Public Records Free Directory Blog

Identity theft could happen to any one of us at any time.  According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), about 9 million Americans become victims of identity theft every year.   Identity theft is when someone steals your personal information and uses this information to commit further crimes.  The type of personal information typically stolen includes social security numbers and credit card numbers.  These thieves may use your stolen identity to write bad checks under your name, take out loans, apply for credit cards, get government benefits, or even get a job.

Identity theft is such a serious crime because it can damage your reputation, finances, and credit history.  In fact, it was found that some of the terrorists who attacked the U.S. on 9/11 had actually opened bank accounts and rented apartments using stolen identities.

Retrieving your social security number is usually the key ingredient for thieves to perpetrate their crimes. We are often required to provide our social security numbers to financial institutions or government agencies for various services.  Employers may also request social security numbers for their records.  In many cases, social security number can be found on public records such as land records or records from court cases.  As such, while the federal and local governments have been working hard to create easy access to public records, they have also had to work on protecting social security numbers.

In 2001, the federal courts banned social security numbers from appearing on documents that would become public records.  Furthermore, many states, including Maryland and Virginia, have enacted their own laws that prohibit certain personal information from being placed on documents filed with their courts or government agencies. However, one problem with these new laws is that they may only apply to documents filed after a certain date.  Thus, any documents filed before the law was enacted could still reveal social security numbers.  As such, many states have taken an additional step to redact social security numbers from their records.  It can be a costly procedure for the government to go through records and redact information, but it is a price worth pay for.  In 2006 the Macomb County in Michigan spent over $400,000 to redact social security numbers from 4.8 million property records.   This week, another Michigan County, Oakland County, announced that it would be redacting social security numbers from all photocopies of public documents.  In 2007, California passed a bill that required agencies to redact social security numbers from documents before making them available to view by the public.  Even in states that do not have laws mandating redaction, there options for citizens to request that their social security numbers be redacted from public records.  For example, in Arizona, the Arizona Revised Statute § 11-461, allows people to request that their number be redacted from records that are available on the Internet.  In cases such as these, it is recommended that you perform records searches under your name to determine whether you social security number appears in records relating to you.

If you are concerned about the availability of your social security number to the public, visit the Free Public Records Directory to access public record search resources.  This website provides access to dozens of public record types, including land records, business records, and vital records.

In today’s information age, we place a high value on the ability to access information.  For this privilege, we can largely thank the Freedom of Information Act.  This Act mandates that certain types of information and records be reasonably accessible. This allows us to check on the happenings of not only ourselves, but also of our government leaders, employers, business owners, and even neighbors.  Among the records viewable are driving records.

A driving record includes the driving history of the person named on the record.  This includes any speeding tickets, DUIs, or other moving violations.  Viewing a person’s driving history could be very useful information.  For example, if you are a parent and have hired a babysitter or nanny to watch your children, you may be curious to check their driving record before placing your kids in a car with them.  Or, if you are a business owner who will be using a delivery person, knowing that person’s driving history before, or after you hire them could be important.

Even if you do not need to know the driving record of someone else, it is never a bad idea to check what type of information about you is available for others to see.  Your driving history could be monitored by future employers or insurance companies, so it may be useful to know what is on your own record.

Driving records may be separated into two categories: records with personal information, and records without personal information.  Records without personal information simply contain information related to a persons driving history, such as traffic tickets.  In most states, any party requesting the information can access these records.  To request the record, you may need to know the driver license number and full name of the person whose name is on the record.

However, records with personal information not only include the driving history, but also generally contain information including full name, address, date of birth, height, weight, eye color driver’s license number, medical and/or disability information, a photograph, and even social security number.   Due to the detailed, sensitive, and personal nature of this information, the person named on the record may generally only access these records.  The Federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act actually prohibits the release of such information to anyone other than the record holder except under certain situations, or exemptions. If a person or business is exempt under a law called the Federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act, then they have the right to access driving records that contain personal information.  Exemptions include government agencies or records requests for use during a legal proceeding.  Personal information records may also be accessed by a person or business who has been given express consent by the person named on the record.  Express consent usually will require some sort of signed documentation.

If you are interested in viewing your driving records, or those of another person, you will need to search within the state where the person holds their license.  To find online search resources or other ways to find driving records, you can use the search tools at the Free Public Records Directory.  This site provides a directory of public records by state, so you can find exactly where to find these records in each state.

Where did you get those long legs, that big nose, or that insatiable desire to conquer the world?  Often the key to finding those answers lies with our ancestors. As the old saying suggests - you need to know where you came from to know where you’re going – knowing our roots can help us understand ourselves and even prepare for the future.

One of the best ways to find information about your ancestors is through genealogy research. Genealogy research is way to learn about your ancestors and the history of your family by researching certain types of records.  Many records that will help with genealogy research are public records, and therefore accessible by anyone.

One of the first places you might consider would be searching for vital records.  These include birth, death, and marriage records.  Often, there is a state vital records office that maintains these records.  However, many state vital records office only provide vital records up to a certain point.  Typically, it can be difficult to locate vital records prior to 1900 at the state level.  It wasn’t until the twentieth century that state offices were required to manage vital records.  As such, many records prior to the twentieth century were filed through local offices, such as the county clerk.

Another public records resource is the county recorder’s office.  A recorder is generally responsible for deeds and other land related documents and/or contracts.  Search for deeds in your ancestors’ name could disclose useful information about where they lived and other types of contact information.  Furthermore, finding out whom your ancestor deeded property to, or whom they were deeded property by after a death could also lead to further clues.  Recorder records may show the transfer of deeded property to an heir.  This type of information can also generally be found with either a local probate court, or general civil court that handles probate matters such as wills and estates.  Even where an ancestor has not left a will (dying intestate) often, a probate court will name the heirs of the state, even in the absence of a will.

In addition to vital records, recorded deeds, and wills, other public records that could help with your genealogy research can include business records and even inmate records.  If you are performing genealogy research knowing the locations of these types of documents could shave a lot of time off of your research.  The Free Public Records directory actually provides a list of links by state and even county of where you can almost every public record available.