jersey bridge connections make NJ eCourts a standard supplement.
Lee County, FL (Fort Myers/Cape Coral)
Hurricane Ian disrupted Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island address databases.
Collier County, FL (Naples)
One of the US's wealthiest counties. Criminal filings are thin; estate and probate are substantial.
Fresno County, CA
Second-largest Hmong community in the US. DOB anchor is non-negotiable before any search.
Polk County, FL (Lakeland)
Fastest-growing I-4 corridor county between Tampa and Orlando.
Volusia County, FL (Daytona Beach/Deltona)
Daytona seasonal events create address volatility and booking spikes.
Kern County, CA (Bakersfield)
California's top oil-producing county. High Hispanic surname concentration — date of birth essential.
San Joaquin County, CA (Stockton/Tracy)
Bay Area relocation corridor — many residents have prior Alameda or Contra Costa records.
Williamson County, TX (Round Rock/Georgetown)
Round Rock and Cedar Park straddle the Travis-Williamson line.
Montgomery County, TX (The Woodlands/Conroe)
The Woodlands is unincorporated — no city court, all matters route to Montgomery County.
York County, PA (York)
I-83 corridor between Harrisburg and Baltimore. Pennsylvania UJS portal covers all 67 counties.
Essex County, MA (Lawrence/Salem)
8 separate district courts — more than any other Massachusetts county.
Cherokee County, GA (Canton/Woodstock)
Fastest-growing Atlanta metro county. Records often lag a county south.
Clayton County, GA (Jonesboro/College Park)
Home to Hartsfield-Jackson airport, which straddles the Fulton-Clayton county line.
Camden County, NJ (Camden/Cherry Hill)
Directly across the Delaware from Philadelphia. NJ eCourts and Pennsylvania UJS are both required.
Monmouth County, NJ (Freehold/Asbury Park)
Jersey Shore county with significant seasonal address volatility.
Lorain County, OH (Elyria/Lorain)
Cleveland west suburbs. Lorain city has one of the highest Puerto Rican concentrations in northeast Ohio.
Butler County, OH (Hamilton/West Chester)
Cincinnati north suburbs. West Chester Township is unincorporated — all matters route to Butler County Common Pleas.
Rutherford County, TN (Murfreesboro)
One of the fastest-growing US counties. Prior history is usually in Davidson County or out of state.
Loudoun County, VA (Leesburg/Ashburn)
Fastest-growing Virginia county. Prior records for tech-corridor arrivals are almost always in Fairfax County.
Cross-county city guides
These cities straddle county lines in ways that make single-county court searches incomplete.
Aurora, IL
Splits across Kane, DuPage, and Kendall counties. ISP statewide covers all three.
Naperville, IL
Most of the city is in DuPage County, but south Naperville is in Will County.
Bolingbrook, IL
Straddles the Will-DuPage county line.
Kansas City, MO/KS
Two separate cities in two states. KCMO is Jackson County MO; KCK is Wyandotte County KS.
Katy, TX
Splits across Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller counties.
Round Rock, TX
Mostly Williamson County, with south portions in Travis County.
