Court Record Searches
Investigative record searches pulling from courts, government agencies, and third-party sources to verify identity, history, and risk. This is what most buyers mean when they say "background check."
What Court Record Searches Cover
Court record searches are not a single search. They're a combination of county, state, and federal sources determined by the role being filled, the candidate's address history, and applicable compliance requirements. PSBI doesn't sell one-size packages — we configure searches based on what the position actually requires.
Criminal Records
Felony and misdemeanor convictions, pending charges, arrest records, and case dispositions from county, state, and federal courts.
Civil Court Records
Civil judgments, liens, bankruptcies, and litigation history that may indicate financial risk or patterns of behavior.
Traffic & Infractions
Serious traffic violations, DUI/DWI convictions, and criminal traffic offenses (when applicable to the search type).
Sex Offender Registry
National and state sex offender registry checks to identify registered offenders and compliance violations.
Warrants & Probation
Active warrants, probation status, and parole records (where available and legally reportable).
Case Dispositions
Final outcomes, sentencing details, and current status of criminal cases including deferred adjudication and expungement status.
Important: Court record searches only cover the jurisdictions searched. They are not national guarantees. A county search in Cook County, Illinois will not show records from Harris County, Texas. Search scope is determined by address history, role requirements, and compliance rules — not arbitrary geographic coverage.
Types of Court Record Searches
Different search methods provide different levels of coverage and turnaround times. The right combination depends on the position, industry requirements, and organizational risk tolerance.
County Court Records
Direct searches of county-level criminal and civil courts where most cases are filed and adjudicated.
Learn MoreState Court Records
Statewide repository searches providing broader coverage where centralized databases are available.
Learn MoreSpecialty State Reports
State-mandated background check programs for regulated industries like childcare, healthcare, and education.
Learn MoreHow PSBI Determines Which Courts to Search
Jurisdiction selection isn't guesswork, and it's not a pre-packaged product. PSBI uses address history, role-specific compliance rules, and regulatory requirements to determine exactly which courts need to be searched for each candidate.
Address History
Current and previous addresses determine which counties and states to search based on residence and employment history.
Role Requirements
Position-specific compliance rules determine search depth, jurisdiction scope, and whether federal or specialty searches are required.
Regulatory Standards
Industry regulations (DOT, healthcare, childcare) and state-specific hiring laws dictate minimum search requirements.
Organizational Policy
Your internal background check policy defines additional search parameters beyond minimum compliance requirements.
Database Searches vs. Direct Court Access
Database searches query aggregated records from multiple sources. They're fast and cover broad geographic areas, but they're only as current as their last update and may miss records from courts that don't report to that database.
Direct court access searches pull records directly from the court clerk's office or official state repository. Slower turnaround, but more reliable and often required for FCRA compliance in certain contexts. PSBI uses the appropriate method based on role requirements and compliance needs.
Turnaround Times & Pricing
Court record search turnaround depends on search type, jurisdiction, and court responsiveness. Database searches typically return within minutes to hours. Direct court searches can take 1-5 business days depending on the court. Specialty state programs operate on government timelines and may take longer.
Pricing varies by jurisdiction and search type. PSBI does not charge per-jurisdiction fees on top of search fees — your compliance configuration determines what gets searched, and you're billed for the searches that run. Contact us for a quote based on your specific compliance needs.
Court Records That Don't Stop at Hire
Most background check companies treat court record searches as a one-time transaction. You order it, you get the report, and that's it. If something happens six months later, you won't know unless you manually order another search.
PreSearch connects initial court record searches to ongoing compliance monitoring. When you add background checks to a position's compliance rules, you can configure whether those records should be monitored continuously or rechecked on a schedule. The system handles the rest.
Continuous Criminal Monitoring
Ongoing alerts when new criminal records appear in monitored jurisdictions. Not a scheduled recheck — continuous monitoring that notifies you when something changes.
Learn about Criminal MonitoringPeriodic Rescreening
Scheduled re-runs of court record searches at defined intervals (annually, every 2 years, etc.). Different from monitoring — this is a point-in-time recheck on a schedule you define.
Learn about Periodic RescreeningReady to get started?
See how PreSearch handles court record searches and ongoing compliance for your organization.