Background checks

18 years ago

It came up on another thread about searching court/public records and i didn't wanna hijack that thread, so starting a new one.

First, even in no fault divorces, there can still be 'dirt'. CA is no fault, but if there is a contested custody case (where the parent's don't agree on custody at any point), there may be declarations. In my DH's ex's divorce case, both her and her husband had friends write declarations because both wanted custody of their daughter. Also, if there is any domestic violence alleged, there will be information on that or possibly a separate case set up. (I've seen several in some cases) Some counties have online indexes where you can search by name to see if there is any case. In other areas where it's not online, you have to go down to the court clerk's office. (In my county, there is a different location for civil, family, and criminal/small claims) so I'd have to go to each and ask the clerk to search a name. Some clerks offices have a computer where you can search yourself. Some have a log that you can look through. Unless the case is 'confidential', you can see in it. Paternity cases in CA are confidential. If only part of the case is confidential, the clerk will remove that part and let you see the rest.

I also google people too. Sometimes, you get nothing but I met a guy online and had only talked to him on the phone a few times. He wanted to meet but I'd already gotten one red flag when he made a comment that I need to get an answering machine for my house because I didn't answer my phone when he called. I googled his name and found he had been involved in a sexual harassment case involving a co worker he had dated and become overly controlling. He was a police officer for San Francisco PD and there was a news story about it. That would never have come up in court papers unless she filed a formal restraining order against him.

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Comments (17)

fiveinall
18 years ago
If you live in VA u can search online for civil,traffic and criminal all on one database. Just google Va court systems and click on case look up......
strawberryl
18 years ago
My FDH did a background check on ME when we first met! I did the usual google search on him, but he went all out and paid for a complete background check. I was pretty shocked at first, but then I realized that he was just trying to protect himself in case I was some sort of criminal nutcase. Once I got over the shock, he paid for me to have the same background check on him!!
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I LIKE children, when they're well-behaved and are interested and involved or I can spur that interest. And I've never been accused of even looking at a child the wrong way, nor had a background check that I'm aware of, except for the one they did when I became a security guard 27 years ago. And I'm happy and willing to work with children in projects like Junior Master Gardener, as I've been asked to do next spring (and there was no mention of a background check). That said, I'm also quite leery of working with individual children, one-on-one. When and if I do this sort of work, I want there to be multiple children around at all times and preferable at least one other adult present, because there ARE some crazy parents out there, and there ARE some delusional children, as well. And while I'm not agreeing with the blanket statement SowthEfrikan made above, I do and can see how a parent could be abusive and then when someone notices the abuse, try to claim that some volunteer who had been working with the child did it. I can also see how perhaps a child might not like the volunteer and decide to get even with them by deliberately cutting, bruising, burning or otherwise hurting himself or herself and then claiming the volunteer did it. I KNOW these cases would represent a very small minority, but I also know this sort of thing HAS happened in the past and will likely happen again. And while our legal system is supposedly "innocent until proven guilty," when someone's accused of child abuse or molestation, man, that's like the KISS OF DEATH... they're branded for life, innocent or not, in some cases. The case Sowthie mentioned above was the McMartin Preschool case, where an entire preschool full of children had supposedly been molested by the owner and practically everyone working there. It all started with one or two children with overly vivid imaginations and then a witchhunt ensued and these kooky child psychologists used these "imagery" sessions that were later proved to effectively work as a form of hypnosis to convince kids that hadn't been abused that they had been. Some of those folks were originally convicted and sentenced to prison for like 300 years, but eventually all the sentences were overturned when the TRUTH finally came out. So, yeah, I certainly see SowthEfrikan's point! And frankly, I think making all applicants take a detailed psychological profile test (which can be called an "aptitude and interests" test, so folks won't refuse to take it), would screen out not only the folks who had criminal records (which are easy to find online), but also those who had a propensity to be dangerous to others -- child or adult, alike. I'd agree to take that test -- as long as they let me see the results and their analysis, but I think I might balk at the background test, too, just because it IS like an accusation of guilt. Just some more thoughts, Jeff
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kkny
18 years ago
Where I live you can go online and check a bunch of civil things, like liens. I also do that to make certain no one has put a lien on my moms house (there is a lot of identify theft issues with the elderly) once a month or so. www. intellius.com charges a small fee (I think less than $50) for background info. I would check these type of places before I let someone in my house or my life.
imamommy
Original Author
18 years ago
I've used intellius and find it a waste of money. I guess it CAN get some information, but I bought a 'comprehensive' background on myself to find out if I should use it for my business. I was not impressed.
pseudo_mom
18 years ago
We used intellius to find my SD19's mom .... she is still alive and kicking ... in Kentucky.

That was a year ago SD has still not contacted her mom ... she's been MIA for over 10 years.
kkny
18 years ago
Ima, I think intellius will just give you enough to do leg work yourself. It will tell you where someone lived over last (I forget how many years) and then you can track down courthouses.
imamommy
Original Author
18 years ago
intellius and some of the other pay as you go internet sites will give you some info. I found it to be lacking and out of date info. It would give you a start but I wouldn't pay for more than a basic check. The 'background' check is useless. You can get address and phone listings for the basic price. If you are looking for criminal records or liens or any other info, it may or may not deliver. I don't find it very reliable and I use a database that is much less expensive and much more reliable. (It would take me about five minutes to find your real name, phone number and address, including a satellite photo of your house) lol

Intellius gave me my old address from five years ago. In my business, it would be a complete waste of money to spend even $20 and have to do a search to find such outdated info. (plus having to do leg work to find current info) Of course, sometimes it delivers. I just don't think it's worth the $50-75 for the more comprehensive background search, that's all I'm saying. If you want a comprehensive search, hire a PI and it can be done for maybe double what you'd pay online and you get much better info. PI's have access to better databases (and some can access DMV files)

Finding someone versus looking for background on them are two different things. I can find someone in a few minutes sometimes, putting together their life history takes a little longer.
nivea
18 years ago
Google zabasearch and you can conceivably find addresses and numbers for FREE.

Of course, you may have to do some leg work to get current. But in my limited dating history zabasearch has been current.
imamommy
Original Author
18 years ago
zabasearch.com is the best free site I've used.

Here is a link that might be useful: zabasearch
nivea
18 years ago
I agree, Imamommy.

I've searched myself on there and boy, was I surprised!!!!
kkny
18 years ago
What I like about intellius is is does give the old addresses, which then allow someone to go back and check courthouse records there.
imamommy
Original Author
18 years ago
yeah, it is good for that. (zaba search does the same for free) but hey, it's only money... right?
pseudo_mom
18 years ago
I was putzing around with Zabasearch last night my oldest SD19 comes in wants to look up her mom (I had already punched her name in I was looking for me I do not exist!!!)

She then says "hey can I go after her for the back support she owes dad" ... I said I have no idea ... she was ordered to pay $25 a week ... 15 years ago.

I thought she might want to reconnect with mom for nostalgia purposes ... NOPE just wants some play money I guess :)
theotherside
18 years ago
But zabasearch uses intellius if you want anything other than someone's addresses. I ran a search on me, and I have never lived in several of the places they listed.
kkny
18 years ago
I think the important thing is to do a search before anyone comes into your life. Trial and error. View things with a grain of salt.
imamommy
Original Author
18 years ago
lol pseudo. The money is owed to dad. What is up with the kids thinking they can go after it after they are grown? My son asked me the same thing, I started getting back support after he turned 18 and he wants something now, he says... can't I just have the money my dad sends you? No, get a job. It's back support from when I worked two jobs to put food on the table and he paid nothing. It's not yours!!! KIDS!!!
neutrina
16 years ago
I became very concerned about a person that contacted me via internet dating. So I did a background search on him. He turned out to be ok. No bad records showed up on him via BackgroundSearch.com. It turned out to be just a good, and a little better than other background searches that I use as a landlord to check out prospective tenants.

Here is a link that might be useful: background search civil criminal records

Background checks

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