Research Guides: Public Records: Public Records

What are public records?

Public records provide information about businesses and individuals, are on file with government entities and are (though sometime difficult to find) accessible to the public.

Examples include:

People Businesses

bankruptcies, liens & judgments bankruptcies, liens & judgments

real property ownership & transfer real property ownership & transfer

aircraft & water registrations corporations & limited partnerships

campaign contributions & voter registrations environmental site records

criminal records fictitious business names ("DBAs")

drivers' licenses & motor vehicle registrations UCC liens

professional licenses

Terrorist Watchlist

*From http://libguides.law.smu.edu/content.php?pid=305037&sid=2500168*

Public Records Databases

U.S. Government Publishing Office
Covers all types of U.S. government documents, including Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments (Defense, State, Labor, Office of the President, etc.).

Internet Resources: State & Local

Cook Country Clerk of Court
Provides access to general circuit court info and archives to Cook County case files and records.
Cook County Property Assessor
Search cook county tax records by PIN, address, neighborhood, appeals, or exemptions.
Cook County Property Owners
Search for property deeds and titles, assessments, taxes, permits, and zoning.
Electronic Documents of Illinois
The Electronic Documents of Illinois provides permanent public access to official publications of the State of Illinois which have been deposited in electronic form.
Illinois State Archives
The Illinois State Archives serves by law as the depository of public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent administrative, legal, or historical research values. Its collections do not include manuscript, newspaper, or other nonofficial sources.
Illinois.gov
Information created and gathered by the State of Illinois. A wealth of information around business, education, health & safety, and more.
Vital Records: Illinois Department of Public Health
The Illinois Department of Public Health preserves the state's records on births, deaths, marriages, civil unions and dissolutions. Birth and death records collected by the Department date back to 1916. Generally, these records are available only to the individual named on the record or to a member of his or her immediate family.

Internet Resources: Federal

CIA and FOIA
Freely accessible information from the Central Intelligence Agency. Search for "sanitized" documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Edgar: US Securities & Exchnage Comission
All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Anyone can access and download this information for free. These filings contain a wealth of information, including earnings, acquisitions, executive salaries, subsidiaries, lawsuits, and more.
EPA MyEnvironment
Search a variety of environmental databases by zip code for information such as air quality, pollution data, and environmental regulations in effect.
FBI and FOIA
FBI: The Vault
The Vault is the FBI's new electronic reading room, containing 6,700 documents and other media that have been scanned from paper into digital copies so you can read them in the comfort of your home or office.
National Archives: Research Our Records
Online public portal to the National Archives records. The OPA prototype currently provides access to nearly one million electronic records currently in the Electronic Records Archives (ERA).
U.S. Census Bureau
#1 source for current population data and the latest Economic Indicators. Households to Business to Government - Income & Spending. Race by Sex by Age or poverty & health insurance data. Foreign Trade shows what is coming in and what is going out. Federal Spending and much more.
USA.gov
The official website of U.S. Government with links to most federal agencies and a host of government services and information.
The Reporters Committee For Freedom of the Press
The Mission of the committee is to protect the right to gather and distribute news; to keep government accountable by ensuring access to public records, meetings and courtrooms; and to preserve the principles of free speech and unfettered press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - See more at: http://www.rcfp.org/index.php#sthash.ID6NxSNe.dpuf
PACER-Public Access to Court Electronic Records
**Access to this database will require a paid account** Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information from federal appellate, district and bankruptcy courts, and the PACER Case Locator via the Internet.

Books on Public Records Access

Public Records Online by Michael L. Sankey; Peter J. Weber
ISBN: 1889150371
Publication Date: 2002-11-21
The Art of Access by David Cuillier; Charles N. Davis
ISBN: 9781604265507
Publication Date: 2010-02-23

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What are public records?

Public Records Databases

Internet Resources: State & Local

Internet Resources: Federal

Books on Public Records Access