Court records such as case registers, land registers, and criminal records are publicly available for legal research or personal curiosity. They detail parties involved, case progression, land transfers, and criminal history. Accessibility varies by jurisdiction, but many are available online or in person.
There are several types of court records that are publicly available upon request for legal research or just personal curiosity. The most common public records kept in courts are case registers, land registers, and criminal records. Generally the court will make them available as part of the public record, although accessibility can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Cases of all types are searchable court records. Most jurisdictions make every case available, including criminal, civil, bankruptcy, and even simple traffic violations. Depending on the nature of the document, court documents typically detail the name, address and date of birth of the party involved. It will also detail how the case has progressed, with all documents filed by either party reflected in the case log. If it is a criminal or civil trial, very often the president’s written opinion will also be made available.
Public land records are also commonly required by court records for a variety of reasons. Because land records detail every land transfer that has been made, listing every single previous owner, they are often researched by subsequent land buyers to determine that the land transfer they are making will be valid. Additionally, public land records will show any liens and easements that previously existed and currently exist on the property. Finally, the cadastral documentation includes the deed, which provides detailed information on the actual defined boundaries of the tract of land in question.
The third type of criminal record, usually public, is people’s criminal records. Often times, employers will require a criminal background check of an applicant due to the nature of the job. To do this they will look for public judicial documents. However, most jurisdictions have statutes that protect individuals’ privacy and require their permission to allow access to that information.
Because they are typically entirely public records, land records and documents detailing court proceedings are almost always accessible to anyone looking for them. Many jurisdictions make this information available online, although because modernizing court records is a costly endeavor, many courts require that anyone seeking to view such records must do so in person. If the court hasn’t done it themselves, private organizations sometimes compile records into an online database and charge a small fee to gain access.
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