Knowing how to look up court records online is easier and less time consuming than physically going in person and looking up the documents manually. If you intend to search manually for records in a different state, the search will require time, money and transportation..
Before You Start
In order to make your internet search connection, you will need to gather the following information. If you cannot find the information you n eed, just collect whatever is available. You will need:
Where to Begin
If you know a few states you want to search, this will make the process much quicker. Knowing the city will help you zip through your research even faster. Most state web pages follow the format www.ca.gov (California), www.wa.gov (Washington), etc. Basically, enter the two letter abbreviation followed by .gov. Look for a tab that says ‘departments’ or ‘governments’ or words to effect. Once the page has loaded there a city or state government page will appear. Occasionally, you will be offered a separate link to the pertinent courthouse. Continue to navigate until you reach the court’s homepage. There should be a link to trial court cases, and that is where you want to get information.. From there, you can look up anything from small claims cases, to divorces to parking tickets.
Double Checking Your Information
If you are only searching by a name, you really need to check your accuracy. Looking up someone with the name “John Smith’ will offer many results. To be safe, you should try to compare other details such as date of birth or social security number. You should always read the court details to see if the information matches the person you are researching.
Call The Court if Needed
Whenever in doubt, or if you need specific questions answered, call the clerk of the court in the search area. Have the name in question on hand or the court case number that you wish to investigate.
