Tag: public access criminal records

Categories
CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Public Case Access

County and circuit courts have online search portals that allow the public to access court case records. Depending on the court, the information is free of charge to anyone who accesses the system. Some courts allow users to print the information from the online portal, while others require users to request court documents for a fee.

Most online search portals for court documents are known as Public Case Access portals that are managed by Odyssey. Odyssey is a court case management system that courts use to perform court administration functions online.

What is Public Case Access?

Public Case Access is the online court management software provided by Tyler Technologies. This software allows courts to streamline their administration process using an online portal and allowing various levels of access to users. The levels are based on public access, attorney access, and court administration access.

Using this online search portal allows users to perform the following functions:

  • Perform online court case searches
  • Attach court documents and notes
  • File court cases
  • Enter court events and hearings
  • Perform court administration duties
  • View and access the Clerk of Court’s Register of Actions for court cases
  • Locate, view, and print forms needed for court cases
  • Pay court fines and calculate court costs and fees

This software has an option for court administrators to utilize the virtual court function. This function provides remote hearings for courts that opt-in to this service.

Public Case Access
Public Case Access

How It Works

Depending on the login that the user selects the way the software works is by allowing users to perform functions related to the type of login that the user accesses. Here is a summary of what can be found when accessing each login:

Attorney login- The attorney login is designed for state and district attorneys, trial lawyers, and public defenders. Access at this level allows individuals to generate documents, perform court case searches, access the register of actions, and update court cases.

Public user- As a public user, you have access to court cases, electronic filing of court documents, and court information.

Court administrator- This access is only given to court clerks and their staff. It allows the individual to maintain and manage court cases filed in their court.

For detailed information access your court’s online search portal.

Who Can Use Case Access?

Anyone can access the public case access portal. There are separate logins depending on the type of user access the program. The separate logins provide access to different interfaces supported by the system.

How to Find Public Case Access

To find out if your county court’s online court case search portal is administered by Odyssey, you will need to go to the court’s website or contact the court. If the online search portal is supported by Odyssey, you will be directed to the court case search interface when you click on the “search court case records” link.

About Public Case Access

This program is part of Odyssey which is part of Tyler Technologies. They are based out of Plano, TX, and provide services for different areas of government. The Courts and Justice system that is used by courts nationwide is part of the case management system interface that is offered by the company.

Categories
CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Criminal Records Free

Criminal Records Free Access

Criminal records free access is a cost-effective way to look up information regarding individuals looking for employment or wanting to rent a house or apartment. Ideally, you want to perform nationwide checks as well as federal checks.

When looking up information for nationwide checks federal arrests and court cases may not appear. In most cases, you will need to conduct a federal search through federal criminal records online search portal such as PACER. PACER provides information for cases filed in a federal court of law only. Information on obtaining court documents and the type of court documents that are available can be found on the PACER website.

Searching for Criminal Records Free Access

Free access to criminal records varies depending on where the case was filed. Some states have a statewide online search portal and in others, you would need to obtain information in the county where the case was filed.

You can also perform a search on the statewide department of law enforcement. You would need to search for the state’s website and find out if they provide a criminal records free access search portal. Some states require you to conduct a background check to access criminal records for that state. However, if you are searching for criminal records free access portals in certain counties, it might be easier to look with the county courthouse, jail, and/or sheriff’s office.

Criminal Records Free
Criminal Records Free

Where to Look for Criminal Records Free Access

There are a number of places that you can look for criminal records aside from the courts and law enforcement. You can look up information on the state’s Department of Corrections website or look at county jails.

Information Found

The information that is provided on the criminal records search will vary depending on where you are searching. Most criminal records will list the offense, the time and date of the offense, court case information about the offense, and personal information about the subject that is being searched.

Verifying Criminal Records

If you need to verify criminal records, the first step would be to contact the judicial district that the court case was filed in. You can also check with the arresting law enforcement agency and see if they will provide you with free access to arrest records. If the information that you obtain is from the department of corrections, the information should be accurate.

In some circumstances, you might be able to contact the state or district attorney’s office that prosecuted the case in question. The information that they provide or can verify might be limited.

What the Public Should Know

When you are looking at criminal records, you should always verify the accuracy of the information obtained. Arrest records do not always constitute a conviction for the crime. Therefore, it would need to be verified with a court to see if the individual was convicted of a crime.

The public has a right to inspect and research criminal records and court cases. This is considered public information unless the case has been sealed, expunged, or if the individual was a juvenile at the time.

Categories
CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Free Court Records

How to Search for Free Court Records

Court documents, arrest records, and official records are considered public information and can be found online or by visiting a courthouse. The public is allowed to search for free court records through their county courthouse, however, they may have to pay a fee if they want to receive copies of these documents.

Free Court Records vs Background Checks

Court records are part of an individual’s information that is contained in background checks. Background checks provide information about tickets, citations, arrests, and court record regardless of if the information was filed in a courthouse.

Court records consist of information or documents filed during court hearings on cases filed in a courthouse. If the case was not filed in court, you would need to request a background check on an individual to locate information about an arrest or citation.

If you need help performing a background check, you can contact the local police department or the county sheriff’s office to assist you with conducting a background check. Most services are available by paying a fee.

Free Court Records
Free Court Records

How to Obtain Copies of Free Court Records

If you want to obtain free court records, you can perform a web search to locate the county courthouse’s website. Some counties provide an online court record search portal that allows the public to look up court documents. In most cases, these portals provide court case information at no charge.

If you are unable to locate an online search portal for the county courthouse, you can contact the county court clerk’s office to obtain information on requesting court records. You may need to submit a request to the clerk’s office by mail, fax, online, or in person. When submitting a request for court records you may have to pay fees for the search and copies of documents. These fees vary so you will need to check with the court clerk’s office for more information.

Things to Know About Free Court Records

There are other websites and organizations that provide access to court records. Most court officials believe that anything filed in a court of law is considered public information.

You should be cautious when looking for court records from websites that you believe look suspicious. Unless you are using the official website for the county clerk or the county courthouse, do not give out personal information or pay a fee before obtaining information about the court case records that you are looking for. If you are required to pay a fee make sure to verify what is included with the fee.

In some areas, you may encounter consolidated court systems. This allows anyone with access to the program to access court records. Typically, this access is given to attorneys, court staff, and law enforcement agencies. You can contact one of these agencies to assist you with obtaining information if you are unable to reach a clerk of the court.

Some states have a statewide judicial system online court record search portal. Keep this in mind when you are searching for free court case documents.