6 December 2004. The Arkansas Crime Information Center makes available information about Level 3 and Level 4 registered sex offenders. Updated daily, the database lets you search by full or partial name, address, zip code or certain characteristics (race, sex or risk level). The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her last known street address, race, sex, date of birth, risk level, charge and sometimes, a photograph. 7 September 2004. The commercial vendor On-Line Information Services, Inc. provides fee-based access to the trial court records for all counties in Alabama. According to information available at the Web site, subscribers have access to active cases and select disposed cases since 1970. Coverage includes civil and criminal cases, domestic relations and child support, traffic cases, outstanding alias warrants, trial court dockets and attorney case information. You can also access the state's "real-time" database and set up tracking and notification. 29 January 2003. The Alabama Department of Corrections offers a database of prisoners currently incarcerated. Search by AIS (Alabama Institutional Serial) number or name to find name, AIS, race, sex, birth date, current prison location, and release date. Results appear at the bottom of the page. 25 February 2002. Look up information about civil and criminal cases on appeal in Alaska courts. Search by party name, appellate case number, or trial court number. The system provides basic case information, including parties names, attorneys, documents filed, transcript availability, and more. 25 February 2002. Search the trial court name index, which contains case information for lawsuits filed in 30 Alaska counties. It covers civil and criminal matters, but not appellate, confidential or traffic cases. Generally, the database covers 1990 to present, but searchers will find some older data. Some of the records include dates of birth along with the usual case information. 1 August 2005. The U.S. Department of Justice provides access to sex offender records in 22 states -- Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The site serves as a gateway to the state registry. Consequently, it provides the same information. However, it facilitates finding offenders who have moved to another state. The agency hopes to include access to registries in all states eventually. 21 June 2004. SexOffender.com offers a look-up feature for finding online sources of sex offender records. Select the jurisdiction of interest. The resulting information comes from other Web sites. It usually leads to state or county law enforcement sources of offender registries. 18 April 2006. The Jewelers' Security Alliance makes available this database for tracking stolen jewelry. Registered users (free) may search for stolen or recovered gems, watches or other jewelry. Search by a variety of criteria, including keyword, brand name, stone type, location or date. The information provided includes the month and year of the theft, theft location, a description of the jewelry, and more. 7 September 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching Arizona. Search by name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and offender identification. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 15 December 2005. Arizona official rapsheets, or information collected by the state criminal repository, is not public record. This Web page, maintained by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, explains the public access law and provides links to various forms for submitting requests. There is also an FAQ, which might answer additional questions. 31 March 2003. The Arizona Department of Corrections provides a database of information about current and former inmates in custody since 1985. Search by inmate number or last name, sex and status (all three required to search) to find name, date of birth, inmate number, status, physical description, maximum term, admission date and institution. Links at the top of the page providing this data offer additional information. For example, follow the link labeled ADDITIONAL INFO to find a picture of the inmate, the inmate's state and federal identification numbers and more. 25 April 2002. Revised 17 April 2008. The Arizona Judicial Branch offers a database of case information from 137 out of 180 courts in Arizona. The database covers criminal and civil cases, but does not offer information about sealed, non-served domestic violence, mental health, juvenile, or probate cases. It provides name, date of birth, city/state/zip (but not street address), criminal offense (if applicable), docket entries, and more.
When testing the database, I received many browser error messages. It appears the state limits the number of simultaneous users. If you receive an error message, it's best to try again later.
31 July 2006. The Arizona Attorney General's Office maintains a public access database on stolen vehicle information. Search by license plate number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to find contact and status information. 31 March 2003. Revised 10 May 2007. Arkansas Department of Corrections makes available a database of current inmates. You may search by a number of criteria, including name, age, race, county, facility or type of crime to find the inmate's full name, gender, race, release date, facility, date of birth, physical description and more. You may even download the entire database (See link at the bottom of the search page). 6 December 2004. Revised 2 August 2007. This site comprises the official criminal history database for the state. But access is limited.
While recently expanded (by state law on 31 July 2007), use of the system remains limited to authorized entities for specific purposes. These include professional licensing boards, employers, agents of employers or persons with written consent of the person who is the subject of the record.
Access requires payment. 11 April 2005. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific California counties. Select the county you want to search, and then enter a name. You may limit a query by date of birth or age range. No statewide search is available.
The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 5 November 2002. Find gateway access to case information on civil and criminal matters in California appellate courts. Features include docket entries, trial court information (including case number), future scheduled actions, and if applicable, a link to the case on appeal in the Supreme Court. 16 June 2004. The Medical Board of California makes available a database for finding information about a physician's license, including public disciplinary data, felony convictions, citations for minor violations of law, hospital disciplinary actions that result in termination or revocation of privileges, malpractice judgments and select malpractice settlements. Search by name, license or location. 7 June 2002. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation offers criminal histories online. There is a $5.50 charge per name searched. You must enter a date of birth, as well as a name, and a reason for the search.
The database enables statewide criminal checks "based on fingerprint submissions from law enforcement agencies within the State of Colorado. [It does] not ... disclose information from other state or federal databases. Warrant information, sealed records, and juvenile records are not available to the public. To locate information regarding registered sex offenders, you must contact your local law enforcement agency."
This means you should find felonies and misdemeanors committed in the state, but not federal or other state crimes or minor violations (e.g., traffic). 25 February 2002. Search for case information about open or closed (but not sealed) matters from Colorado district and county courts. Types of cases covered by the database include civil, domestic relations, water, traffic, small claims, as well as, felonies and misdemeanors. Searchers will not find cases pertaining to probate, mental health and juvenile matters. Nor will they find social security numbers or street addresses.
Other public records available at the site include business information records, divorces, marriages, UCC liens, and the Social Security Death Index. 31 July 2006. The Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) makes available information about active offenders, community corrections and parolees. Search by DOC number, name or date of birth to find name, DOC number, gender, date of birth, physical description and facility. Additional details include estimated discharge date, photo, offense and sentencing information. 15 April 2002. Search for civil and family court matters by personal or business name. The database covers courts in several Connecticut counties, but does not specify years included. It provides the names of the parties, docket number, docket summary, case type, disposition date, date filed, attorneys, and more.
Update: 29 June 2005. The June 2005 issue of Public Records Update, a free monthly newsletter of BRB Publications, warns researchers about incomplete data at the Connecticut Judicial Civil Records Web site. The site states that it makes records available for up to 10 years. However, it periodically purges the database, and many "cases closed by settlement, dismissal, withdrawal, and even stipulated judgments may be removed from the website within a year after disposition." Recently, over half of the records in the database were purged, reducing the number from 309,000 to 145,000.
The caution should serve as another example of the importance of manual verification when you need a complete picture of a person's or business's litigation history. 7 February 2008. The Connecticut judiciary makes available criminal court records from 1 January 2000 in which the final disposition was a conviction. You may search by last name or docket number. You may limit queries by other criteria, including the convicted individual's year of birth. The information provided includes the person's name, year of birth, docket number, court, arresting agency, arrest date, sentencing date, and a description of the crime, conviction and penalties.
The database receives updates every 24 hours. However, as the site warns, the records do not constitute a criminal history. This site does not provide access to juvenile records.
Other parts of the Web site (see the menu on the left) provide access to information about pending criminal cases. You may search by the same criteria as that for convicted criminals. Results provide the defendant's name, year of birth, court, court status, docket number, arrest date, plea, and a description of the charges. 10 September 2003. Find information about inmates currently incarcerated with the Connecticut Department of Correction. The database also includes information about those incarcerated while awaiting trial. Search by identification number, name or date of birth to find inmate number, name, date of birth, date last incarcerated, current location, status, description of offense, sentence date, maximum sentence and more. 15 December 2005. Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Libraries maintains a guide to obtaining criminal information in Connecticut. It provides useful links to pertinent information buried in state Web sites. One of the links, for instance, connects you to a letter that explains when arrest records may be disclosed. There are also links to relevant statutes and forms. 28 September 2000. LLRX.com offers search access to source information for federal and state court rules, forms and dockets. The database includes links to over 700 sources. Search by keyword (e.g., pennsylvania forms to find links to federal and state court forms), or browse by one or more of the following criteria: jurisdiction, document type, or state. The database returns links to credible sources that match your query.
A tremendous improvement over the former court rules guide, this resource is easy to use, uncluttered, and fast.
13 May 2003. CourtWeb enables access to information about select rulings, as well as the text of available rulings, by participating judges in several federal district courts. For case information, search each court separately. For opinions, search individual courts or all of them. Access the full-text search option by selecting any court from the main menu, and then click the full-text search button at the bottom of the screen. 29 October 2007. The Roanoke Times makes available databases containing public records or public information. Find information about public schools, civil and criminal cases, sex offenders, Roanoke city permits, lobbyists, restaurant inspections, disciplinary actions concerning doctors, historical weather data, and more.
The site offers an accompanying blog, called Datablog, and an RSS feed. The RSS feed contains updates from the blog. 26 March 2007. Asbury Park [NJ] Press offers a collection of databases compiled from public records and public information. All pertain to New Jersey residents, businesses, public employees or employees of businesses in the state. Find conviction records, death records, public sector contracts, property sales, teachers and school administrators, police and paid firefighters, Rutgers University employees, and more. 11 April 2005. According to The Criminal Records Manual (Facts on Demand Press, 2004), criminal histories are not public in this state. If you have a signed release, you may request a criminal history through the Criminal History Section of the Delaware State Police. On the other hand, if the conviction resulted in an opinion or order, this site might help you.
It provides keyword search access to opinions and orders from Delaware state courts back to 2000. Matching documents are available in full-text PDF and free of charge.
13 October 2000. Revised 9 January 2004. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement offers several databases for finding information related to crimes. Search for wanted persons, missing persons, stolen vehicles, stolen vehicle parts, stolen license plates, stolen license decals, stolen boats, stolen boat parts, stolen boat decals, stolen guns or stolen articles (appliances, TVs, stereos). Many of the databases require searching by registration or serial number. More search criteria is provided for finding wanted persons. Information provided includes name, aliases, offense, reporting agency, case number, warrant information, date of birth, physical description and last known city and state. 1 June 2004. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement provides this secure Web site for obtaining criminal histories. You must pay to search the database. There is a per name search charge as well as a charge per record when more than one individual matches your search criteria. The Web site doesn't reveal what the record contains, but it should offer sufficient identifying information (date of birth, name, physical description). The Web site does note that Social Security numbers are suppressed for records requested via the Internet. It does, however, provide the last four digits for verification purposes. 25 November 2002. Florida offers multiple databases for finding information about criminals. This database queries data contained in all the databases, BUT it only provides search options for criteria common to all. Find fugitives (whereabouts unknown supervisory purposes), escapees (from correctional facilities), inmates, and inmates released or scheduled for release. Search the individual databases here. 10 May 2002. Search for current or past inmates by identification number, name, alias, age, or other criteria. The database provides name, aliases, identification number, photograph, physical description, date of birth, offense, current status, place of incarceration, and more. 20 March 2003. Georgia's Board of Pardons and Paroles provides a database of offenders currently under supervision. Search for parolees zip code, name or inmate number. The database provides the individual's picture, home address, physical description, beginning and ending parole date, most serious offense as well as the telephone number of his or her parole officer. 14 October 2003. The Idaho Department of Correction enables searching for individuals under its jurisdiction; that is, those incarcerated, on probation, or on parole. Search by name or offender number to find name, offender number, status, date of birth, institution location and phone number, a brief description of the offense, sentencing county, case number, parole eligibility and date the sentence ends. If an individual has been discharged, you may also find a record of the discharge. Discharge records, however, contain only the name, offender number, status (discharged), date of birth and discharge date. 7 April 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Illinois entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 25 November 2002. Search by name, identification number, or birth date to find inmates in Illinois prisons. Information provided includes a physical description, including any marks, scars, or tattoos, current prison location and status, admission and projected release dates, as well as information about the crime and sentencing. 18 May 2004. Case information aggregator Judici offers free and commercial search services for Illinois courts. For free, searchers can access and search one court at a time (see Participating Courts) to find criminal and civil case files. Currently, the site provides access to about 15 county courts in Illinois. Coverage varies from court to court, but averages from the late 1980s to present. Search by case number or party name. You can also limit the number of results by keyword in the description of the charge. Information provided includes case number, party name, date of birth, disposition, case type, judge, last known address, fines and fees and more. Paid subscribers can search all courts simultaneously and receive case updates and other services. 16 July 2007. In compliance with state law, Illinois makes available this database on persons convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine. This information provided includes the offender's name, date of birth, offense or offenses, the conviction date and county of each offense. You may search by last name, county or conviction date. 22 June 2007. Revised 22 June 2007. Mandated by state statute, Illinois makes available a registry of offenders of violent - but not sex-related - crimes against youth. (Sex offenders must register with the Illinois sex offender registry.) Currently, it appears as though information on only 7 offenders is in the database. While you may search by last name, zip code, city or county, for so few hits, it's easier just to select the status, "All", and list the contents of the database.
The information provided includes the full name of the offender, his/her current address, compliance status, date of birth, physical description and crime summary. You may also map the offender's address to find schools within a 5-mile radius. 29 January 2003. The Indiana Department of Correction offers a database of criminal offenders, but does not document the data it contains. Sample queries indicate that the database includes current inmates and those on parole. Search by name or offender number to find name, offender number, date of birth, gender, race, current location, release date, and sentencing information. 29 October 2003. The Indiana State Police offer a fee-based search service for finding criminal histories. The database contains felonies and class A misdemeanor arrests from the mid-1930's to present. The state considers the results of a search to be an official record. Information returned includes arrests older than one year and having no disposition. You will also find the name of the accused, aliases, arrest dates, charges and dispositions. 15 February 2002. Revised 17 April 2008. The Iowa judiciary offers case information from civil, criminal, probate, and traffic courts in all of its counties and from appellate courts. System documentation indicates coverage runs from 1997 to present, but the sample queries I ran found many cases dating farther back. 10 September 2003. This database contains unconfirmed information about registered sex offenders, who were convicted after 14 April 1994. Search by name, city, zip code or county to find a convicted offender's name, last known address (including date last verified), county, race, sex, date of birth, date of first registration and a description of offense. 18 May 2004. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation provides varied access to criminal histories depending on who is requesting the information and why. In accordance with Kansas law, the general public may obtain criminal history information about convictions for several classes of misdemeanors, convictions for violations of municipal ordinances, imprisonments in state institutions and arrest records without dispositions for the past 12 months. There is a per name charge for conducting an online check. 29 July 2003. The Kansas Department of Corrections publishes four separate lists containing information about those on parole or offenders released from supervision. There is no database, but rather four lists containing timely information. To find a parolee, you will need the name of the supervising county. You may find it by searching the KASPER database. Look for the location of the incarceration. 29 July 2003. The KASPER database contains information about offenders in the custody of the Secretary of Corrections since 1980. It provides information about current and past offenders. Search by name, alias, unique identification number or social security number to find a convict's name, aliases, birth date, location, physical description and summary of convictions. 5 June 2002. Revised 5 March 2004. Search for information about inmates, who are currently housed in a state institution, or who are Class D felons housed for the state in a county jail. Note that the system contains NO information about former inmates. Nor does it provide information about those out on parole or parole eligibility. Also, KOOL LIMITS the number of convictions listed to ten. Search by full or partial (best results) name to find inmate identification number, physical description, photograph, name, aliases, criminal offenses and more. An advanced search interface provides searching by other criteria. The database does not provide date of birth or social security number. 28 August 2000. Revised 25 June 2004. This subscription-based site provides a portal to case information and court docket systems for federal, state and local courts in the United States. It covers civil and criminal courts. Find online access to court docket sheets, basic case information, court calendars, opinions, orders, decisions, inmate information and document images. It also offers a Weblog on electronic filing and public records retrieval. 6 September 2000. Revised 18 April 2008. Exclusively available via LexisNexis (fee-based), CourtLink eAccess provides electronic access to court records in over 4,000 federal, state and local courts. CourtLink eFile - now available in 90 courts - provides online filing services. 7 April 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Louisiana entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 11 August 2003. The Maine State Police offers this fee-based database containing conviction information for adult and juvenile crimes committed in Maine. Searching requires a credit card, full name and date of birth. Note that because the database responds with conviction data only, and does not include arrest records, pending criminal cases or any matter that did not result in a conviction. Maine limits the dissemination of non-conviction data (16 M.R.S. §613). 9 February 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Maryland entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 7 April 2004. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services make available a locator tool for finding information about those currently incarcerated at the Division of Correction facilities, Patuxent Institution or the Division of Pretrial and Detention Services facilities. Be aware: This service does not provide information on everyone in the custody of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Search by name (last name only is permitted) to find full name, date of birth, holding facility and location contact information. 28 February 2006. Revised 10 March 2008. The Maryland Judiciary makes available information on traffic, criminal and civil cases from state District and Circuit courts. Date coverage varies by jurisdiction. While Circuit court update frequency is almost immediate, there is a delay for Baltimore City, Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Search by name or case number to find full name, date of birth (when available), court, case type and filing date. Click the case number for more information. 9 February 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Massachusetts entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 12 February 2004. The Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court of Massachusetts offers this single search interface to publicly available cases. Search by docket number, party, attorney, originating court or originating court judge to find appellate case information and court docket sheets. 21 September 2004. After years of litigation, the official state registry for level 2 (moderate risk) and level 3 (high risk) offenders is available to the public. To conduct a search, follow the links Community Search/Detail. Search by name or location (city or county or zip code). Results include name, age, physical description, photograph, address, and a summary of offenses and conviction dates. 21 June 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Illinois entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. 14 October 2003. The Michigan State Police offers this criminal history search tool. Search the criminal history records of the state repository for a fee. Searching requires a name and date of birth. Although the repository contains information about arrests not resulting in convictions, this utility does not display it. The agency warns that it "does not always receive information from the criminal justice system in a timely manner." It also cautions that records dated prior to June 1987 may be unclear about whether the crime was a felony or misdemeanor. 25 November 2002. Search by offender name, number or unusual marking (tattoo, scar) to find the convictions record of active offenders, including prisoners, parolees and escapees. The information provided includes offender number, name, date of birth, sex, race, penal code violation, location, status and projected or actual release dates. 15 March 2004. The Michigan State Police (MSP) offer this official source of sex offender registration information. Search by zip code or first and last name (partial entries okay) and approximate age to find name, date of birth, physical description, registration address and description of the offense. 23 August 2007. Minnesota Department of Corrections provides a search engine for finding Level III predatory offenders. New information appears within 48 hours. You may search by zip code, full or partial name, alias (use name search), city or county.
Law enforcement agencies decide on a case-by-case basis what information is to be posted. Test queries returned records with pictures, full name, aliases, date of birth, physical description, description of offense, registered address (homelessness is indicated), and release date. 9 February 2007. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains this database of individuals who have been convicted under state law of felony level manufacture of methamphetamine. The registry provides the identity of the offender, the conviction, the arresting agency, the county of conviction and the sentence imposed. Specific identifying information includes date of birth. You may search by first name (or initial), last name and/or county. 5 June 2002. Search by name, date of birth, or identification number to find inmates current incarcerated or under law enforcement supervision. The database provides name, date of birth, facility, anticipated release date, case worker's name and phone, and criminal convictions. The database also links to the relevant statutory sections for the convictions. 9 February 2007. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension offers a database of criminal convictions. Convictions remain public for 15 years following the completion of the sentence. Public information includes: offense, court of conviction, date of the conviction and sentence information. Information not available on the Web site includes: arrest data, juvenile data, criminal history data from other states, federal data, data on convictions where 15 years or more have elapsed since the completion of the sentence, and other data deemed private or confidential. Search by exact name and date of birth. 20 November 2007. Revised 28 November 2007. Conduct statewide or county level queries for criminal, civil, family or probate court records. In addition to appellate court records, the public access system in accordance with state court rules does not contain the following: records of harassment and domestic abuse, records not admitted into evidence (e.g., referrals for counseling, rehabilitation or treatment, recommendations regarding custody of minor children, psychological evaluations), pre-conviction records, and juvenile appeals.
Search by case number or party name (first and last names required).
Please note: In accordance with state court rules, some information that is public record cannot be displayed online. Therefore, information contained in the public access system is not the official record of the court. Thorough searching for due diligence or other comprehensive research needs must be performed at the courthouse. Moreover, at this time some counties have not yet converted to the new system.
Technical note: During our visit, the system was down. Queries produced error messages. 25 September 2003. The Mississippi Department of Corrections enables searching for inmates. Click "Inmate Search" in the left navigational menu. No information about database coverage appears at this site. Search by name to find MDOC (Mississippi Department of Corrections) number, name, date of birth, physical description, date admitted, location, brief offense description, sentence, projected release date, and more. Some records include photographs. 25 September 2003. The Mississippi Parole Board enables searching for what appears to be current and former parolees. No information about database coverage appears on this site. Search by last name, city or county to find MDOC (Mississippi Department of Corrections) number, parolee name, address, county of supervision, brief description of offenses, date of birth, supervising officer, and more. Some records include photographs. 11 April 2005. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Missouri entities. Law enforcement entities available include county jails, detention centers and police department. You may also conduct a statewide search of available entities.
To conduct a search, enter a name. You may limit by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status and holding facility. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 15 February 2002. Revised 17 April 2008. Find case information from civil, criminal, probate, and traffic courts in many Missouri counties as well as from the State's appellate courts.
10 May 2002. Revised 9 May 2007. Find convicted felons in Montana by name, identification number, or date of birth. The database provides offender identification number, name, current status, gender, date of birth, physical description, offense, sentencing, and more. 22 August 2007. The Montana Department of Justice, the state's criminal record repository, provides fee-based access to criminal histories in the state. Public criminal histories contain the complete criminal record except for personal descriptors and dismissals after a deferred imposition of sentence. The public record does not include information on protection orders, warrants, traffic offenses (except felony DUI), federal offenses (including tribal), intelligence or out-of-state records. However, it does note whether an individual is registered as a sexual and/or violent offender in the State of Montana.
Records in the database go back to the 1950s. You need a name and date of birth or SSN to conduct a search. Note: While the response time usually is immediate, in some situations, the system will indicate that the search is pending. A technician must manually review the information before it is disseminated, so it may be up to 72 hours before you get the requested information. 25 May 2005. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching Nebraska. Please note that some records in some counties may not be available. Search by name, and then you may limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status and holding facility. Select the "details" option to find offender identification number, race and gender. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 10 May 2002. Find current or former inmates by name or identification number. The database provides identification number, name, aliases, physical description, dates sentence began and ended, criminal offense, and more. 12 April 2007. Revised 10 May 2007. The State of Nebraska makes available a fee-based database for finding criminal court records. It covers felonies and misdemeanors from all counties, but the extent of the coverage varies by county. You may search by party name, county, case type, judge or year. Information provided includes anything considered to be public information; for example, party names, attorneys, case outcome, fees associated with the case and payments made. It does not provide non-public information, such as Social Security numbers or witness names.
10 May 2007. Searchers may now query district and county courts (except Douglas County District) for $15 per search. Results are limited to 30 cases. 17 December 2002. Revised 27 September 2007. Search by inmate identification number or full or partial name to find those incarcerated in Nevada state institutions. Data returned includes at least some of the following: name, aliases, date of birth, inmate number, physical description, housing facility and security level, and information about the crime and sentencing. Technical note: If the query finds more than 20 records, you will receive an error message. Unfortunately, the message appears in small type at the bottom of the screen. 11 April 2008. New Hampshire Department of Corrections lets you search for current information on inmates. According to the site documentation, "[o]nly the current controlling sentence shows the original minimum and original maximum release dates. Offenders with consecutive sentences remaining to be served, technical parole violators, and/or non-New Hampshire state-sentenced offenders serving sentences in New Hampshire facilities may not include the original minimum or original maximum release dates because this data is either not available or has not been fully calculated."
Search by partial or full name. The information provided includes the inmate's full name, date of birth, prisoner identification number, booked number, booked date, docket number, brief description of the charges, maximum sentence date and facility. 4 October 2004. Search for registered offenders who have committed certain crimes against children, or who have an outstanding arrest warrant for not registering. The Web site warns that it does not provide a complete criminal history. You can download the entire list of offenders or the entire warrant list. You can also search by name or location. The information provided includes name, date of birth, physical description, last reported address, qualifying offense, and sometimes, a photograph. 4 October 2004. The registry contains information about level 2 (moderate risk) and level 3 (high risk) sex offenders. Search by name, location or vehicle. Information provided includes the offender's name and address, aliases, a brief description as well as the date and location of the disposition of the offense, a re-offense ranking of moderate or high, age, race, sex, date of birth and physical description, a dated photograph, and the make, model, color, year and license plate number of any vehicle operated by the offender. 23 April 2003. Find the offender search option in the left-hand menu. The database contains information about offenders, who are currently housed in Department of Corrections facilities as well as those who have been paroled or released from prison. Search by name or other criteria to find name, identification numbers, current location, parole eligibility date, sentencing information, admission and release dates, and known aliases. Unfortunately, the database was not working properly when we tested the site. 17 May 2007. Crime victims service site, VINELINK, provides access to offender information for New Jersey state. (Be sure to check the "disabled agencies" link for a list of jails not covered by this database.) Search by name or offender identification number to find full name, date of birth, custody status, housing facility, and more. VINELINK further offers a victim notification service. 26 March 2007. Revised 4 December 2007. Asbury Park Press makes this database available as part of its DataUniverse collection. (For more information about the collection, see our listing for DataUniverse.) Compiled from public information sources, this New Jersey convictions database lets you search by full or partial name to find a criminal's full name, date of birth, county of conviction, sentencing date, indictment number, type of crime, judge, jail time, penalties and fines. The database covers convictions from 2 January 1997 to 8 February 2007. (See also: New Jersey Superior Court Conviction Records (Database 2)) 4 December 2007. Asbury Park Press makes this database available as part of its DataUniverse collection. Search for New Jersey state criminal conviction records by name or type of crime. Information provided includes the convicted person's name, county, date of birth, brief description of the crime, sentencing date and type of sentence, judge, parole eligibility and more. 25 March 2002. Revised 17 April 2008. Search for information about civil, criminal, and traffic court cases in district and magistrate courts in New Mexico. The system also provides docket sheets and covers cases initiated from 1997 to present. Some older cases also appear in the database. Some records contain dates of birth. The database permits searching by SSN and driver's license number. 11 August 2003. Search by name or Social Security Number to find "all DWI cases that are available in the AOC Central Repository." Data retrieved includes the individual's name, date of birth, driver's license number, number of DWI cases and convictions, court, docket number, charge and disposition. You can also click through to the case summary or court docket from many of the database records. 10 September 2003. The New Mexico Department of Corrections offers information about the incarceration status of inmates. Search by name, partial name, identification number or state tracking number to find an inmate's name, current location, status, identification number and offense. Note that the data does not include identifying information like a date of birth or social security number. Therefore, further investigation may be required to confirm that the subject of the research is an inmate. 17 December 2002. Covering 1970 to present, this database contains information about former and current inmates. Search by name or identification number to find prisoner name, identification number, date of birth, status, housing facility, release date, and information about the crime and sentencing. Name queries can be combined with a date or year of birth. 31 January 2005. Revised 3 November 2005. Select criminal courts within the State of New York provide information about cases. Updated four times daily, the information provided includes docket number, defendant name, defendant date of birth, judge, appearance date, county, and more. You can search by the docket number or defendant's name. A second search option enables querying the court calendars by county, court, date, judge or court part. Currently, case information is available for Bronx, Dutchess, Erie, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties.
WebCrims provides information on currently active cases with calendared appearance dates. For historical information, see Criminal History Record Search. 25 March 2002. Search all, or individual, criminal courts in North Carolina for case information. The database provides the name of the defendant, date of birth, court date, case number, citation number, and offense code and description. Search by name only.
I found no information about database coverage. The database appears to include only active cases.
25 March 2002. Search by name or zip code to find drunk driving cases. The database provides the name of the defendant, defendant's address, date of birth, court date, case number, citation number, and offense code and description.
I found no information about database coverage. The database appears to include only active cases. 11 August 2003. The North Carolina Department of Correction offers a database of public information about inmates, probationers or parolees from 1972 to present. Search by partial name or identification number to find full name, identification number, probation/parole status, physical description, photo (available only for inmates currently incarcerated), date of birth, criminal offense and sentencing as well as an incarceration history. The database also provides information about former inmates and those serving time in county jails. 31 January 2005. The North Dakota Office of Attorney General maintains this database containing information about "high risk" offenders and "lifetime registrants." The information provided includes name, registered address and date of verification, date of birth, physical description, dated photograph (some offenders have more than one photograph in the database), brief description of offenses, conviction dates, and disposition. You can search by name, city, zip code or county. 10 May 2007. Revised 15 May 2007. This is a database for finding criminal, traffic and civil district court filings. Search by name, citation number or case number to find the party's full name, date of birth, case number, description of case or offense, date filed/closed, docket entries and more. Searchers will also find the court calendars for all 53 counties.
There is no information about the scope of coverage. However, I did find civil matters from the late 1980s. I also found probate and family matters, such as divorce and child support. 20 February 2003. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction provides a database of information about criminal offenders. The site offers no documentation concerning database coverage, but it appears to include former as well as current inmates. Search by name or offender number to find name, offender number, date of birth, offense category, county and institution where committed, status and, if applicable, release date and conditions, sentencing data, and in some cases, a photo. 17 April 2006. County court records in Oklahoma are made available by the vendor, KellPro, which provides the case management software. Find both criminal and civil records. You may search by a variety of criteria. However, when searching for a specific case, you must enter the relevant county. Information provided includes the names of the parties, the county, date filed, docket entries, fine or judgment amount, disposition, and more. 1 June 2004. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections makes available two databases--one containing information about habitual and aggravated sex offenders and another on current and former inmates. You can search the offender database by a variety of criteria including name, alias, appearance (physical characteristics) and offense. Records provide name, physical description, sentencing information and the facility where the person is incarcerated. 15 February 2002. Find case information and dockets for appellate and district courts served by the Oklahoma Court Information System. The system provides information for civil, criminal, probate, traffic and other types of cases. Also use this system to find information about marriage and drivers licenses, tax liens, workers compensation claims, and more. 9 February 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific Oregon entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 18 August 2003. The Pennsylvania State Police maintain this Web site, which provides criminal history data from the state repository. While anyone may access PATCH, criminal histories may be edited in accordance with state law. Searches incur a small fee per person investigated, and require a full name and date of birth. If the search is finds no records, users receive an immediate report. Reports indicating a criminal past are mailed in about two weeks.
The system offers no information about dates of inclusion, but because the data comes directly from the state repository, it appears to contain whatever the repository currently has on file. In other words, while not foolproof (The individual could have a criminal record in another state.), this is an excellent way to find out whether someone has a criminal history in Pennsylvania. 26 February 2003. Find inmates currently under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. It provides information about where an inmate is housed, the inmate's date of birth, physical description, and other details. Search by name, date of birth, and other criteria. The database does not provide information about the crime or sentencing. 31 January 2005. The Pennsylvania State Police makes available limited information about those convicted of specific sexual offenses. A list of the offenses that require registration appears on the home page. Search by county, city, zip code, name or alias to find name, county and city of current residence (but not the street address), zip code, type of offense, date of conviction, year of birth, and the county and city of the registrant's current employer.
A toll free number for the Megan's Law Unit of the Pennsylvania State Police -- 866-771-3170 -- is provided for reporting inaccuracies. 3 November 2005. Pennsylvania makes available a public docket service, which provides criminal information from county courts in 55 of the state's 67 counties. Once you connect to the site, select E-Services from the top pull-down menus, and then select Public Web Docket Sheets. Searches must include a full or partial last and first name or the name of an organization. Conduct a search of all available courts by entering a name and the docket type, criminal. The information provided includes the docket number, filing date, case caption, county, party name, status. 12 February 2004. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System provides a single search interface to the case information and docket sheets of select courts in the state. First, choose whether you want to search select Courts of Common Pleas or appellate courts (Supreme, Superior, Commonwealth). Search by docket number or court and at least one of a variety of other criteria. Results appear in a small table at the bottom of the page. You click the "select" link next to the docket number in the results table to display the docket sheet. It loads in a separate window. Make sure you turn off any pop-up blockers. 15 April 2002. Search by name (full, partial, or phonetic) to find felonies, misdemeanors, traffic and other violations. Results include defendant name, aliases, criminal identification number, charges, date of birth, arresting agency, plea, disposition date, sentencing, judge, and more. The site offers no information about database years of coverage. 7 September 2004. Revised 9 May 2008. The Alaska Department of Public Safety maintains a central registry of sex offenders convicted under AS 12.63.100. The Web site provides no information about dates of coverage. However, The Criminal Records Manual (Facts on Demand Press, 2004) states the database covers convictions since 10 August 1994. Search by name, type of address (registered, place of work, school--address is a school), zip code or city to find name, aliases, date of birth, physical description, picture, employer, registered address and information about convictions. 20 February 2003. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides online access to criminal histories for a fee. Searching SLED incurs a charge, and requires full name, date of birth, and gender. 17 April 2006. The Jewelers' Security Alliance makes available this database for tracking stolen jewelry. Registered users (free) may search for stolen or recovered gems, watches or other jewelry. Search by a variety of criteria, including keyword, brand name, stone type, location or date. The information provided includes the month and year of the theft, theft location, a description of the jewelry, and more. 9 April 2003. The Tennessee Department of Correction provides a database for finding information about the status of felony offenders in Tennessee. Although the site documentation does not say so, it appears to cover past and present offenders. Search by name, TOMIS (Tennessee Offender Management Information System) identification or SID (State IDentification assigned by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation when the offender's fingerprints are verified) number. The database provides name, TOMIS identification number, date of birth, alias, status, location, sentence begin and end dates, and more. The Department plans to provide more detail in the future. 11 January 2006. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation offers a database specifically for finding individuals convicted of Methamphetamine offenses. Search by county or last name to find name, date of birth, summary of the offense and conviction date. Interestingly, the registry behind the database is mandated by law. However, according to site documentation, "TBI will only register persons convicted of a substantive violation of either statute; persons convicted on conspiracy, attempt, and facilitation charges related to the above statutes will not be registered." 21 September 2004. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is the central repository for criminal history information in Tennessee, provides criminal histories for a fee. Please note: It does not provide public access to the database. Rather, you can fax the online application requesting that the Bureau perform the search. Information required includes full name, race, sex and date of birth. The results will be mailed. 9 April 2003. Search the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's registry of "persons who have been placed on probation or parole in another state but who are residing in Tennessee." The database allows name searching only. It returns name, state of parole, offense, supervision status, and occasionally, a photograph. 24 April 2002. The Texas Department of Public Safety offers two fee-based databases for obtaining criminal information. Search the Conviction Records Database by individual full name to find summary records containing name, known aliases, date of birth, known alias dates of birth, physical characteristics, arrest record, and a unique criminal identification number. Expanding the arrest record provides some information about the charges, sentencing, arresting agency and agency receiving custody of the individual.
Scant documentation about the database appears at the site. It appears to contain felonies and misdemeanors, but no information exists about dates of coverage.
The Sex Offender Database permits searching by full name or zip code. It provides sex offender name, known aliases, physical description, photo (juvenile records appear not to provide photos), date of birth, address, and offense data, including time served and current status. 15 March 2004. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains this official source of sex offender registration information. Search by first and last name (partial entries okay), city and zip code or zip code to find name, aliases, date of birth, physical description, current address on file, information about the offense and more. An interesting feature of this database indicates whether the date of birth in the record is an actual one. (Red ink indicates false date of birth.) Click Map on the left-side navigation menu to find an interactive map that lets you locate sex offenders living near a particular address. 25 September 2007. The Salt Lake Tribune and its advertising management company, MediaOne, offer several public records databases containing information about Utah residents or companies. Find criminal court charges - felonies, some misdemeanor DUIs, and other misdemeanors and infractions - for approximately 1997 to 2007. The actual date of coverage depends on the jurisdiction where the case was filed. Search by name only. Note: A name match alone - without independent confirmation of other identifying data (date of birth, Social Security number) - does not constitute positive identification. 25 September 2007. The Salt Lake Tribune and its advertising management company, MediaOne, offer several public records databases containing information about Utah residents or companies. Find criminal court charges - felonies, some misdemeanor DUIs, and other misdemeanors and infractions - for approximately 1997 to 2007. The actual date of coverage depends on the jurisdiction where the case was filed. Search by name only. Note: A name match alone - without independent confirmation of other identifying data (date of birth, Social Security number) - does not constitute positive identification.
Other databases available include Utah public salaries (salaries of public officials at all levels of Utah government, including cities, counties, state government, school districts and other agencies), Utah sex offenders (replication of the Utah Department of Correction's official Utah Sex Offender Registry with a mapping feature added), political contributions (Federal Election Commission records on Utah candidates and contributors for the current election cycle), divorces (divorce decree records from Utah courts), and more. 9 February 2004. A service of Appriss Inc., VINELink provides access to information about the custody status of offenders in many states. First, select the state you want to search. Then choose whether you want to query Department of Corrections records, conduct a statewide search, or query the records of a specific county entity. You can search by SSN or name, and limit a search (optional) by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 5 November 2002. Revised 17 April 2008. Civil and criminal courts in Virginia provide access to case information via this gateway. You may search only one jurisdiction at a time, and date coverage may vary. You will find matters relating misdemeanors, felonies, civil litigation, divorce, traffic, etc. Those conducting due diligence or criminal investigations should note that these databases do not contain criminal histories nor substitute for a manual search of court indexes. The terms of use specifically state that information in these databases does not constitute the official record.
Please note: Javascript must be enabled at this site. 26 February 2003. Washington provides official online access to criminal histories for a fee. Establish an account or provide your credit card information to purchase a criminal history online. The database contains "conviction information, arrests less than one year old with dispositions pending, dependency proceedings, and information regarding registered sex and kidnap offenders." Searching requires name and date of birth. 25 May 2005. Revised 20 March 2008. This site provides several search options for finding litigation in Washington trial and appellate courts from 1975 to present. While you may search by person or business name or by case number, you must search each court, as well as each year, separately.
Types of cases available include traffic violations, misdemeanors, domestic disputes, civil, criminal, including juvenile offenders, and probate. You will not find disputes concerning adoption, paternity, juvenile dependency or mental illness.
Initial results for criminal searches provide the case number, filing date, defendant's name, and occasionally, a broadly described cause of action (misdemeanor, felony). Initial results for civil cases provide the case number, filing date, party's name and cause of action. If the case is active, you may retrieve the docket sheet.
Washington Courts has a fee-based service called JIS-Link which offers more search and reporting features.
28 February 2006. A commercial service by Northwest Location Services, Inc. of Wauna, Washington, this database provides fee-based access to civil and criminal court records. It covers Superior (appellate) courts in 39 counties and District (lower) and Municipal courts in many counties. The site documents the jurisdictions covered as well as the availability of historical data. There is no coverage of small claims or civil cases -- excepting domestic violence protection orders -- in the lower courts. Queries may find information on felonies, misdemeanors, upper-level civil cases, divorce proceedings, probate matters, traffic violations and juvenile matters. 9 May 2007. Crime victims service site, VINELINK, provides access to offender information for Washington state. (Be sure to check the "disabled agencies" link for a list of jails not covered by this database.) The statewide search option excludes King and Pierce county jails. There are separate options for searching each of these jails. Search by name or offender identification number to find full name, date of birth, custody status, housing facility, and more. VINELINK further offers a victim notification service. 15 March 2004. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) offers a database of information about Level II and III (moderate and high risk) registered sex offenders. You can search by a variety of criteria, including name, street address, county and type of conviction. Information provided includes an interactive map with neighborhood indicated, incomplete street address (up to two characters removed from house number), address verification, name, physical description, type of offender, picture and a description of the conviction. Note that the database contains no information about Level 1 (low-risk) offenders. 9 February 2004. Intended to provide information about an offender's custody status, VINELink enables searching the records of specific West Virginia entities. Select the facility (Department of Corrections, specific county, statewide) you want to search and then enter a name or social security number. You can also limit a query by date of birth or age range. The information provided includes the name of the offender, his/her date of birth, custody status, holding facility and more. Victims may opt to register their names for notification when the individual's status changes. 15 February 2002. This site provides access to criminal, traffic, forfeiture, family and civil case information and judgments in circuit courts for most (but not all) Wisconsin counties. 18 August 2003. Wisconsin's Crime Information Bureau manages and disseminates information from the state's Criminal History Repository. The repository contains arrest and conviction information dating back to 1971. The public may access the online system and conduct searches for a small fee per individual investigated. The system requires a name and date of birth. While not foolproof (The individual could have a criminal record in another state.), this is an excellent way to find out whether someone has a criminal history in Wisconsin. |
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