Criminal Record Search Tips | Check Criminal Record

Is It Legal to Check Someone’s Criminal Record Without Permission?

Maybe you’re hiring someone or renting an apartment. Maybe you’re curious about a neighbor or coworker. Whatever the situation may be, you want to check someone’s criminal record, and you’re concerned about whether or not you need permission.

Is it legal to check someone’s criminal record without permission? Do you need to request someone’s permission before running a criminal record check?

In some cases, you need to ask permission before checking a criminal record. In other cases, you do not need to request any type of permission.

Confused? We’ll explain how it works below.

You Must Request Permission in Professional Settings

If you’re running a background check in a professional setting, then you may need to request permission.

Employers must request permission before running a background check on a prospective employee, for example. You cannot screen a job candidate without first getting permission from that candidate.

The same rule applies to landlords checking a tenant’s background or criminal history. If you are renting your place to someone, then this is considered a professional setting. You must request the prospective tenant’s permission before running a background check.

You may also require permission in other settings.

Are you using the background check to make an important decision about the person’s future? If so, then you may need to request permission.

If you need to request permission, then you must also comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA requires background check services to abide by specific regulations and requirements. You must use an FCRA-compliant background check service when running a background check in professional settings.

The FCRA also requires you to inform the candidate about the results of the background check in certain situations. If you run a background check on someone, for example, and it reveals information that prevents you from hiring that person, then you may need to inform the candidate of the specific item that prevented the hiring.

Employers and landlords who fail to follow the FCRA may expose themselves to liability. An employer who fails to follow the FCRA then rejects a qualified candidate, for example, could be sued by that candidate.

Permission is Not Required in Personal Settings

If you’re running a background check in a personal setting, then you may not need permission. You can check someone’s background without their permission or knowledge.

If you want to check a co-worker’s divorce certificate, for example, then you may be able to do so without the co-worker’s permission or knowledge. If you’re curious about a neighbor’s criminal record and want to learn more, then you should be able to run a check without the neighbor’s permission.

Similarly, it’s legal to run a background check on a date. If you just met someone and want to learn more before continuing with a second date, for example, then you can run a background check. Dating is a personal reason, and you should be able to legally run a background check without permission.

Personal settings where permission is not required can include:

Background Checks for Personal Relationships or Dating: If you meet someone on Tinder and want to learn more, then you can run a background check on that person. Many people do this to verify someone’s identity, for example, and make sure they are who they claim to be.

Babysitting, Coaching, and Other Casual Jobs: You may not need to run a background check before hiring a babysitter. Running a background check on a babysitter can reveal crucial information about someone who is going to be around your children, and it’s a good idea to run a background check in this situation.

Curiosity or Snooping: Is your boss really divorced? Is your friend’s wife really 35 years old? Did that neighbor really commit a felony? Some people call it curiosity. Others call it snooping. In most cases, you can freely snoop on someone without requesting that person’s permission.

Checking your Own Background: It’s legal to check your own background. In fact, thousands of Americans do this every day. Checking your own background can reveal errors on your history. It could also help explain why you keep getting rejected by landlords or employers. Many people are surprised to discover what appears on a background check.

Generally, if you’re not using background check information to decide someone’s future, then you do not need someone’s permission to run a background check.

Can Someone Tell You Checked Their Background?

If you’re concerned about checking someone’s record without their permission, then you may also be concerned about whether or not they can tell you ran a background check.

If you run a background check on someone, does that person receive a notification of any sort? Can someone tell that you checked their criminal record or pulled certain database files?

With most background check services, the person will not receive any notification that you ran a background check, and there’s no way for someone to tell you ran a background check. Your search should be completely private and anonymous.

Rest assured, snoopers: if running a background check for personal reasons, you should be able to run the check anonymously and without permission.

Final Word

In many cases, it’s legal to check someone’s criminal record without their permission. In other cases, it’s legal to check someone’s criminal record – but you need to ask their permission and use an accredited service.

Run a criminal record check on someone today in just a few minutes online. Enter a first name, last name, and location to start your background check.

How to Check County Court Records to Discover Surprising Information About Someone

County court records can reveal surprising information about someone. Background check websites might check federal and state databases, but they may not check county records.

County courthouses contain plenty of background information. If you were arrested in that county, for example, then you might have a record in that county – even if your record in your home county seems clean.

County records can also contain marriage and divorce certificates, speeding tickets, parking tickets, dropped charges, and more.

Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about county courthouses, including how to request county court information, how much it costs, and what you’ll learn.

Some States Have State Databases, While Others Have County Databases

Why do you need to check county databases? Isn’t this information held in federal or state databases?

Some states collect all statewide information into one convenient database. You can request information at a state level about any individual within that state.

Other states, however, separate it by county. You must request individual records by county. You cannot perform a statewide search. You must search records county-by-county. Or, if you know the county where someone lived or was convicted, then you can narrow your search to that county.

County or state databases may include the following information:

Civil and family case information
Traffic case information
Criminal case information

Case Information May Not Be Available Online

You may think Google gives you all the information you need about someone, but that’s not the case. Instead, most states and counties do not openly publish case information online. You need to request information specific to each case or individual.

This information is stored in private databases. It’s available upon request, but it’s not openly available for anyone to access via the internet.

How to Request Information from County Courthouses

Each county courthouse has a specific information request process. This process varies between courthouses, although there are certain similarities at most major courthouses in the United States.

Things to know before requesting information from a county courthouse:

Some county courthouses publish certain information online for free. A county courthouse might not publish criminal convictions online, for example, but they might publish traffic and local ordinance cases or family case information online.
Many county courthouses require you to visit the courthouse in-person – or request information by mail.
You should be able to request to view information online (via a database portal or platform) or have it delivered via other means. Some courthouses still use CDs to share data, for example, while others print paper copies of information you request.
If requesting information about a specific case, you may need to provide the case number, case name, and the title of the documents requested.

How Much Does It Cost?

County courthouse pricing varies. Typically, you pay a nominal fee to access county records.

Fees vary depending on the medium you are requesting. You may need to pay $0.50 per page, for example, or $5 per CD.

Expect to pay a higher fee for each certified document. A certified document contains information verified by the courthouse. You may have to pay a $40 certification fee for a certified document, for example, plus $0.50 for each page within the document.

Most courthouses also charge for more detailed searches. If your search lasts longer than 10 minutes, for example, then you might have to pay a $15 fee.

How to Request State Court Information

County courthouses can reveal crucial information about someone. However, you may want to start your search at the state level before narrowing it by county.

State courthouses have different rules and requirements. Certain state court information is public record, while other information is private. Some information is openly available online, while other information is only available by request.

Typically, the opinions of the state’s Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal are public record, whether published or unpublished.

You may also be able to search case information via an online form.

The California state court system, for example, allows you to search case information online through courts.ca.gov. You can search the system for an opinion, for example, or other information in a specific case.

Use a Background Check Service to Simplify County Court Record Searches

County court record searches can be complicated. Rules and fees vary between courts.

Instead of individually requesting information from each state and county, consider investing in an online background check. A good online background check costs money – but it can reveal specific information about someone.

Just enter someone’s name into an online form, then let the site do the hard work for you. Instead of individually requesting info from each court – and paying each fee – you can pay one fee and let the professionals do the hard work.

Top 13 FAQs About Criminal Record Checks

Checking a criminal record can be confusing. Each state has different rules. Certain information can appear on one background check – but not others.

We get a lot of questions about criminal record checks. Today, we’re highlighting some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about criminal record checks and background searches.

Q: How far back does a background check go?

A: Most background check companies allow employers to customize the date range and choose how far back they want to go. Additionally, some states have rules regarding background checks. In some states, employers are allowed to check decades of criminal history to verify a record, for example. In other states, employers can only check seven years of criminal history. If an employer is running a background check on you, your employer should tell you how far the background check goes.

Q: Will I pass a background check with a misdemeanor?

A: Again, rules vary by state, case, and background check. Some employers run a thorough background check that reveals everything from speeding tickets to parking tickets. Other background checks only report major offenses. Generally, any incidents within the past seven years will appear on a background check. However, minor incidents are typically reported in minor courts, and background check services may not check smaller court databases for infractions.

Q: How do background check companies run a criminal history search?

A: Background check companies use local, county, state, and federal databases to verify someone’s history. Depending on where the person lived, and where the person has committed crimes, information about that person may be stored across the country. A background check website takes someone’s name, then checks millions of records for any entries involving that person.

Q: What else will appear on a background check?

A: Most people associate background checks with a criminal record. However, background checks can reveal plenty of other information about someone, including a date of birth, aliases, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, and more. Even if someone has no criminal record, a background check can reveal surprising information about that person.

Q: I was convicted of an offense a long time ago. Will it still show up on a background check?

A: It depends. Some states prevent employers from checking an offense that’s more than seven years old for an employment screening. Other states have no rules preventing someone from checking your entire criminal history.

Q: I have a criminal record. Can I still get a job?

A: Yes! Many states give employers incentive to hire people with a criminal record. Having a criminal record does not prevent you from getting a job. In fact, many states now have ‘ban the box’ laws that prevent employers from asking about your criminal record until the later stages of the interview process. That makes it easier for people with criminal records to compete against other qualified candidates.

Q: Do pending charges appear on a background check?

A: Pending charges could appear on a background check, or they could not. It depends on the background check service, the type of pending charges, and the jurisdiction in which those charges were recorded.

Q: What does my employer learn on a background check?

A: An employer background check can verify your educational background and professional background. Most employers also check your criminal background back 7 years. However, background checks vary between employers and states.

Q: Why do I have to pay for a background check?

A: You have to pay for a background check because it’s a professional service. Most background check companies provide a professional service, and they provide that service for a fee. In many cases, background check companies have to pay to access information. They might pay a fee to access certain data, for example, or a court fee for specific jurisdictions.

Q: Do any free background check tools exist?

A: There are plenty of free background check tools. You can use Facebook or Instagram to run a free background check, for example. Most formal background checks, however, including criminal record checks, come with a fee. Some background check companies provide basic information – like a name, date of birth, and aliases – for free, then charge a small fee for detailed background information like a criminal record.

Q: Is it legal to run a background check on someone?

A: Generally, it’s legal to run a background check on someone for personal reasons. However, if you are checking someone’s background for reasons that affect their future, then you may need to get the person’s permission and use an accredited background check service.

If running a background check on someone for employment reasons, for example, then you must use a background check provider that is compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You must abide by similar requirements when running a background check for a property rental – say, if checking a potential tenant.

Q: Can someone notice I checked their background?

A: Most background check services are anonymous, and nobody can tell that you ran a background check. If running a background for employment purposes or similar reasons, however, then you may need to request the person’s permission to run a background check. As long as you’re running a background check for personal reasons (say, because you’re curious about a coworker), you should be able to check someone’s background with no permission required.

Q: Can I delete information on my background check?

A: It may be possible to remove certain information from your background check. In most cases, however, this information is on your background report forever. Some companies may claim to remove information from your record in exchange for a fee, although this may or may not be possible. Contact a lawyer to ask about removing criminal records from your background.

Curious about checking a criminal record? Use our online form to discover surprising information about anyone in your life.

5 Free Ways to Check Someone’s Background Online in Seconds

Running a free background record check on someone may be easier than you think. Today, there are several online resources you can use to find arrest records, divorce certificates, birth certificates, and more.

Some people use these resources to lookup their own criminal record. Others use it to check the criminal record of a neighbor, coworker, boss, teacher or someone else. You can even use these resources to check a celebrity’s criminal record.

Today, we’re highlighting some of the best online resources you can use to check someone’s criminal record online.

Criminal Record Check Websites

There are plenty of criminal record check websites out there. Check Criminal Record is popular, and all it requires is a first name, last name, and state to get started.

Most other criminal record check websites work in a similar way: you enter the person’s name and location, and the website does the rest of the work.

Sometimes, criminal records are split across multiple states. Somebody might have lived in one state, committed a crime, and then moved to another state. That’s why these free criminal record check websites are useful. You can enter the same name for multiple states and get instant feedback for each state.

Sometimes, the criminal record check website will charge a fee. There’s a good reason for that fee: some courts charge a fee to access records, and this fee gets passed onto you, the user.

The advantage of using a criminal record check website is that the site combs through an extensive range of databases at once. Instead of forcing you to manually check each database and each county courthouse, you can run one scan to unveil countless records.

The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW.gov)

The United States Department of Justice runs the National Sex Offender Public Website. The website makes it easy to search for sex offenders in your neighborhood. You can also verify that a coach, teacher, friend, date, or partner has a clean record.

Using NSOPW.gov, you can:

Search by name (using a first name and last name)
Search by location (using an address, city/town, and state)
Search by radius (within 1, 2, or 3 miles of a given address)

The NSOPW even has a map you can use to scroll around the neighborhood. You may be surprised at the number of people living around you that are in the sex offender database.

Some people use the NSOPW website for general curiosity. They’re checking a new neighborhood before moving in, for example.

Others use it to search specific individuals. However, you want to use the website, however, the NSOPW is one of the best free ways to check someone’s background online.

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC)
If you don’t want to pay a professional criminal record check service, then we recommend visiting the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) official website.

Many state courts across America allow you to access court records online. It’s easy and free to lookup someone’s history with a specific court. If you know someone was charged with a crime in a specific state, or if you know someone lives in a specific state, then you can narrow your search to the state level and find any criminal records or arrest records.

PeekYou

Sure, you could scroll through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media until you find the people you want. Or, you could use a single search service like PeekYou. The website is free-to-use and offers a searchable collection of a person’s social media profiles.

Just enter a first name, last name, and location to get started.
You can also search someone based on their username.

Within seconds, PeekYou will crawl the internet for all public information about someone. With just a username, you can find someone’s location, for example, other known aliases, and any other information the person has shared online.

PeekYou isn’t always accurate, and you can tend to get multiple search results for each person. However, it’s great at providing at-a-glance information about anyone.

County Court Registrar Databases

Want to find out if a coworker is really married? Want to find out if your boss just got a divorce? Want to check someone’s birth certificate to see if they’re the age they claim to be?

Many are surprised to find that most marriage certificates are public, which means that anyone can access them freely and legally – if they know where to look. County court registrar databases hold this information for millions of Americans across the country.

The problem with county court registrar databases is that you may need to look at the county level. If you know the county in which a person got married, then that shouldn’t be an issue.

If you want to look up marriage records in Los Angeles County, for example, then you can submit an online request through the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Most counties have similar online request systems.

Alternatively, VitalChek (a LexisNexis company) collects birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, divorce records, and other public records in one convenient location here, although you need to pay to access these records.

Is Checking Someone’s Criminal Record Online Legal?

Checking someone’s criminal record online is legal for some purposes but not others.

Generally, if you’re checking someone’s criminal record out of curiosity and not making a major decision about the person with that information, then it’s legal to check without permission.

However, if you are a landlord verifying a tenant or an employer checking an employee, then you need to meet additional standards. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have to use a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), which maintains certain standards for data protection and offers dispute resolution. Many of the free online criminal record check websites listed above are not Consumer Reporting Agencies.

For most casual purposes, however, it’s free and legal to check someone’s background online.

Final Words About Online Record Checks

Use the resources above to verify background information today. Many people are surprised to discover how much information is out there.

Take advantage of these free record check resources above and discover real background information about the people around you.

8 Lowkey Ways to Snoop on Someone Online

Snooping. We all do it.

Today, it’s easier than ever to snoop on people. There’s a stupid amount of information available online – if you know where to look.

Keep reading to discover the top ten best ways to search for information about anyone on the internet.

Use Facebook’s Search Function for Surprisingly Detailed Results

We’ll start with an obvious one: Facebook’s search function is a lot more powerful than many people realize.

Did you meet a friend of a friend at a party? Want to know his name? Click on your friend’s profile, click on their ‘Friends’, then enter the person’s name into the list. With just a first name, you should be able to find exactly who you were talking to.

Or, if you wandered into an event or group and want to learn more about someone you met, then look up that group on Facebook. There’s a chance the event had a Facebook listing. Scan the list of attendees and find the person you’re looking for.

The basic Facebook people search feature is also more powerful than many people realize. You can search for posts, people, photos, videos, pages, groups, and events by:

Tagged Location
Date Posted
Friends, Mutual Friends, Public, or Anyone

Want to learn more about David? Want to see photos of David from 2009? Here’s how quickly you can narrow down search results using Facebook’s basic filters.

These are basic tips you can use to find information about virtually anyone through Facebook – unless they have a locked account.

Snoop on Someone’s Instagram Even If They Have a Private Profile

Did you meet someone in the bar last night that you liked? Did you forget his name? Check Instagram.

Instagram’s location-based tracking tool makes it easy to instantly see anyone who publicly uploaded a photo from a specific location at a specific time.

Search for the name of the bar or club on Instagram, and there may be a specific location filter for that spot. Tap on it, then tap the ‘Recent’ tab. You’ll see all photos tagged in that spot in descending chronological order.

You can also tap the location’s profile photo to view stories posted from that location. Stories disappear after 24 hours, but it’s possible you’ll find the specific person you’re looking for – or a friend of the person you’re looking for.

Alternatively, type your city into the Instagram search bar to see stories posted from your city over the last 24 hours. Tap your city’s location profile (the round circle with the pin inside it) to view certain stories posted over the last 24 hours.

These tips work best if the person you’re searching for has a public profile.

What about if the person has a private profile? In this case, you can still use the tips listed above and look for photos of that person shared by friends with public profiles. These friends may have tagged the person by their Instagram handle, for example, making it easy to find the person’s profile.

Google Someone’s Online Username

If someone uses a specific handle on Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, or wherever, then they may use that handle elsewhere.

Instead of simply Googling someone’s name, try Googling their handle. You might find an entire part of their life that they have attempted to keep separate from their “public” profile.

Enter Someone’s Username Into Facebook

Some people have attached their usernames to their Facebook profile.

Try this: type facebook.com/YourUsername

Replace ‘YourUsername’ with the username – or suspected username – of the person you’re trying to track.

Depending on privacy settings, you might instantly view someone’s Facebook profile. If you only have a username and want to learn more about someone, then this is a great place to start.

Enter Usernames Into Login Forms and Click “Forgot Password” to Find an Email Address

Do you have a username for someone and want to learn their email address? Try the “forgot password” trick.

Enter someone’s username into a login form – say, on Facebook, Instagram, or Gmail – then click “forgot password”. You may be taken to a page that lists the person’s email address.

Sometimes, websites will try to hide the email address, saying something like, “is this your email address? s****@g****.com. This can still help you narrow down email search results. It’s also particularly useful if someone is using a work email instead of common provider like Gmail. If you know someone previously worked at CNN, for example, then the recovery email might pop up as s*****@c**.com

This tip may also work in reverse: enter someone’s email address to get information about the person’s username.

Taking Advantage of the “Suggested Follow” Function on Locked Twitter Accounts

The “suggested follow” function on Twitter has revealed many celebrity burner accounts. The trick goes like this:

Follow a locked account you suspect to be a celebrity burner account (or anyone you want to learn more about)
Wait for the “you may also like to follow” or “suggested” box to pop up
See if you can identify any trends and clues from the people in the box

If you follow a suspected celebrity burner account, for example, and you get recommendations to follow that celebrity’s family’s public Twitter accounts, then it’s possible you stumbled upon a genuine burner account.

Slate used this strategy to identify Mitt Romney’s “Pierre Delecto” burner account. The account followed a bunch of political commentators – and also a suspicious number of Romney’s family members.
The “suggested follow” tip works best for locked or private accounts accounts, because with locked accounts, you can’t see who they follow or what they have tweeted. With unlocked Twitter accounts, you can simply check their followers and tweets for clues.

Run a Public Records Search

Public records are called public records for a reason: they’re accessible to the public. The specific items that are part of the public record vary between jurisdictions. Some of the items that could appear on a public records search include:

Aliases
Previous addresses
Current addresses
Birth and death certificates
Marriage and divorce certificates
Voting records
And more

Much of this information is accessible to ordinary people like you and me. Visit a website like Check Criminal Record to quickly run a public records search on someone.

Check a Criminal Record

Criminal acts are part of the public record. Generally, you should have no issue looking up someone’s criminal record for free. Some of the things that can appear on a public records search include:

Arrest records (even if the individual wasn’t charged)
Misdemeanors
Felonies
Other criminal background history information

It’s common for people to run a criminal records search on the people around them. Are you suspicious about a neighbor? Worried about a teacher at school? Curious about a coworker? Whatever the reason may be, it’s generally legal to look up someone’s criminal record without their permission.

However, it may be illegal to run a background check on someone without their permission if you’re making important decisions about that person’s future – say, if you’re accepting or denying them as a tenant, or if you’re hiring that person. You can still check the person’s criminal record – but you need permission.

Again, we recommend using Check Criminal Record for fast, easy, and accurate criminal records searches anywhere in the United States. Just enter a first name, last name, and state to get started.

The internet is a scary place. With a few basic, free sleuthing strategies, you can easily uncover extensive information about virtually anyone.

Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Checking Anyone’s Criminal Record

Every day, thousands of Americans scan public databases for arrest records. Some are checking their own records to see what pops up. Others are curious about the background of a neighbor, partner, friend, or coworker.

Checking someone’s criminal record is generally legal – as long as you’re doing it for personal reasons and not for employment or professional purposes.

Here are 10 tips and tricks you can use when checking someone’s criminal record.

Check Your Own Criminal Record First

Want to hone your criminal record checking skills? Try checking your own criminal record. Check the state criminal record databases for any states in which you’ve resided. Check any county courthouses. You may be surprised at the amount of information that pops up.

Even if you have never been convicted of a crime, for example, your record might show arrest records, marriage and divorce certificates, and other information.

After checking your own criminal record, you’ll be easily able to check anyone else’s criminal record as well.

There’s another advantage to checking your own criminal record: you can eliminate any mistaken entries or false data from your record. Someone may have used your identity to commit a crime, for example, or an erroneous entry may have been added to your record.

Get Consent If Checking Someone’s Criminal Record for a Job or Lease

Landlords will often check a tenant’s criminal record before renting an apartment to someone. Employers will check someone’s criminal record before offering a job. Checking someone’s criminal record is legal in these situations as long as you get the consent of the individual.

It’s generally legal to check someone’s criminal record for personal reasons – say, if you are just curious about someone’s background. However, if you are engaging in any type of business activity with that individual, it’s best to get consent before performing a background check.

Understand What’s Included on a Background Check

Many people know that a background check reveals crimes – like felony and misdemeanor convictions. However, some people don’t realize what else is on a background check.

A basic background check performed by a business for employment screening will consist of the following components:

Criminal records check, including national and county record searches for any crimes, misdemeanors, or arrests
Social Security Number (SSN) validation, which ensures the applicant is using a legitimate SSN and name
Address history check, including any previous addresses used by the applicant
US terror watchlist check, which screens the candidate against US terror watchlists (this is especially common for any security-related jobs)
Sex offender registry check

If you’re unsure what information is out there, you may wish to perform a background check on yourself. You may be surprised at the information available to prospective employers. In rare cases, a mistaken entry – like a crime committed by someone else with the same name – may be preventing you from leasing an apartment or getting a job.

Understand Certain Records Are Off Limits

You may be surprised to learn that certain records will never appear on a background check.

Thirteen states, for example, make it illegal for employers to access criminal record information that’s more than seven years old. Most arrests or convictions older than seven years will not appear on a background check.

Some states have even gone so far as to pass ‘ban the box’ laws. These laws prevent employers from asking about any criminal record information until the later stages of the interview process.

You Can’t Access All Records, Even If They’re Newer Than Seven Years

Not all records are accessible during a background check – even if those records are newer than seven years old.

Laws vary from state to state. Many states only grant access to certain organizations, corporations, or private companies, for example, and ordinary people cannot access these records. In these states, you might have to rely on third-party criminal record search services to perform a background check.

Additionally, military service records are generally off limits.

Employers may be able to access your health records (and some will check this information), although they cannot use your health to deny employment. Generally, health records are only checked in positions where your health impacts your ability to perform a job – say, as a pilot or nurse.

Arrest Records Might Appear

A background check can reveal your arrest record. It’s a history of every time you’ve been arrested – even if you were never convicted of a crime. you might have a clean criminal record with no misdemeanors or felonies, for example, but an arrest still pops up on your record and affects your employment opportunities.

You Can Expunge Certain Arrest Records

Frustrated about certain records on your background check? You can expunge certain items to remove them permanently.

You can request expungement of your records if:

You were arrested but not convicted
Your conviction was overturned on appeal
It has been at least one year since you were arrested or won your appeal
No charges are pending against you

In this case, you can contact the county courthouse in the county where you were arrested to have your record expunged.

You Can Expunge Certain Convictions – Even Felonies

It makes sense you can expunge arrest records if you were never actually convicted of a crime. But you can also expunge certain convictions from your record.

Certain misdemeanors and Class D (Level 6) felonies can be expunged from your record, although some organizations (like police and lawyers) will always be able to view these records. More serious felonies will always remain on your public record, although they will be clearly marked as ‘expunged’.

To expunge a conviction from your record, you must pay civil filing fees. You are generally only allowed to file one petition for expungement in your lifetime. It’s recommended that you hire a lawyer before doing so.

Be Wary of Free Online Background Check Websites

Free online background check websites may sound like a great thing.

Unfortunately, many of them are too good to be true.

In reality, these websites often display the same information you could find using Google. Then, they dangle lucrative information in front of your eyes and demand hefty payments.

The site might claim that you can reveal “4 More Serious Convictions” for an individual just by paying a $100 fee, for example. In reality, the person has a clean record and the website is luring you into making a payment.

If you’re serious about checking someone’s criminal record or background, then you should be prepared to pay at least a small fee. Access to criminal record databases may cost money, and requesting a record from a county courthouse comes with a small fee, so you can expect this fee to get passed on to you.

Avoid Defamation Lawsuits By Not Spreading Falsehoods

You can check someone’s criminal record for personal reasons without that person’s consent. However, you are not immune from all consequences of your actions – like defamation lawsuits if you spread false information about someone.

Let’s say you’re suspicious about your child’s soccer coach. You run her name through a sex offender registry and find multiple serious convictions. You inform other parents of your findings, and they withdraw their kids from soccer practice. Unfortunately, you got the records for the wrong person. That person had the same name as the soccer coach. The soccer coach could sue you for defamation.

For that reason, it’s crucial that you avoid spreading falsehoods about people after running a criminal records check – especially if you’re not 100% sure the results are accurate.

Easily Find Criminal Records For Anyone

Finding someone’s criminal record is easier today than ever before. By following the tips above, you can make the background check process as easy as possible.

7 Reasons to Run a Criminal Background Check in 2020

Many people are surprised to learn that it’s legal to run a criminal background check on someone.

Yes, running a criminal background check on someone is perfectly legal in many situations. Many people run a background check before going on a date, for example. Others snoop on coworkers or neighbors.

Here are some of the most common reasons to run a criminal background check in 2020:

Verify Your Next Date: The proliferation of dating apps has made it easier than ever to hook up with randoms. Unfortunately, many people also use dating apps to mask their identity. Fight back by running a criminal background check on your next date. Whether you run the check before the first, second, or third date is up to you.

Protect your Family: Worried about a new neighbor? Curious about a coach or teacher? Your child interacts with plenty of people during an average day. A simple criminal background lookup can give you valuable peace of mind.

Snoop on Coworkers: Is your new coworker divorced or married? Did your boss really get charged with sexual harassment last year? Does Dave from accounting really have three DUIs? Check the records of your bosses or coworkers to gain surprising insight.

Find Criminal, Arrest, and Police Records for Anyone: Criminal record checks let you quickly find arrest records, police records, criminal charges, and other information for anyone you interact with.

Marriage and Divorce Records: A records lookup can reveal more than just criminal charges; it can also reveal marriage and divorce records. Find out which one of your friends, relatives, coworkers, or bosses is married or divorced. All marriage and divorce records are publicly available through your county’s records department.

Verify your Neighbors: Your neighbors make or break a community. A good neighbor can be trusted to watch your house when you’re away. A bad neighbor will rob you. Use a criminal record check to verify the public records of homes in your neighborhood. Find out which of your neighbors is a sexual predator, for example. Or, get the age and phone number of people in your community.

Check Ages: Is one of your coworkers lying about her age? Are you curious how old your child’s teacher or coach really is? A background check can reveal complete birth date information.

Ultimately, checking a criminal record is a legal and common thing to do. If the record check comes back clean – then that’s great! You’ve earned added peace of mind. If the record check comes back with some previously-undisclosed information, then you may have just protected you and your family from a disaster.

Try out a search with Check Criminal Record (CheckCriminalRecord.com) or check state and county arrest record databases to discover surprising information about the people around you.

Top 5 Free Online Resources for Finding Arrest Records

Thanks to the internet, finding someone’s arrest record is easier than ever. There are plenty of online databases available to the public.

Yes, you can legally check someone’s arrest record. As long as you’re checking the record for personal reasons (and not to hire someone or enter into a contract), it should be legal.

Where can you get started? Keep reading to find the five best free online resources for performing a background check.

National Sex Offender Registry (NSOPW.gov)

The National Sex Offender Registry, found online at NSOPW.gov, is a website created by the United States Department of Justice. The website offers a free nationwide search for sex offenders registered anywhere in the United States.

You can search the registry with just a name. Enter a first name and last name and see all sex offenders registered under that name.

You can also search by location. If you want to check a neighbor’s address, for example, then you can enter that address into the registry.

All sex offender information is available to the public. Specific information, however, varies from state to state. Generally, you’ll be able to see a photo of the sex offender, the offender’s current or last known location, the type of crime committed, and the date the crime was committed.

The National Sex Offender Registry also links to the public registries for each state. In most states, you can view a map showing all sex offenders in your area.

Each State’s Department of Public Safety

Each state has its own Department of Public Safety (or an organization with a similar name). This organization typically has a division dedicated to tracking arrest records and criminal convictions.

In Texas, for example, criminal convictions are accessible through the Texas Department of Public Safety. The organization offers a simple online search database. You register for that database, then enter a name to view the arrest records and convictions of anyone, anywhere in the state.

Most states have similar systems. Specific search processes vary between states. Some states limit access to certain information – say, only arrest records from the last seven years.

The California Public Records Act and the California Constitution, for example, give Californians the right to access public information maintained by local and state government agencies, including arrest and conviction records collected through the Department of Justice. You can view specific information on how to access those records in California here through OAG.ca.gov.

Some states, meanwhile, do not provide public access to arrest records. They only allow access to certain qualified organizations or corporations.

Check the Department of Public Safety website for any state of residence for the person you’re trying to check. You can also check arrest records for any state the individual visited. Someone might have traveled from Nevada to California and been arrested, for example, in which case the arrest record will show up on a California Department of Public Safety database search but not a Nevada DPS database search.

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC.org)

The National Center for State Courts is an organization that offers easy access to private and public court records. If you want specific case information from specific courtrooms anywhere in the United States, then the NCSC website is a good place to start.

Visit the state public access links page here, then click on any state you want to check. You’ll be able to view any online records currently available for that state, including official government sources and unofficial databases.

People Search Websites and Social Media Websites

You don’t have to search a government database to find secret information about someone. Instead, you can turn to public, free websites for that information.

People search websites like WhitePages and People Search, for example, all provide information about millions of Americans. These websites collect public information – including addresses and phone numbers – and then allow anyone to search for it. You can search by phone number with a reverse search. Or, you can search by name for a standard search.

Using social media websites for background checks is self-explanatory. Check someone’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other profiles to discover all sorts of information they have volunteered online.

Check Criminal Record (CheckCriminalRecord.com)

If you are looking for a no-nonsense criminal record check service, then CheckCriminalRecord.com is a great all-in-one resource. You can avoid manually checking all of the online resources listed above. Instead, you can simply enter a name and get a complete background profile on any individual.

Checking someone’s criminal record should be easy. With CheckCriminalRecord.com, it’s never been easier.

Final Tips On Finding Criminal Arrest Records

Use any of the free online resources above to check any criminal record at no cost.

With more online databases available than ever before, it’s easy, free, and legal to uncover someone’s criminal record or arrest history background report online.

What Do I Need to Check Someone’s Criminal Record?

Checking someone’s criminal record is a legal and common thing to do. Every day, thousands of Americans check criminal records for personal reasons. With someone’s permission, you can also check someone’s criminal record for professional reasons.

What do you need to check someone’s criminal record? What type of information can narrow down search results? Today, we’re explaining what you need to bring when checking someone’s criminal record.

A Name

In most cases, all you need is a name to get detailed information about a person’s background. With just a first and last name, you can learn surprising information about an individual. You can search state and county databases for any criminal records, marriage and divorce certificates, and more, for example.

Having additional information – like a date of birth, current address, or birthplace – can narrow down your search results. This information can be particularly useful if the individual has a common name. However, it’s not required for many criminal records searches.

Keep in mind that you do not need the person’s consent for most personal criminal records searches. If you are simply curious about a neighbor or teacher, for example, then it should be legal to run a criminal background check on that individual.

As soon as you start using the person’s criminal records check to make decisions about that person’s future, however, you may need that person’s consent. Landlords need a person’s consent prior to running a background check on a prospective tenant, for example. Employers need consent if preparing to hire a new employee.

The Person’s Consent (Required for Employment Screenings)

If you are running a criminal background check on someone for professional reasons (say, if preparing to hire them or rent a condo to them), then you need that person’s consent.

The background screening industry is highly-regulated, and an individual’s privacy is protected by various regulations. Nationwide, background checks are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Additionally, employers cannot look at information that is older than seven years for civil judgments, arrest records, collection records, and paid tax liens (although bankruptcies stay on your record for ten years).
You can’t just have the person check a box saying, “I consent to this background check”. The consent must clearly explain that you are performing the background check and that the results of the background check will be used for hiring, promotion, or retention. After providing this notice, the employer must receive consent (either on paper or online) from the individual to run a background check.

Additional Information Can Narrow Down Search Results

Additional information is not required before checking someone’s criminal record. However, it can certainly help narrow down search results.

If the individual has a common name or has lived at multiple addresses, for example, then it may be tricky to track down arrest records across the country. Some people have changed their names or used different aliases. Others have changed their name after getting married.

Some of the additional information you can use to narrow down a criminal records check includes:

Full name (first, middle, and last name)
Known aliases
Maiden name
Social Security Number
Date of birth
Birthplace
Current and past addresses
Driver’s license number

Armed with all of this information, you can run a detailed criminal background check on someone.

Is It Legal to Look Up a Criminal Record for Anyone?

It’s easy to look up someone’s criminal record online. But is it legal to check someone’s criminal record?

It’s perfectly legal to check someone’s arrest record in some situations but not others.

Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about the legality of looking up someone’s criminal record.

It’s Legal to Check Someone’s Criminal Record for Personal Use

Are you curious about a neighbor’s marriage or divorce? Do you want to check if your daughter’s new coach has any previous criminal convictions? Are you interested in learning how old your coworker really is?

These are all considered personal requests. In most states and in most cases, it’s perfectly legal to check someone’s criminal record if you’re using the information for personal use.

If you’re not hiring someone or renting a house to someone, for example, then you can run a criminal record check on virtually anyone as long as you have that person’s first and last name.

You Need Consent to Check Someone’s Criminal Record for Professional Use

If you plan on using someone’s criminal record check for employment or housing, then you will generally need that person’s consent.

An employer needs the consent of the prospective employee before running a criminal record check, for example. A landlord needs the consent of the potential tenant before a background check.

If the criminal record check is going to be used to make important decisions about the future of the individual, then consent is generally required.
If you are requesting consent from an individual to perform a background check, then that consent form needs to indicate how the background check works. The consent form must explain how the information will be used, for example (say, to approve employment or a lease application).

Once you have received consent in writing (either online or in paper), you should be able to proceed with the background check.

‘Ban the Box’ Laws Restrict Employers from Asking About Criminal Convictions

Certain states have passed ‘ban the box’ laws. These laws prevent employers from requesting a criminal background check until the later stages of a job application process.

California’s ban the box law, for example, took affect on January 1, 2018. The law makes it illegal for private and public employers with five or more employees to ask about criminal history until the later stages of the application process.

The purpose of the law is to encourage employers to assess each applicant’s fitness for the job instead of immediately denying someone based on a criminal past.

As of December 2019, thirteen states (and the District of Columbia) have passed ban the box laws, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

Employers Must follow Additional Anti-Discriminatory Regulations with Background Checks

Only thirteen states have passed ban the box laws. However, employers in all states must follow other laws. There are federal anti-discrimination laws, for example. Certain states have passed laws restricting questions about an applicant’s criminal history.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), for example, has warned that employers that ask about an applicant’s criminal history may be violating anti-discrimination laws.

In order to avoid discrimination during the hiring process, the employer must individually verify each applicant’s crimes. If someone committed a non-violent, unrelated misdemeanor seven years ago and is otherwise qualified for the job, for example, then you may be discriminating against that applicant if you choose a less-qualified applicant with a clean record.

Some States Restrict Background Checks for Cases Older Than Seven Years

If you committed a crime eight years ago, then that crime may not appear on a criminal background check. In fact, many states have passed laws preventing employers from seeing someone’s criminal record back more than seven years.

In California, for example, employers are not permitted to check someone’s criminal record more than seven years in the past and use that information to make an employment decision.

Twelve states follow the ‘seven year rule’ and restrict reporting on any case older than seven years, including California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, and Washington.

Outside of these states, most employers check an applicant’s history over the last 5 to 10 years.

Types of Criminal Background Searches

Depending on the type of criminal background search being performed, laws can vary widely. You might have to follow California’s background check laws when scanning criminal records in California, for example, but not in Texas.

The four major types of criminal record searches available today include:

Nationwide criminal databases (includes state and local crimes)
Federal criminal court (U.S. district and appellate courts for federal crimes)
County criminal court (County courts for charge and disposition cases)
Statewide criminal records (State courts and police records)

Consider Using a Professional Criminal Record Search Service to Avoid Legal Headaches

Confused by all of this legal information? That’s okay! There are professional criminal record search services that have compiled all of this information for you.

Professional criminal record search services like CheckCriminalRecord.com will scan millions of criminal records across federal, state, and county databases.

Thanks to these services, you don’t have to manually check each record and worry about legal problems along the way. Instead, these services take care of everything.

In many cases, you can actually save money by using these professional arrest record search services. Instead of paying a fee for each county or state record, you pay one simple fee, then rely on the search service to collect all of this information for you.

Final Word

It’s generally legal to look up a criminal record for anyone for personal reasons.
For professional reasons, however, like for landlords or employers checking the backgrounds of applicants, you generally need the consent of the applicant.

As with any legal questions, we recommend consulting with a lawyer to determine if your unique situation qualifies as a legal or illegal criminal record check.

If you need professional, instant, and fast criminal background check services, then use CheckCriminalRecord.com.

What Shows Up on a Criminal Record Check?

We’ve all heard of background checks. However, many people don’t understand the difference between criminal record checks and background checks.

What type of information shows up on a criminal record check versus a background check? Which check should you perform? Is it legal to run a criminal background check?

Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about what shows up on a criminal record check.

What’s on a Criminal History Check?

A criminal background check or criminal records search reveals all of the following information:

Criminal Convictions: If a person has committed a felony or misdemeanor, then this information should appear on a criminal record check.

Arrest Records: Some states have laws prohibiting employers from asking about arrest records or using them for employment-related decisions. That’s because arrest records are not a proof of guilt. Someone could be arrested and then released without being charged, for example. If you are running a criminal record check for non-employment reasons, however, then it’s generally legal to check arrest records.

Dismissed Cases: Dismissed cases may appear on a person’s background check. A criminal charge could stay on a person’s record even if the charges are later dismissed or if the person is declared not guilty.

Seven Years of Data: There is no federal law stipulating how far back a criminal record must go. Each state mandates this on a state level. On average, however, a criminal background check goes back seven years. In California, for example, arrest and conviction records more than seven years old cannot be included on a background check report by law.

What Is Not on a Criminal Background Check?

Certain things will never (or rarely) appear on a criminal background check, including all of the following:

Expunged or Sealed Records: Someone might petition to have a criminal record sealed or expunged. If this petition is successful, then this record will not appear on any background check. The record has been removed from existence. In this case, the candidate can even answer “no” to the question, “have you ever been convicted of a crime?”.

Traffic Tickets, Speeding Tickets, and Other Citations: Traffic tickets are civil citations. They’re not misdemeanors or felonies. They will not show up on a criminal background check. However, certain serious driving violations are considered misdemeanors or felonies, including reckless driving offenses and DUIs. These convictions may appear on a criminal background check. Traffic citations are kept, however, by your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Previous Employment or Education: A criminal background check is exactly what it sounds like. You’re checking someone’s background for any criminal activities. A criminal background check will not reveal anything about a person’s past employment or education.

Is It Legal to Run a Criminal Background Check?

It’s legal and common for an average person to run a criminal background check on another person in most situations.

In general, it’s legal for an ordinary person to run a background check if they’re not planning on hiring the person being checked. If you don’t plan on paying or hiring the individual, then you should be able to run a background check without the other person’s consent.

If you’re running the background check in a professional setting, however, then you will require the consent of the person being screened. A landlord doing a background check on a tenant, for example, needs the permission of the tenant, and an employer checking the criminal record of a potential future employee needs consent.

How to Search Arrest Records for Anyone: The Ultimate Free Guide

Searching for someone’s arrest record is easier than you think. Arrest records are stored online, and checking someone’s criminal record is a common and legal thing to do.

Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about how to search arrest records for anyone, including how much it costs, where to look, and what information you need.

Before You Start Searching Records

Before you perform a background check on someone, you need to consider the possible risks. As an employer or landlord, laws affect how you can perform a background check

Employers and Landlords: Consent Required

The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires employers to follow certain procedures and obtain a job applicant’s written consent when ordering a criminal history check from a consumer reporting agency. This same law applies to landlords running a background check on potential tenants.

You need to inform the applicant that you are running a personal background check. You need to ensure the applicant understands that this background check will be used to make an important decision about the applicant’s future.

After receiving the applicant’s consent in writing, the employer or landlord can proceed with the background check.

Personal Background Checks: No Consent Required

The same laws do not apply if searching someone’s criminal record for personal reasons. It’s legal to check someone’s criminal record for personal reasons.

It’s legal to check a neighbor’s criminal record because you’re curious, for example. It’s also legal to check the marriage or divorce records of a coworker or boss. You can check if a child’s teacher or coach has a history of sexual offenses.

In these situations, consent should not be required. As long as you have a first and last name, you should be able to proceed with the background check without issue.

Step 1) Check Sex Offender Registries

Start by checking sex offender registries. These are the easiest registries to search. They’re wide open to the public, and anyone can check these records at no cost.

The federal government maintains a sex offender registry, as does each state. These registries are used to track and monitor individuals with previous sex offense convictions.

Each registry in the database will contain a photo of the individual. Depending on your state, you may also be able to see the type of crime committed, the date of the crime, the release date from prison, and other information.

Start by checking the Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website.

From that site, you can find the public sex offender registries for each state. You can search a specific jurisdiction, for example, or run a national search that checks all registries for a specific name.

Step 2) Check the Arrest Record Database for Your State

Each individual’s criminal record is available to the public. However, criminal records are not easy to find via Google.

In most cases, you need to make a request to your state’s Department of Public Safety for more information about a specific individual. Each state has slightly different rules governing how these requests work.

In some states, checking someone’s criminal record is easy.

Let’s say you want to check someone’s criminal record in Texas:

Visit the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Conviction Database here: https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DpsWebsite/CriminalHistory/
The database lists all arrests and prosecutions for misdemeanors and felonies committed in the state of Texas
Sign up for the database as a new user (choose an individual or company account)
Search the database by typing in the individual’s first and last name
Enter other identifying information to narrow search results

That’s it! Just like that, you can view misdemeanors and felonies committed in the state of Texas.

Most states have a similar system through the Department of Public Safety, although it may go by slightly different names.

Step 3) Repeat for Each State

If someone has committed crimes in multiple states, then you will need to run multiple criminal record searches through each state’s Department of Public Safety (or an equivalent agency).

Each state has a slightly different process. Generally, you sign up for the database, then run a search. Some states require you to pay a fee.

Step 4) Check County Records

For more information about specific crimes, or to check marriage and divorce records, you may need to run a county-level search.

Again, each county has a different process for checking records. Some counties actually require you to visit the county courthouse in person. Most counties, however, have some type of online or mail-based checkup service.

If you know the county in which someone lived, or the county where they committed a crime, then you can check that county’s records for further information. These records are not openly available to the public (say, via Google), but they are available to any member of the public upon request.

Some county and state criminal record databases charge a fee for accessing records. You may need to pay an administrative fee or delivery fee, for example.

Step 5) Use a Professional Criminal Record Search Service for Comprehensive, Instant Results

There are hundreds of professional criminal record search services available over the internet today.

Some criminal records are only available to government organizations or private agencies. Many of these search services also have special partnerships in place to secure the latest, most up-to-date criminal record information from national and state databases.

Without a professional search service, you may need to check each state and county individually to get someone’s complete record.

With a professional criminal record search service, you can provide just a name and learn a surprising amount of information about someone. The search service instantly checks millions of public records across the United States, saving you time and money.

Visit Check Criminal Record (CheckCriminalRecord.com) to run a complete criminal record check on anyone using just a first name and last name.

Keeping Your Kids Safe With Online Criminal Background Checks

Your kids come in contact with many different adults in their lives. Many of these are people that you do not know well, yet you are entrusting them to care for your children or at least keep them safe. The question is are all of these people in your kids lives trustworthy?

There is an old saying that we should give people the benefit of the doubt, but when it comes to your children, the question to ask yourself is if that is really the track you should be taking. Consider that no one has really earned benefit from you, especially when you are asking them to make sure that your children are kept as safe as possible at all times. This is why it is a good idea to perform criminal background check on virtually anyone that regularly comes in contact with them.

The Truth About What Can Happen To Your Children

A lot of parents are frightened when they hear about abductions. The worry that some unknown person could drive up in a van, take their kids and they will never see them again. The truth is that this is a far less common occurrence than most parents think. Children are much more likely to be harmed by someone they know – the people in your life.

What this means is that teachers, other parents, counselors, coaches, mentors, and other adults in their lives are the ones to be more concerned about. Because they are able to build up a much closer and more intimate relationship with your children, your kids will become much more trusting with them.

Kids are quite often told that they should trust these people and listen to them. A teacher or coach is often the next most important authority figure in their lives, after you and your spouse. You may not have even considered it before, but you could even be inadvertently helping these men and women to prey on your children, and this is why it is best to take every precaution you can to keep them safe.

Check For Criminal History Of Adults In Your Child’s Life

A lot of people may read this article and think that this is just not them. They shouldn’t snoop into the background of their kid’s teachers and friends’ parents. But understand that predators are out there and this is what those adults are hoping for. They don’t want you checking on their criminal past and just want you to trust them. But if you don’t check into the important adults in your kids lives, you could be missing an opportunity to prevent something disastrous from happening.

You should perform an arrest record search of every adult in their lives that you can. Check Criminal Record can help you get a very comprehensive set of jail records, arrest records, and arrest warrants, if there are any – so that you can know for sure if there is anything to be worried about.

Again, no one likes to be suspicious, but it pays to be so at times, especially when you are talking about your children.

How to Search Arrest History Records

Searching for someone’s arrest history or arrest records online can be challenging, time-consuming, and frustrating. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy to use government websites and online resources that can help you get the job done.

Today, we’re explaining some of the best options for finding your own criminal record or arrest history, or finding someone else’s arrest history record, by using online sources.

Request Your Own Federal Records Through the FBI

The FBI lets anyone request arrest records – but you can only request your own. The FBI calls this your Identity History Summary, which is just fancy bureaucratic-speak for your criminal record. The FBI only allows you to request a copy of your own criminal record, and you will not be able to look at someone else’s federal criminal records during your search.

Why would you want to look up your own criminal record? Well, you may want to double check to make sure you know what’s on there – especially if you have a criminal past, if you’ve had records expunged, or if charges were dropped. You never know what could appear on your own record.

At the time of writing, the FBI’s processing time was 12 to 14 weeks. If you don’t have a federal criminal record or arrest record, then the FBI will send you proof that one does not exist.

Start requesting your federal criminal record from the FBI here.

You’ll need to jump through some hoops, like submitting your fingerprints and completing an application form. You’ll also need to pay the FBI $18, so it’s not quite free.

Check State & Federal Courthouses For Someone’s Arrest History Records

This is where things get a little more complicated: if you want to search arrest history records for someone else, then you can go to a local, state, or federal courthouse – ideally, the courthouse in the jurisdiction where the crime took place (or where you believe the crime took place). The records are almost always kept at the courthouse where the individual was tried.

Courthouses have a clerk of courts. A clerk of courts will be able to access someone’s criminal record provided you give them the information they need to retrieve that record.

That means you need to come prepared with the person’s name and birth date. The more information you have, the easier it will be to find someone’s record. Case numbers, the types of charges held against them, and and when the crime took place are all helpful information.

If the person committed crimes in multiple jurisdictions and was tried across multiple courthouses, then you may need to make a few trips or phone calls to get a complete record.

Using PACER Or NSOPW To Search Records

The US federal government maintains two public criminal record database websites anyone can view online. Those websites include the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) database and the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW).

PACER lets the public view docket information from federal courts. You’ll need to register and use the individual’s information to search court records. PACER is not free, unfortunately, and you’ll need to pay fees to access certain records.

The NSOPW site, on the other hand, is perfectly free to use. You don’t even have to register. All you need to do is go to the homepage (or download the mobile app) and enter your zip code or area. You can also search using first name and last name.

Good Old Google Search

One of the weird online search tricks that can often be used to find someone’s criminal record is to type their first name and last name into Google followed by “mugshot”.

This works particularly well for high-profile cases or famous people with criminal records, but it can also turn up some surprising results for minor cases. It’s good to check if you’re looking for a free and easy option to search arrest history records.

How To Find Someone’s Criminal Record

Finding someone’s criminal record isn’t as hard as you may think. Thanks to the internet, you can learn a lot about someone without ever leaving your office chair.

If you want to know more about the process of finding someone’s criminal record information, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s our ultimate guide to finding anyone’s criminal record.

The National Driver Register (NDR) And The DMV

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) keeps a record of every driver in the United States. It’s called the National Driver Register (NDR).

Anyone – yes, even you – can browse through those records to find someone with a registered driver’s license in the country.

The NDR is part of the National Center for Statistics and Analysis. You can look through the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) to find information about individuals whose drivers’ licenses have been revoked, suspended, canceled, or denied. Anyone who has been convicted of a serious traffic offense will also show up.

Whether your target has a compromised driving record or not, the NDR provides valuable information about someone. You can search through the NDR to find all of the following information about someone:

-Name

-Date of birth

-Gender

-Driver’s license number

-Reporting state

Basically, you get all of the same information you would see if you took a picture of someone’s driver’s license (aside from their physical characteristics).

Meanwhile, the DMV knows more about you than virtually any of the other government agencies. They keep track of a lot of personal information: from your criminal records to your marriage and divorce certificates.

The only thing that doesn’t pop up when you search for someone through the DMV is their “confidential information”, which includes home address, home telephone number, physical/mental information, social security number, and photograph. Aside from this, a surprising amount of personal information is readily accessible by anyone.

To get in touch with the DMV in your state and request someone’s record, visit this link: http://www.nhtsa.gov/Data/National+Driver+Register+(NDR)

That takes you to the NDR homepage. Just click on the “Contact information for State Departments of Motor Vehicles” link on the right-hand side of the page. You’ll automatically start to download a PDF document with your state’s DMV contact information.

From there, contact your state’s DMV (or the DMV in your target’s state) and request the record of anyone you want to learn more about.

Your Local Town Hall, City Hall, Or County Courthouse.

Criminal record check processes vary widely across the United States.
But one thing is common: you can always find information at your local town hall, city hall, or courthouse. These administrative organizations keep criminal records for all cases that have occurred within their administrative area. They’re trusted with keeping public records. Part of that responsibility is providing public records to the, well, public.

Using this method, you’re able to access anybody’s public record.

That doesn’t mean checking someone’s criminal record is easy with this method. You’ll often run into roadblocks. In North Carolina, you may encounter the Public Records Law, for example. in Maryland, they have the Public Information Act.

Certain states also make this process notoriously difficult. Florida, for example, may force you to deal with three different government laws, including the Statutory Public Records, Statutory Public Meetings, and Judicial Access Decisional Law.

Ultimately, your local town hall or county courthouse handles criminal record checks all the time. If you contact that organization, they’ll be able to tell you what you need to do, who you need to call, and how you need to proceed with your criminal record check.

Submitting A Request Through The FBI

The FBI provides criminal record checks – although they’re only available if you’re checking your own criminal record.

The FBI calls this your “Identity History Summary”, although it’s better known as your criminal record. It’s specifically defined as “a listing of certain information taken from fingerprint submissions kept by the FBI and related to arrests.”

You can submit a criminal record check request here through the FBI.

Using The Freedom of Information Act To Learn More About Someone

The last and best way to check someone’s criminal record is to submit a request to the US government citing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

There’s a reason this act exists: it’s to promote transparency in the government. Agencies are hesitant to deny a FOIA request (unless you’ve stumbled upon something really secretive). Even if information may not appear to be accessible to the general public, you can often get past this barrier with a FOIA request.

Keep in mind that the FOIA also allows agencies to block a certain request. One of the most-likely reasons your request would be denied is if it’s an “unreasonable invasion of privacy”. In other cases, you’ll only receive a partial answer to your request.

Checking Someone’s Record May Not Be As Hard As You Think

Remember: criminal records are public records. You’re a member of the public. In most cases, the only thing preventing you from learning more about someone’s criminal record is a little hard work and a bit of time.

7 Easy And Legal Ways to Learn More About Your Social Media Contacts

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Tinder, you likely have hundreds or even thousands of “friends” across all your social media platforms.

You might know your Facebook friends really well. But what about everybody else? Today, we’re going to teach you how to easily (and legally) learn more about the people you follow (or people following you) on social media.

7) Take Note Of Everything On Their Profile

Some may call this stalking. Others call it research. Technically, stalking is a crime, and we can’t tell you to go commit a crime. But if you want to learn more about someone, start by taking note of everything they have on their profile – including birth date, phone number, full name, middle name, etc.

Consider making a document with the information you know to be true. This is a little creepy. But it does help you organize information in one place. This is particularly useful if you are gathering data from multiple social media profiles into one spot.

Some of the most important things you should look for at this step include: name, birthday, high school/college/education, hometown, current employer, past employer, etc.

6) Look At Your Mutual Friends Or Their Friends’ List

Facebook is pretty much required for this step. You can learn a lot about someone’s family by searching for their last name on their friends’ list. You get to see relatives. In some cases, you get to learn their mom’s maiden name.

Take a look at your mutual friends. Did they go to school together? Did they attend parties together? In many cases, you’ll find that a mutual friend puts more photos and information up on Facebook then the actual person you’re researching. The person you’re researching may not be tagged, but they may still be part of the mutual friend’s life. Use this to your advantage during your research.

5) Use the Search By Image Feature On Google

Take the profile picture on Tinder, Instagram, or whatever other site you’re using, and then run that into Google’s reverse image search. You can just drag and drop an image into the search bar. Google will come back with results that look similar to that image. They’ll also tell you other locations where that image has been posted.

This is a great way to avoid being catfished by someone. They might have a real face picture followed by fake body pictures (or the opposite).

In any case, Google’s search by image feature has made it way easier to protect yourself online.

Now, people have become smarter about this when they’re catfishing someone. They will crop a picture so that the unique crop does not appear anywhere else on the internet. In that case, Google’s reverse image search may not return any results.

In that situation, may want to move onto our next step, which is…

4) Get An Anonymous Criminal Record Check

This tip is reserved for more serious cases. Maybe someone is harassing you on social media (in which case you should report it to the authorities). Or maybe you’re worried about a Facebook friend’s safety.

Whatever the case may be, running a criminal record check on someone is as easy as listing a name and a state. Once you have that information, you can see if they have a record in a particular jurisdiction. Or, do a countrywide search for that person to get a more complete picture.

Someone’s criminal record is part of their public record (along with information like marriages, divorces, and other government-related data). One simple scan can reveal crucial information about someone in your life.

3) Search By Phone Number

Googling someone’s phone number rarely turns up any results. However, if you type that number into Facebook or other social media platforms, then you could get some more interesting results.

In some cases, someone registers for Facebook with two different email addresses but uses the same phone number. You could find someone’s secret Facebook account or an alternative account they’ve created under a different name.

2) Pretend To Be Someone Else And Add The Person On Social Media

Impersonating someone is illegal in most places. However, making up a name and calling yourself that is more of a grey area: especially if you’re not committing any illegal activities under that name.

If you want to go the extra mile at researching your target, then create a false persona. Add that person on Snapchat or comment on their Instagram pictures using that name.

If you’re finding out if your boyfriend or girlfriend is being faithful, for example, then you may want to create a social media profile for an attractive girl/guy then see if they take the bait.

1) Take A Screenshot Of Their Instagram Picture And Zoom In

Double tapping on Instagram will send your target a notification. Do what all the professional “researchers” do: take a screenshot of the Instagram picture and then zoom in on that screenshot.

This can be a difference maker if you’re looking at information in the background of the image – like trying to figure out who your ex-boyfriend was standing beside at that party when he popped up in the background of your friend’s Instagram picture.

How To Wipe Your Criminal Record Permanently Clean

Having a criminal record can be a lifelong burden on someone. But it’s not a life sentence like many people think. In fact, there are multiple ways to clear your criminal record and move forward with a clean slate.

In most cases, all it takes to wipe your criminal record clean in America is a little bit of money and a few phone calls or government office visits. Today, we’re explaining how to wipe your criminal record clean.

Buying An Expungement

“Expungement” is the legal term for clearing a criminal record. In most states across America, an expungement costs $150 or less. Some states – including Tennessee – charge as much as $450 for an expungement.

Fortunately, some states offer an expungement fee waiver if the applicant is too poor to pay.

In any case, after you apply for expungement and are successful, your criminal record is sealed, which makes your criminal record difficult (or even impossible) for most people to access.

The laws between states vary widely. Some states hardly have a practical expungement law, while other states make it relatively easy to wipe your criminal record clean.

Who Is Eligible For Expungement?

An expungement gives you a fresh start. If you want a successful future, then expungement is almost a necessity. People with criminal records often struggle to get jobs, mortgages, loans, or even an education.

Start by finding the court website for your state and checking the criminal court in your county or with the law enforcement agency that handled your arrest. They’ll be able to answer any questions you might have about expunging your criminal record.

Some of the restrictions on expungement include:

-Not all offenses are eligible for expungement. For example, most states allow you to expunge arrests and misdemeanor convictions and other offenses deemed minor. But you’re not going to sweep a triple murder (or any other felony conviction) under the rug anytime soon.

-You may have to wait a certain length of time for expungement. You can’t commit a crime then apply for expungement the next day. Many state laws require you to wait until you have finished serving your sentence before you apply for expungement (typically, this includes your probationary period). In some cases (like if there’s a good reason to do so), a judge may reduce your probation to reduce the length of time you have to wait for expungement.

-Attorneys aren’t always required. Most states simply require you to fill out a form that says some version of “Motion of Expungement.” If that initial application doesn’t go through, then you may wish to hire an attorney.

-Expungement doesn’t erase a criminal record. Expunging a criminal record isn’t like pressing a delete button. Most criminal records are never truly deleted. For example, law enforcement agencies may be able to check your expunged criminal record in the future, and it may still show up on some searches.

Consider Getting A Certificate Of Actual Innocence

There’s getting your criminal record expunged, and then there’s getting a “Certificate of Actual Innocence”. This is considered the most powerful form of expungement.

This certificate doesn’t just seal your criminal record: it states that your criminal record should never have existed in the first place. If you were convicted of a crime, but charges were later dropped, then you may wish to apply for a Certificate of Actual Innocence to ensure future employers – or whoever – knows that you are factually innocent of the crime in the eyes of the law.

Juvenile And Drug Offenses Are The Two Most Commonly Expunged Criminal Records

If you murdered someone, you’re not getting that record expunged anytime soon. However, if you committed a drug offense, or committed a crime as a juvenile, then you have a decent chance of having your record expunged.

Many states require drug offenders to go through a diversion program. After completing that program, you can apply to have your drug offenses expunged from your record.

Juvenile offenders, on the other hand, typically have the easiest time getting their criminal records expunged or sealed. You can apply for expungement once you turn 18 (assuming you’ve stayed out of trouble with the law for the remainder of your juvenile years).

Check Your Criminal Record Today

Have you been turned down for jobs, loans, schools, and other opportunities? You may have a criminal record. Many people are surprised what appears on their criminal record – including everything from past misdemeanors to charges that were dropped.

Check your criminal record today to make sure you know exactly what employers see when they search your name.

Or, if you’ve already applied for expungement, run a criminal background check on yourself to make sure the expungement actually worked.

Ultimately, there are multiple ways to expunge a criminal record and wipe the slate clean. To find out what surprises may lurk on your criminal record, check yours today right here at CheckCriminalRecord.com

The Best Methods To Easily Learn More About Your Neighbors

You live, breathe, work, and sleep around your neighbors every day. But if you’re like most people, you don’t think about them all that much.

That could be a problem: until you do some research, you never know who lives around you.

If you live on a street with 15 houses on each side, then that’s 30 families, couples, individuals, or groups you may know absolutely nothing about (except their address). Considering one in three Americans has a criminal record, it’s easy to see why there might be some bad apples in the neighborhood.

What’s a diligent homeowner like yourself supposed to do? Here are some of the best ways to easily (and legally) learn more about the people around you.

Start Googling

You might not know the names of your neighbors, their professions, or anything else about them.

But you do know one thing important: their address. Do a quick Google search for every address on your street. Sometimes, you may discover someone runs an at-home business. Or maybe you’ll find that the house next door was once the site of a triple murder. Who knows?

Once you’ve Googled a few addresses on your street, some names should have popped up. From there, you can be as stalker-ish as you want. Consider Googling someone’s first name and last name to see what comes up, for example. Or, hop on Facebook and search for their name in your city.

Ultimately, you can get a lot of information about someone starting with their home address. A home address gives you a name, and a name and location can often give you almost everything else you want to know.

Go For A Walk

Go for a walk in the evening and casually study your neighborhood. Take note of anyone else who is out in the neighborhood. Strike up some conversations. Let your gaze wander up a few driveways. Don’t be creepy about it – just be situationally aware.

At the very least, you’ll meet a few of your neighbors and get a solid base in the neighborhood – or at least have some idea of who lives around you.

Pay Attention To Company Trucks And Other Logos

Does a certain contracting van park in the driveway of a friend’s place every night? Do you see logos or advertisements for a certain business on someone’s car? Business owners will frequently use their own vehicles – or even their own buildings – as advertising space. You can use this information to find out what someone does.

Organize A Community Party Or Street Party

If you’re feeling particularly gung-ho about learning your neighbors, then consider throwing a community party, street party, or BBQ. Pass out flyers or posters along the street and setup a date and time. It doesn’t have to be anything too extravagant. But it’s a good way to meet your neighbors – especially after a long summer in a recently-developed suburb where you have a lot of people who are new to the area.

Set Up Spy Cams Around Your House

Filming public property is totally legal, as is filming your own house and property (obviously, check your local laws and don’t hold us responsible if you get in trouble).

Consider setting up some spy cameras around your home – especially if you spend a lot of time outside your home. If both you and your partner leave home for work each day, then you never know who might come snooping around your home during the day.

Today, spy cameras are easier to install and more affordable than ever before. In many cases, you can control them or monitor them from your smartphone. So you can check in on your home from work.

Run A Criminal Background Search

A criminal background search requires only a name. If you’re suspicious about your neighbors, a criminal background search is a discrete and easy way to clear their names or confirm your suspicions.

Check Criminal Record specializes in helping you dig up valuable information about your neighbors – or anyone in your life.

While you’re at it, use a sex offender registry search service to see if there are any potential sexual predators in your area. www.familywatchdog.us is one popular free option that gives you instant information about sex offenders in your neighborhood.

Getting To Know Your Neighbors Is Important

If you live in a decent neighborhood, there is a good chance your neighbors are probably normal, hardworking, honest people. Building a relationship with your neighbors today is a good idea. They’ll watch your home when you’re away. They’ll alert you to suspicious activity. And hey, you never know – maybe your kids are going to be best friends one day. Follow the tips above to ensure you know more about the people living in your neighborhood.

How To Easily Protect Yourself While Using Dating Apps

Dating apps have made it easier than ever to find someone to hook up with. But they’ve also made it easier for people to hide their true selves.

Is the person you met on Tinder really the person he says he is? Are you being catfished by that suspiciously attractive girl that just matched with you? Today, we’re going to explain some basic precautions that will help you protect yourself while using dating apps.

The Ol’ “Ask the Person If They’re Okay With No Condoms” Trick

One of the oldest tricks in the dating app handbook is when you’re ready to hook up with someone, ask if they’re okay with not using a condom. If they say yes, then that’s bad news: you’re almost certainly not the first person to get that answer.

STI rates are skyrocketing around the world – and experts are blaming apps like Tinder. STIs are a real threat on dating apps. If you’re suspicious about someone’s sexual history, make sure you stay protected. And don’t be afraid to whip out this trick on them.

Try Some Casual Stalking

As soon as you get a piece of personally identifiable information about someone – like a name, phone number or even a birthdate – you can start putting together the pieces of who that person is.

Searching for a phone number on Facebook may turn up their Facebook profile, for example. Searching for their Tinder username on Google can even reveal some other online accounts – like their Twitter or Instagram.

There’s nothing wrong with a little casual stalking on dating apps. Remember: there are a lot of creeps out there, and many of them use dating apps for nefarious purposes. You’re not being creepy – you’re being cautious.

Be Wary of Any Awkward Requests

Is someone asking you to pick them up from their house? Are they refusing to meet in a particular location? Are they telling you to send them money, pay for a cab ride, or do any other sorts of awkward things?

If so, then you could be being catfished, phished, scammed, or whatever other trendy word you want to use. People use dating apps to steal stuff from people. If someone starts requesting weird stuff, press them for more information about themselves. If they refuse to go into detail, then that’s bad news for your connection.

Be Careful Setting Up Your Own Profile

All of the tips listed above can be used against you. Take a look at your online profile and make sure you’re not revealing too much personally-identifiable information. Look carefully at your profile pics to see if there’s anything in the background, foreground, or on your person that could identify you (like a school shirt or a shot of your street name in the background).

Make sure you choose a generic name. Sometimes, you’ll be lucky enough to be born with a generic name. But if you’re the type of person who searches their name on Facebook and only finds themselves, then your name might give away too much about you.

One of the most common privacy problems on dating platforms is that when you first setup your profile, it may drag in your bio text from Facebook. Sometimes, that contains personal information about yourself, your friends, your school, your job, or your other social media profiles. Make sure your bio says something fairly vague.

Understand the Dangers of Shared Facebook Friends

Many dating apps let you see shared Facebook friends you have with a connection. This can be good for verifying someone’s identity and credibility, but it can be bad for your own personal protection.

If someone sees they have a mutual friend with you, they may be able to reveal your identity by identifying your mutual friend and then scanning that person’s list of friends for your first name. If your Tinder profile is your Facebook profile, or if they’re similar photos, then this makes it easy to track you down.

Run a Criminal Background Check

This is something you want to do after you’ve been on a few dates. You like the person, you want to get to know them better, and you’ve decided it’s time to take things to the next step.

But you’re still not 100% sure if this person is being truthful with their history.

That’s where a criminal background check can help. It’s not nearly as intense as it sounds: running a criminal records check on someone is cheap, easy, and 100% confidential. It’s also completely legal – after all, criminal records are part of the public records database on someone.

There are really two possible outcomes of running a criminal background check on your date:

1) You find something undesirable in their past and decide to break things off before they get serious

2) You find a clean record and your date never knows you checked their record (or you just have a funny story to tell your kids in the future)

Start your criminal records check today here at CheckCriminalRecord.com, where getting started is as easy as entering someone’s first and last name.

Which Parts of Your Personal Data Are Considered “Public Record”?

A surprising amount of personal data is considered to be part of the public record. You probably assumed that certain things – like marriage records – were public record. But have you ever stopped to think just how much someone can learn about you through public records?

Today, we’re getting to the bottom of things and explaining which parts of your personal data are considered to be public record.

What Is A Public Record?

A public record is generally described as public information that is fixed in any medium and is retrievable in usable form for future reference. Typically, this information is deemed important for retention by judicial, legislative, or local government officials – like local records committees or state records committees.

Public records date back as far as the early beginnings of civilization. Government officials in ancient Babylon kept records in cuneiform writing on clay tablets, for example. More recently, public records laws have expanded to include modern communication platforms – like emails.

In any country, public records are indispensable to the efficient and economical operation of government. Think of it as like the “memory” part of the government’s brain. Instead of having to ask someone “When were you arrested for DUI?” and then taking their word for it, the government can consult their own records and run an orderly society.

Okay, you get it. Now let’s get to the interesting stuff: what’s actually in the public record?

What’s In Your Public Record?

Your public record contains a surprising amount of personally identifiable information about you, including:

Your Name
Birth Date
Home and Mailing Addresses
License Number
Physical Description
Social Security Number
Failures to Appear in Court Records
Failures to Pay Traffic Fine Records
License Status (whether it’s valid, revoked, suspended, or expired, for example)
Major traffic convictions stretching back 7 years (and minor traffic convictions stretching back 3 years)
Voting Records
Birth Certificates
Marriage Certificate Records
Death Certificate Records
Property Records
Court Records
Divorce Records
Arrest Records
Postal Address Information

Most of the above information is held within just one government agency: the DMV. They know almost everything about you.

What’s Excluded From The Public Record?

Certain government records are exempt from disclosure under state and federal law. Most state records laws exempt specific types of records from public disclosure. Some of the things protected under these laws include:

Communications between attorneys and their government clients
State tax information
Trade secrets
Certain lawsuit settlements
Criminal investigation records
Records about industrial expansion

The above are not considered public records, so they won’t be revealed during a public records search.

Criminal Investigations Are Not Public Records

Another major section of records that are blocked off from the public are criminal investigation records.

Records of criminal investigations conducted by public law enforcement agencies – or any criminal intelligence information collected by those agencies – are not considered to be part of the public record.

However, certain information about crimes is always public record. For example, the time, date, location, and nature of a violation of the law are part of the public record, as is the identity of anyone involved in that incident (including their name, sex, age, address, employment, and the criminal charges they were alleged to have committed).

Certain Government Records Are Considered Confidential

The government has some information about you that it will not reveal to the public. That information includes all of the following:

Social welfare information, including Medicare records
Social Security information
Tax information
School records

This information will not be disclosed to the general public.

However, it may be disclosed to certain groups. For example, the government can release your tax information (both federal and state) if it’s part of a court proceeding where tax issues are relevant, if a government agency is trying to locate a parent who owes child support payments, if state financial aid programs have been requested, or if it’s for statistical use or tax administration purposes.

Who Can Get A Copy of Public Records?

You can legally request anyone’s public record. That’s why it’s a public record. Check Criminal Record makes it easy to check someone’s public record. Our online search service can be used for far more than just criminal records searches. We can also deliver information about marriage certificates, death certificates, property holdings, and more.

If it’s part of the public record, then you – or anyone else – can legally access it. However, when you work with a public records search organization like ourselves, searches tend to be more thorough.

Some people take advantage of public records to look up their own public records, while others think it’s entertaining to look up a celebrity’s record under their real name. Whatever you choose to do, Check Criminal Record is here to help.

6 Easy Ways To Tell When Someone Is Lying to You

Learning to spot a lie is a crucial skill. It can keep you out of tough situations – and it can keep you away from shady individuals.

People who are dishonest and tell lies, often form a habit of this and lie frequently.

Criminals are of course generally dishonest people and will often be found telling lies to the people in their life. There are things you can do to get a better idea if someone is really telling the truth, and cross checking any information you can about them can be a good indicator to determine if someone is honest or not.

So with that in mind, here are 6 things that could indicate someone is lying to you.

6) They’re Covering Their Mouth Or Eyes With Their Hands

This tip sounds weird until you see it in practice. Many people unconsciously cover their mouths or eyes when they’re telling a lie. If you ask a sensitive question, and they need to lie to answer, then they might place their hand over their mouth or rub their eyes as they speak.

Subconsciously, the person is trying to shield sensitive parts of their body from the lie. Some people don’t rub their eyes: they’ll just close them or even blink more frequently. It’s a natural habit that many people cannot hide. Watch for it the next time you think someone is lying to you.

5) Hand And Face Activity

When you’re telling a lie, the autonomic nervous system kicks into action. That part of your body responds to anxiety. The most noticeable effects are that blood will drain from the surface of your face, your eye, and your extremities. This can cause the person to feel cold or itchy. You may notice their hands start moving or scratching certain parts of the body. They could start wringing or rubbing their hands together.

Meanwhile, in the face, this can lead to small signs like licking the lips or scratching the nose and ears.

Look for anything someone does in the head or face region when you suspect they’re telling a lie.

4) Start Touching, Cleaning, Or Grooming Themselves Or Other Objects

When someone is asked a lie, their brain panics. It enters a state of anxiety. A natural response to this anxiety is to calm yourself by playing with objects or your own body.

After someone is asked a question, they may start to clean objects around them, adjust things in their purse, or perform other actions with their surroundings. It’s an attempt to do something normal to cover up an abnormal activity like lying.

3) People Avoid Saying “I”

This one is something you don’t hear very often. According to Jeffrey Hancock, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University who studies online lying, claims that people who are lying about themselves rarely use the word “I”.

Instead, they’ll speak about themselves in the third person, saying things like “This is a girl who loves to swim” or just through out the pronoun altogether, using sentences like “Swimming at the beach today”.

Professor Hancock says, this is to “give themselves psychological distance from the lie.”

2) Excessive Swallowing

Telling a lie spikes anxiety levels, and this causes saliva to fill our mouths (or, depending on your level of anxiety, it could cause the throat to dry out). In any case, people who tell a lie may swallow excessively to try to rid their mouths of this uncomfortable feeling.

Some experts have also noticed that people clear their throats more frequently when lying. Any action with the throat can indicate someone is lying to you.

1) They Speak Too Deliberately Or Slowly

Someone who is trying to lie may have read a list like this. Understandably, when telling a lie, they’ll start to speak very deliberately and slowly. They’re trying to make sure they don’t scratch their nose, rub their eyes, blink too rapidly, or swallow a lot.

Controlling all of these unconscious body motions can be difficult. It requires concentration. If someone appears to be deliberately talking slowly, then they could be trying to hide a lie.

Checking Someone’s Criminal Record Is Confidential, And Legal

Unsure about someone in your life? Want to investigate a neighbor, coworker, or boss? There are all sorts of good reasons to check someone’s criminal record.

Many people are unaware that checking someone’s criminal record is a perfectly legal thing to do. Criminal records – and a lot of other sensitive information – is part of someone’s public record.

Do you think someone’s lying to you? Perform a fast criminal record check on them today to get the full story they’re not telling you. CheckCriminalRecord.com can help you get started today for free.

Want To Know More About Criminal Records? We Have The Answers

Criminal record checks are a complicated subject. Understandably, people ask a lot of questions about how our services work. Here are some detailed answers about our criminal record search services.

Why Do I Need a Criminal Record Check Service If Records Are Publicly Accessible?

Criminal records are part of the public record. When a record is a “public” record, it means general members of the public can access them.

However, there’s a big difference between a public record and a widely-available public record. For example, most criminal records aren’t just stored online and available with the click of a button.

Instead, to access someone’s public record, you typically have to work with a court researcher and other county-level officials. These individuals will scan the public record for the individual and then give you a result.

In many cases, courts and other organizations don’t easily give up information to the public. They may require you to be a member of an authorized organization, for example. Or, you may just get bumped around from office to office until you finally talk to the person you need.

Ultimately, a criminal records search service has the contacts, databases, and systems needed to find a criminal background.

Why Are Some States More Difficult for Criminal Background Checks?

Different states have different regulations. That’s why some states are notoriously difficult for background checks.

California, for example, makes it difficult for an ordinary individual to access criminal records. In California, heavy regulatory restrictions and lengthy turnaround times can frustrate criminal records searches. California has 58 courts and most allow employers to clear a candidate online – which is good. However, if a criminal record is found in any court, then all the other courts must use their court researcher to retrieve the entire record.

California isn’t the only state with this complicated process: New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Nevada are also notoriously difficult.

Why Do Two Separate Criminal Record Checks Return Different Results?

Sometimes, a criminal record may change between searches – even if the searches were conducted in a short period of time. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, the individual could have committed a crime in the time between your searches. In other cases, changes may have occurred at the courthouse or a case may have progressed to a certain point where it appears on a criminal record check.

In some cases, there may have been changes in the law that affect how someone’s information is presented on their criminal record.

To help combat this, some employers introduce post-hire monitoring, where an employee’s criminal record is monitored after they’re already hired.

How Soon Can I Receive My Criminal Record Search Results?

Many criminal background searches are returned right away. We have a fast, automated, and highly thorough process for criminal record searches. We automate our searches wherever possible to make sure you get the information you need as quickly as possible.

In cases where you’re searching multiple counties, multiple individuals, or in a particularly difficult state, searches may take a little longer to perform.

Are Your Criminal Searches 100% Accurate?

Unfortunately, no (honest) criminal record search provider will guarantee a 100% accurate background check. There are too many different moving parts and too many areas of ambiguity to guarantee 100% accuracy every time.

For example, if a state or county court records an error in their submission (like one wrong letter in a last name), then that throws off our accuracy – even though it’s not our fault.

We cannot alter county or state records. We can only report on them. However, we strive for accuracy every time and in most cases, criminal background searches performed through our service are 100% accurate.

Who Are Your Neighbors? Learn More With These 4 Tips

How well do you really know your neighbors?

Whether you just moved in or you’ve lived in your home for decades, you probably don’t know much about all your neighbors.

You live around these people every day. Your kids walk past their homes on the way back from school. They know when you leave the house on vacation and they know when your lights get turned off at night.

You may be surprised who your neighbors really are. Today, we’re teaching you 4 ways to learn more about your neighbors that may be unethical – but they’re also totally legal.

1) Run a Criminal Records Search

Running a criminal records search on someone is perfectly legal. In fact, all you need is a first name and last name – which is something you can get from searching the phonebook or through property title searches.

If you already know the names of your neighbors, then you can skip right ahead to the fun part: finding their criminal record and other background information using their first and last name.

At CheckCriminalRecord.com, all we need to get started is a first name and last name. Then, you instantly get information about everyone with that name across America. You can narrow down your search by city or state or get more information about that specific individual.

Yes, this is completely legal: criminal records are public records. They’re accessible to the public – although they’re not something anyone can just search online.

A public records search can turn up more than just a criminal record: it can reveal misdemeanors, traffic violations, parking tickets, and even charges that were dropped.

Remember: approximately one third of the adult working age population in America has a criminal record. Think of the houses on your street or around you. Of those houses, there’s a good chance that someone, somewhere has a criminal record.

Maybe it’s something relatively innocent: like white collar crime. Or maybe it’s a non-violent drug crime. Or maybe it’s something much worse.

Until you run a criminal records check, you just don’t know. Remember: criminal records checks are legal and untraceable back to you.

2) Check Free Sex Offender Registries

The law requires sex offenders to register their location with state authorities. This location information is then available in public records.

Websites like http://www.familywatchdog.us will show the offenders living around you. All you need to do is enter a ZIP code. Then, you’ll immediately see pins pop up around your neighborhood.

Those pins are surprisingly detailed. For most of your neighbors, you’ll see a name, a mugshot, their date of birth, height, weight, and home address. You’ll also see which type of crime they committed.

There are countless other online services and apps that offer similar functionality. Check these sex offender registries regularly to stay updated on which types of criminals may be living around you.

Some may consider it unethical. But if you’re like most people, then protecting your family is more important.

3) Check the FBI Sex Offender Registry

The FBI’s Sex Offender Registry directs you to the sex offender search engine for your state. Select your state from the list and then start browsing through your state’s sex offenders.

Most state sex offender registries let you search by street, city, and ZIP code – kind of like the online services we mentioned above.

You can also search by name, alias names, and other information. It’s all free and easy.

If you don’t want to restrict your search to just one state, then you can also search the national registry of sex offenders, which is a service offered by the US Department of Justice. They even have an app you can download for Android or iPhone!

4) Search Public Records By Contacting State Organizations

Check Criminal Record will perform a criminal record and public record search on any individual on your behalf (as long as you’re not searching for someone for employment reasons or for any other reason requiring FCRA compliance).

In that case, the search you performed in step 2 may give you enough information about your neighbors. You don’t have to contact any state departments because we do all that for you.

Some of the things that can turn up in our record searches include:

Birth and death certificates
Marriage license certificates
Deeds, mortgages, and other property record information
Licenses, including professional licenses and business licenses
Driving records
Criminal and sex offender records
Court records
And much more

If you want more information about a particular person, then you can also request a public records search through a state organization. The DMV has a good explanation of how to do that here. Basically, it involves contacting the agency in your state that handles public records. You can start this process by contacting your local town or city hall or courthouse.

Or, if you want to search public records on the national level, you can also make a Freedom of Information Act request to the US Department of State, or to a specific federal agency.

Of course, this is a time and labor-intensive process. And, many state organizations will turn you down if you don’t have proper credentials or a good explanation. That’s why many people rely on services like CheckCriminalRecord.com

Remember: You Sleep Beside Your Neighbors Every Night

Many of us just assume our neighbors are good people with clean criminal records. In reality, your neighbors could come from all sorts of different backgrounds.

You fall asleep within a stone’s throw of your neighbors at night. Your kids play in the yard in front of your neighbors. For better or worse, you and your neighbors occupy the same space in this world.

Why not learn a little more about them?

Do You Really Know The Person You’re Dating?

We live in a world where you can get a date for tonight on Tinder without leaving your couch. But how well do you really know the new person you’re dating?

Whether you met on Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, Instagram, Match, or any one of the dozens of other social media / dating platforms available today, you probably don’t know everything about your new fling.

Sometimes, it’s nice to keep things casual. But if you want to get more serious, then you need to know who you’re dating. Remember: 60% of all violent crimes in America are committed by loved ones or acquaintances.

With that sobering thought in mind, let’s take a look at how you can easily learn more about the person you’re dating.

1) Google Their Name, Phone Number, Address, And All Other Personal Information

The first and easiest step is to use a search engine like Google to learn more about the person you’re seeing.

Yes, this can feel a bit stalker-ish. But hey, you’re doing it to protect yourself.

If you’re dating someone new, then you’re probably already Googled their name at least once. Google their name again and look at news stories mentioning their name. Make sure they’re using a real name that shows up in search results. Look at the images tab to find things that may not show up in the general search – you may be surprised what you find.

You should also be wary if they’re using a name that’s suspiciously common – like John Smith or James Miller (sorry to all the real John Smiths and James Millers out there). A common name isn’t enough to immediately make you suspicious of that person. However, if they have a common name and you can’t find any specific information about that person online, then you may want to take a closer look.

After Googling their name, Google their phone number. Typically, phone number searches won’t reveal anything but websites with lists of all phone numbers in a region. However, you can sometimes find an old business or other organizations with which your new friend is/was associated.

You’ve come this far on your stalking binge, so you might as well go all-in: Google every piece of personally identifiable information about the person – like their address, workplace, and anything else you find or can think of.

Even if you don’t turn up anything nefarious, you’ll at least know a lot more about your boyfriend/girlfriend the next time you get together!

2) Search For A Criminal Record

This might seem a bit intense for a new relationship, but it’s something thousands of men and women do every day.

Running a criminal record search on someone is perfectly legal. There’s nothing to stop you from doing it. Criminal records are public records, and that means someone like you is allowed to look at them.

Today, online services like CheckCriminalRecord.com have made finding someone’s criminal record incredibly straightforward. These criminal search services let you enter a name and find out everything you need to know about that person’s background.

You can check their background in a specific state and county. Or, you can scan the entire country for results.

All searches are performed anonymously and they leave no trace. One criminal records search can turn up information about someone’s criminal record. Or, even things like parking tickets, misdemeanors, and charges that were dropped can appear during a public records search.

We specialize in checking public records and criminal records for new boyfriends and girlfriends. In fact, thousands of people have used our service for precisely that reason.

To get started today, fill out the person’s first and last name using the online form on CheckCriminalRecord.com.

3) Casually Ask About Their Daily Schedule

Is the new person you’re dating really a lawyer at that big law office downtown? Or are they really just a janitor at a bar?

The next time you hang out, ask about their daily schedule. Maybe see if they can meet up to grab coffee on a lunch break, for example. Ask what they did today. You’d be surprised by how many people lie about their jobs. Some people are just insecure about their jobs, while others are hiding something more nefarious.

4) Gently Probe Their Positions On Key Issues

You may think somebody is “the one” – until you hear their stance on abortions, capital punishment, immigration, or some other contentious issue.
Now, it’s probably not a good idea to ask these kinds of heady questions on a first date. But over the next few dates, it’s important to casually probe about serious topics – after all, these are thing that make or break a relationship.

But you want to do it gently.

Instead of coming straight out and saying, “immigrants are the scourge of our nation”, for example, start with something a little softer like “Trump sure has some interesting ideas on immigration, hey?”

5) Talk To Them About It – There Could Have Been A Mistake Somewhere Along the Way

Ultimately, you could find a lot of bad information about someone while Googling or checking their criminal record – only to realize you’ve been looking at the wrong person the whole time.

In other cases, criminal records can be mistakenly placed under someone’s identity, potentially ruining their reputation for life.

If you’re concerned about the results you found, then talk to that person first before doing something drastic – like breaking up over one search result. In some cases, there’s a good explanation. In other cases, there may have been some error along the way.

And then there are some situations where the person was deliberately trying to hide something really bad from you. You never know until you check.

You Could Have a Criminal Record Even If You’ve Never Committed a Crime

Criminal records can turn up some surprising results about the people around you. But some of the most surprising results might be about yourself.

Many people use affordable search services like Check Criminal Record to check their own criminal records, thinking that nothing will pop up. To their enormous surprise, they find that they have a criminal record – even if they have never been convicted of a crime in their lives!

There are a few reasons for this. The first and most likely reason is criminal identity theft.

Criminal Identity Theft

Criminal identity theft occurs when someone uses your identification, name, or contact information to a law enforcement officer during an investigation or after being arrested.

In some cases, the imposter has fraudulently been using your identity for years. In other cases, they may have stolen your wallet or simply just found your lost driver’s license on the ground one day and then decided to use it instead of giving the cops their real name.

The most likely culprit for criminal identity theft is your own family, friends, and social circle. Someone might use a sibling’s name and information when speaking to a police officer, for example. If the police officer is handing out a speeding ticket or some other violation, then that person will be able to drive away with a promise to appear in court. However, that record appears in your name – so the imposter is never held responsible when they don’t show up to court.

With that in mind, you might have a bench warrant or arrest warrant out for you. You might go through a routine traffic stop, only to end up getting arrested because someone else fraudulently used your identity.

These cases are relatively rare, but they still happen every day all across America.

In some cases, we’ve seen customers find criminal activity dating back years under their name – despite the fact that they’ve never even spoken to a police officer.

Even Dropped Charges Can Appear on a Criminal Record Check

Criminal identity theft isn’t the only reason why strange charges may appear on your criminal record. Sometimes, criminal record checks can turn up charges that were dropped. You might have successfully handled charges and had them dismissed, only to have them pop up years later on a criminal record history report. This doesn’t always occur, and it can vary between states and counties, but it’s still seen occasionally.

Traffic and Parking Charges Can Appear When Searching Criminal Records

Take a close look at the charges that appeared on your criminal record search report: they might not be as severe as they first appeared. Traffic violations and parking “crimes” may appear on your criminal record, for example. Obviously, when things like this show up on your criminal record, it won’t be as big of a deal to employers or others searching your background information as more severe charges.

How to Deal with Criminal Identity Theft

If you’ve been victimized by criminal identity theft, then your first job is to contact the arresting or citing law enforcement agency, which is the police organization that originally arrested the imposter who used your identity. They’ve probably dealt with cases of misidentification before.

In many cases, the person who used your identity can be caught and brought to justice, while your record remains cleared of all charges.

Check Your Own Criminal Record Today

How many potential job offers could you have missed out on if there was a criminal record you didn’t even know you had? How many times have you been denied tenancy because of some unknown showing up on a criminal history search report? It never hurts to check. Consider checking your criminal record today to give yourself valuable peace of mind.

Everything You Need to Know About the “Ban the Box” Criminal Record Check Movement Spreading Across America

“Ban the box” policies are making headlines across America. This movement seeks to “ban the box” on employment forms that asks whether or not a job candidate has ever been convicted of a crime.

The idea behind this movement is that boxes prevent former criminals from seeking gainful employment across America, which just pushes them back towards a life of crime.

For better or worse, the ban the box movement has created a mess of different policies across America, and many employers, employees, and lawmakers are confused.

What do you need to know about banning the box? Today, we’re sharing the most important things to know about this movement.

Half of Employers Believe It’s Unfair

In one study of employers across America, it was found that 48% of employers believe ban the box laws are unfair. Employers, after all, often want to know whether or not a future employee has committed a crime – including the type of crime that may have been committed.

That study involved 500 individual employers across a range of 24 industries, including technology, banking, healthcare, government/military, manufacturing, and professional services.

More than Half of Employers Are Ignoring the Law and Asking Employees to Self-Disclose

The same study linked above showed that more than half of employers (53%) continue to ask candidates to disclose their own criminal records on applications – regardless of whether a ban the box law has been passed in the state.

This isn’t really a loophole: job candidates can choose to self-disclose this information or not. The idea is that an employer will run the background check anyway, and the information will be revealed – so it’s in your best interest to tell your employer now before they find out later.

The Law is in Over 100 Cities and Counties and 18 States Across America

At the time of writing, ban the box laws had arrived in 18 states, including 100 cities and counties across America.

Which States Have Banned the Box?

Find your state in the list below to determine your local box ban policies.

-Statewide Ban the Box Policy: New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Hawaii, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.

-States and Individual Localities Have Banned the Box: Oregon, California, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

-States Where at Least One Locality Has Banned the Box: Washington, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and Connecticut.

-No Ban the Box Laws Passed Anywhere in the State: Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, and Alaska.

Ban the Box is Part of an International Campaign

Ban the box isn’t just an American movement: it’s a civil rights movement taking place around the world. However, America is one of the major battlegrounds and it’s also where the movement got its start.

The ban the box movement first popped up in Hawaii in the late 1990s, and then it faced a resurgence after the 2007 to 2009 recession. America – which incarcerates more people than any other country in the world – is seen as particularly valuable to the ban the box movement, because many otherwise good job candidates have been hit with a criminal record. Supporters of the movement often cite unusually harsh drug crime laws as a major driver of the movement.

Many Ban the Box Laws Exclude the Rule for Certain Sensitive Jobs (Like Working with Children)

Ban the box laws don’t typically require a universal ban on the box on application forms. Instead, most laws make exemptions for certain job titles – including jobs where you work with children, for example.

Certain Companies Have Implemented their Own Ban the Box Laws

Certain companies aren’t waiting for the box to be banned from their state, so they’ve gone ahead and implemented a company-wide banned box policy.

Target was the first major company to do this. They banned the box in October 2013.

Is It Good or Bad?

There are two main sides to the ban the box law.

On the one side, some people dislike the laws because it potentially exposes coworkers, employers, businesses, and customers to criminal activity.

On the other side, supporters claim banning the box makes it easier for former criminals to get jobs, which makes them less likely to re-offend and harm society as a whole.

Whether ban the box laws exist or not, it will always be legal to check someone’s criminal record here at CheckCriminalRecord.com. Remember: it’s a public records search, and you’re entitled to view the public records of anybody.

1) How Long Will It Take to Get a Criminal Record Check in My State?

Getting a criminal record check varies between states. Remember that different states have different rules regarding how criminal records are stored and who has access to those records.

Some of our searches can be completed in a matter of minutes. Others can take several weeks to fully uncover the truth.

California, for example, is one state where background checks take a particularly long time. The state of California has 58 different courts, all of which allow employers to conduct criminal record checks on future employees. However, when you make a request in one court in California, all counties in the state must use a court researcher to retrieve the entire record. This can cause lengthy delays while a court researcher takes the time to comb through records across all requests.

California isn’t the only state where records take a long time: New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Nevada also require the use of court researchers.

Keep in mind that you cannot use our service to determine someone’s employability (or for any other reason that would require FCRA compliance) because we are not a Consumer Reporting Agency.

2) Does My County Require a Court Researcher?

Court researchers are on their way out of the system across America. Today, automated search programs speed up the record recovery process. Nevertheless, many counties still require the use of a court researcher. This varies widely from county to county. However, the number of courts requiring court researchers is certainly dwindling as more and more courts automate their records.

Fewer court researchers means an easier and faster recovery process for our team. However, in cases where records are pulled automatically, our team will still double check to make sure the automated search returned results as complete as any manual search – so all your bases are covered.

3) Should I Request a Country-wide Search or Search in Specific States and Counties?

Some people use criminal record search services to identify a specific crime. They may know where the exact crime was committed, or where the public records are stored. Say, if someone has lived in one county for their entire lives, then you know that their marriage certificates, divorce records, and other public records are probably stored in that county.

On the other hand, most people want to get the full report on someone. Maybe the individual committed a crime while they were on vacation in Hawaii. Maybe they’ve moved around a lot. There are all sorts of good reasons to perform a countrywide criminal records search. If you only search in a specific state or county, then you may be missing a significant chunk of that person’s history.

4) What Are the Advantages of a County Records Search?

The major advantage of a county search is that county courthouses contain the most up-to-date records. Crimes and charges are processed at the county courthouse first. When you ask a county courthouse for a criminal record check, they’ll return the most up-to-date data.

State records are still fairly up-to-date, although it may take some time to process data from county courthouses.

On the other hand, some states and regions will block county records searches, in which case a state search is your only option.

5) What’s More Expensive? State Searches or County Searches?

The costs of public records searches vary widely across America. Sometimes, state searches are more expensive. In other cases, county searches are more expensive. It depends on the fees charged by the court, including processing fees.

6) How Do You Ensure You Found the Complete Criminal Record?

We’re proud of our team of researchers and of our proprietary search program. Together, they’re among the best in the country at finding criminal records. If a public record is out there and legally accessible, they’ll find it. To ensure complete accuracy, our team works in the following ways:

-We search through thousands of data sources and 34 billion public records across the United States, telling us whether or not a crime has been committed in a jurisdiction where the individual is living (or has previously lived)

-Next, we search nationwide (or statewide, depending on your request) to see if crimes have been committed by the individual in other counties or states where they have never lived (say, if they were working or traveling and committed a crime).

-Our proprietary technology searches through over 2,000 more third party booking and incarceration websites to ensure we haven’t missed anything

-We double check our findings with the county court records to ensure authenticity. County courts have access to over 75% of all US criminal records, so they’re a good primary source of information about the candidate.

7) How Accurate Are Criminal Records Checks?

No criminal record check service will guarantee 100% authenticity or 100% accuracy. In some cases, this is the fault of the person checking the criminal record. But in many cases, it’s actually the fault of the source itself. A court may have entered a digit wrong in the date of birth, for example, causing records to get mixed up or return inaccurate results.

Among criminal background check services, Check Criminal Record is considered to be among the most-accurate available online today.

Check Criminal Records Now

You Must Request Permission in Professional Settings

Permission is Not Required in Personal Settings

Can Someone Tell You Checked Their Background?

Final Word

Some States Have State Databases, While Others Have County Databases

Case Information May Not Be Available Online

How to Request Information from County Courthouses

How Much Does It Cost?

How to Request State Court Information

Use a Background Check Service to Simplify County Court Record Searches

Criminal Record Check Websites

The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW.gov)

PeekYou

County Court Registrar Databases

Is Checking Someone’s Criminal Record Online Legal?

Final Words About Online Record Checks

Use Facebook’s Search Function for Surprisingly Detailed Results

Snoop on Someone’s Instagram Even If They Have a Private Profile

Google Someone’s Online Username

Enter Someone’s Username Into Facebook

Enter Usernames Into Login Forms and Click “Forgot Password” to Find an Email Address

Taking Advantage of the “Suggested Follow” Function on Locked Twitter Accounts

Check a Criminal Record

Check Your Own Criminal Record First

Get Consent If Checking Someone’s Criminal Record for a Job or Lease

Understand What’s Included on a Background Check

Understand Certain Records Are Off Limits

You Can’t Access All Records, Even If They’re Newer Than Seven Years

Arrest Records Might Appear

You Can Expunge Certain Arrest Records

You Can Expunge Certain Convictions – Even Felonies

Be Wary of Free Online Background Check Websites

Avoid Defamation Lawsuits By Not Spreading Falsehoods

Easily Find Criminal Records For Anyone

Here are some of the most common reasons to run a criminal background check in 2020:

National Sex Offender Registry (NSOPW.gov)

Each State’s Department of Public Safety

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC.org)

People Search Websites and Social Media Websites

Check Criminal Record (CheckCriminalRecord.com)

Final Tips On Finding Criminal Arrest Records

A Name

The Person’s Consent (Required for Employment Screenings)

Additional Information Can Narrow Down Search Results

It’s Legal to Check Someone’s Criminal Record for Personal Use

You Need Consent to Check Someone’s Criminal Record for Professional Use

‘Ban the Box’ Laws Restrict Employers from Asking About Criminal Convictions

Employers Must follow Additional Anti-Discriminatory Regulations with Background Checks

Some States Restrict Background Checks for Cases Older Than Seven Years

Types of Criminal Background Searches

Consider Using a Professional Criminal Record Search Service to Avoid Legal Headaches

Final Word

What’s on a Criminal History Check?

What Is Not on a Criminal Background Check?

Is It Legal to Run a Criminal Background Check?

Before You Start Searching Records

Step 1) Check Sex Offender Registries

Step 2) Check the Arrest Record Database for Your State

Step 3) Repeat for Each State

Step 4) Check County Records

Step 5) Use a Professional Criminal Record Search Service for Comprehensive, Instant Results

The Truth About What Can Happen To Your Children

Check For Criminal History Of Adults In Your Child’s Life

Request Your Own Federal Records Through the FBI

Check State & Federal Courthouses For Someone’s Arrest History Records

Using PACER Or NSOPW To Search Records

Good Old Google Search

The National Driver Register (NDR) And The DMV

Your Local Town Hall, City Hall, Or County Courthouse.

Submitting A Request Through The FBI

Using The Freedom of Information Act To Learn More About Someone

Checking Someone’s Record May Not Be As Hard As You Think

7) Take Note Of Everything On Their Profile

6) Look At Your Mutual Friends Or Their Friends’ List

5) Use the Search By Image Feature On Google

4) Get An Anonymous Criminal Record Check

3) Search By Phone Number

2) Pretend To Be Someone Else And Add The Person On Social Media

1) Take A Screenshot Of Their Instagram Picture And Zoom In