Guide to Finding a Court Record

All courts are required to keep records regarding court proceedings that occur within their courthouses. Every court maintains separate court records. As a result, locating a desired court record can be slightly challenging. Federal court records, State court records, and county court records are each maintained separately. Today, advances in technology and the presence of computer-based electronic databases has made maintaining and locating court records much easier for the Government and the public. Now, an individual is able to search through court records from the comfort of his/her home by clicking a few buttons. Prior to the use of computers for the collection and organization of court records, court records were kept in paper files. In the event that one of these files was needed, the court clerk would need to sift through the files until he/she located the required court record. There are a number of online databases that an individual can use to locate court records. He/she may be required to pay a small fee if he/she is using an online database to access these records. Not all court records are public. For instance, an individual will not be permitted to view personal information about an individual who is involved in a court proceeding. Details such as an individual's address, telephone number, financial information, and medical information are kept confidential. However, an individual will be able to access details about a case, such as the associated docket, the complaint, and the sentencing. If an individual is not sure how to proceed with his/her court record search, some basic research may be helpful, or he/she can contact the court clerk and his/her local municipal court.