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All you Need to Know About Public Records

Did you know that people have kept birth, death, and marriage records since the Middle Ages? Public records provide you with relevant data, whether you're looking for information on a new friend or searching for a safer neighborhood.

Many people believe that public record searches can provide access to only criminal records. But you will be amazed to see how much information about a person is available at the click of a button.

What Are Public Records?

As implied by the name, the public records can be inspected by any member of the public. These records contain information collected by government organizations and agencies. Public records are maintained in compliance with laws, including the Federal Records Act, 1950 (as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act. Sometimes public agencies hire contractors to create records, which also come under the umbrella of public records.

A public record search can provide you access to sensitive information such as court files. Other information can only be obtained by making a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

You can get all this information in two ways. One is to visit the concerned county court, and the other is to conduct an online search on a people search service such as Unmask. Obviously, it's simpler to just click a button and get access to phone numbers, email addresses, social media, criminal records, financial information, and much more.

Moreover, some of the records can be difficult to track down in a timely manner. For instance, if you're looking forward to doing a background check, then visiting the concerned county court can take longer. But, if you use people's search sites for this purpose, they can provide the relevant information much quicker.

The different types of public records

You can access many types of public records for free from different levels of government, including federal, state, county, and city.

  • Census Data

    These records help gather census data and include birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Birth and death records are also crucial in identifying residents in case of misrepresentation.

    These documents are also helpful if you want to investigate your family history. There have been examples where someone has been able to track down long-lost relatives with the help of these records. Many states have electronic access to all these documents.

  • Court and Criminal Records

    The public can access court proceedings in most instances, except for certain high-profile cases. Once a case is closed, you can access the docket that summarizes the case proceedings. However, there are restrictions on the entire proceedings of the court. You can get general information such as the dates of the case, parties involved, and the case verdicts in some cases.

    These records are especially helpful for companies that conduct a criminal background check to ensure that the person they are hiring doesn't have a criminal history.

  • Property Records

    These records are related to public lands, buildings, and establishments. The information related to the sale of private properties is not a part of public records. But if you want to see a real estate appraisal on a particular property, then this record is available.

    Generally, this type of information has limited online availability. You may need to visit your county or city assessors who can access such records.

  • Bankruptcy Records

    In many states, bankruptcy records can be accessed by the general public. The US Bankruptcy Court, a part of the federal court system, processes these cases. Any member of the public can access bankruptcy records either online or by visiting the courthouse.

  • General Safety

    As implied by the name, these records are meant to ensure the safety of the citizens. For instance, if you plan to move to a new location, you can access the Sex Offenders Registry. All 50 US states, plus the District of Columbia, have a sex offender registry open to the public.

    Other general safety records include consumer safety reports and information about recalls of certain products. The consumer safety information aims to protect citizens from the risk of injury or death by using consumer products. The products include the ones that can cause fire or an electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The list of products also includes items that can cause injury to children.

    It's also important to note that public record exemptions vary from one state to another. So, even if the document is listed as a public record, it can be difficult or impossible to access.

How to search public records on Unmask?

Unmask enables you to find information regarding just about anyone. All you need to do is provide some details about the concerned person. We skim through massive loads of data to give you what you need.

Here is the simple and easy way to search for someone on Unmask:

Searching by First and Last Name: So, you want to track your schoolmate with whom you have been out of touch for years? Although you might not know where they live now, it's easy to recall their first and last name. You can input this information to find relevant information about the person.

At Unmask, we provide background information checks to provide contact information, criminal records, financial information of a person and so much more. You can also access the most popular first and last names according to specific dates.

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