Archive for February, 2006

Kern County, California has its civil index accessible online. Civil and small claims actions are searchable by docket number, last name or partial last name. The inclusive dates are somewhat limited, as are the types of cases:

Cases that may not be online include Unlimited Civil and Family Law cases from 1996 and earlier and Limited Civil cases (including Unlawful Detainers and Small Claims cases) from July 2003 and earlier.

With all that said, I found Superior Court cases listed that were filed in the 1970s.

The Kansas Supreme Court met with mighty resistence when it tried to force Johnson County – the lone holdout – to comply with the fee-only access to statewide electronic court records. The persistent county has garnered the backing of the legislature for free access to the statewide electronic court index. Just to show who’s boss, the elected agents of the people propose to pay for the free online access with funds that were slated for judicial pay increases. Read all about it.

The North Dakota Attorney General has issued an opinion that a privately operated arts organization that received public funds is subject to the state’s open meetings and public records act. Read the rest of this entry »

A blog is a web page of bite-sized information blurbs, news items and commentary that is frequently updated. Each entry is called a “post” and is arranged chronologically. Most blogs are tailored to a theme; PI buzz covers topics of interest and benefit to professional investigators and researchers.

Blogs are unique because they’re instant messages to the Internet and they invite the reader to become a participant.(Select the “Comments/No Comments” link at the end of any post and take a trial run. Don’t fear. You can’t break anything.)

Your participation and ideas for future posts keep PI buzz alive. Read the rest of this entry »

Search the New Mexico Driving While Under the Influence Database of convictions that have been reported to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles. Records are available from 2001 to the present and are searchable by partial last name, returning year of birth and date of conviction.

The New Hampshire Judicial Branch has issued its preliminary report, New Hampshire Supreme Court, Task Force On Public Access To Court Records. The 92 page publication continues the trend in state courts, refining the meaning of public records by creating tiers of access to information, depending whether it is displayed on the Internet or in a courthouse.

Task Force members included representatives from the NH League of Investigators.

The Associated Press writer detailed many of the panel’s recommendations.