Criminal Court Records

Are you trying to find out more about someone you know or conduct a background check in search of a criminal history? If so, you may need to search records from criminal court cases in your area. These types of records will tell you who the parties were that were involved in the case, charges, incarceration and any convictions or judgments.

Charges in Criminal Court Cases

Criminal courts hear cases that involve parties alleged to have committed a crime against society. Examples of criminal charges include murder, fraud, rape or theft.  Furthermore, these charges may be classified as misdemeanors or felonies. The severity of the offense, type of plea entered by the defendant, and his or her criminal past, if any, all play a part in determining which type of charges they will face.

A defendant may be the subject of charges entered by the local, state or federal government. Often, cases are named as the government body vs. the defendant, or “State of Florida vs. John Doe” for example.

Jury vs. Judge Trial

Criminal cases are almost always heard by a jury, which is selected according to the criminal procedure in the United States with input from both the prosecution and the defense. Some criminal cases such as those involving DUIs or DWIs may be decided by a judge, who relies on constitutional and local laws as well as the rules of the court--these may be referred to as “statutory criminal procedure.”

Information Available to the Public about Criminal Proceedings

Every criminal case is assigned a file number which can be found in an index at the corresponding Court Clerk’s office. After finding the file number you need, you can go directly to the actual file which contains further details about the case. Evidence entered, minutes from hearings and trial proceedings, charges and pleas entered, parties involved and even the final judgment and subsequent appeals are included in this file.

Personal identifying information is generally obscured from public view, unless you are a direct party involved in the case. If you were the defendant or representative for the defense, you should be able to access these complete records without incident. If not, you will likely only know the charges and outcome of the case, dates and the name of the accused.

Background Checks

Criminal records are often ideal for employment or personal background checks, and can be performed for a fee on your own. This will save you from having to hire a personal investigator who may charge exorbitant fees. Many state and local government websites, in addition to the FBI, offer checks of criminal history for a reasonable fee. You’ll need to provide the individual’s name, date of birth and preferably their Social Security number to narrow down your results. It’s also possible to use a public records search engine to discover if any records exist and where, and simply access them in person.