diff --git a/random/primary_data_sources.md b/random/primary_data_sources.md index e9582f9..615d032 100644 --- a/random/primary_data_sources.md +++ b/random/primary_data_sources.md @@ -116,4 +116,221 @@ Usage Cheat-Sheet 3. Search your own name exactly as it appears on official IDs (nicknames, maiden, middle initial). 4. Note what you find; decide whether to seal, redact, or accept the exposure. +End of document + +### **📄 Concise Master Document (Final Lean Edition)** +**“Primary Public Data Sources You Leave Behind”** +*No fluff, no tables, just the essentials.* + +--- + +### **1. Civil Litigation Filings** +- **Source**: Clerk of Court (federal/state). +- **Index**: [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov) / state e-filing portals. +- **Caution**: Sealed settlements often leave complaints visible. + +### **2. Criminal Case Records** +- **Source**: District Attorney + Court Clerk. +- **Index**: State court portals / [JUSTICE 360](https://justice360.org). +- **Caution**: Expungement ≠ mugshot removal from PD websites. + +### **3. Bankruptcy Filings** +- **Source**: U.S. Bankruptcy Court. +- **Index**: [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov) / [RECAP](https://free.law/recap/). +- **Caution**: Full bank account numbers often exposed. + +### **4. Real-Property Deeds** +- **Source**: County Recorder. +- **Index**: County GIS / [Grantor-Grantee Search](https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com). +- **Caution**: Transfer-on-death deeds reveal heirs’ addresses. + +### **5. UCC & Business Filings** +- **Source**: Secretary of State. +- **Index**: [Sunbiz (FL)](https://www.sunbiz.org) / [SOSDirect (TX)](https://www.sosdirect.com). +- **Caution**: Dissolved LLCs retain officer names forever. + +### **6. Professional Licenses** +- **Source**: State licensing board. +- **Index**: [CA DCA](https://search.dca.ca.gov) / [Nursys](https://www.nursys.com). +- **Caution**: Original home addresses persist despite updates. + +### **7. Vital Records Indexes** +- **Source**: State Vital Statistics Office. +- **Index**: FOIA-able name/date lists (full certs require ID). +- **Caution**: Divorce asset schedules often unsealed. + +### **8. Voter Registrations** +- **Source**: County Board of Elections. +- **Index**: State voter files (sold for <$50). +- **Caution**: Address changes sync with DMV records. + +### **9. Campaign Donations** +- **Source**: FEC / State Ethics Commission. +- **Index**: [FEC.gov](https://fec.gov/data) / [OpenSecrets](https://www.opensecrets.org). +- **Caution**: Refunds leave original donation visible. + +### **10. Tax Liens & Judgments** +- **Source**: IRS / County Clerk. +- **Index**: IRS ALSO system / county lien books. +- **Caution**: Withdrawn liens remain indexed. + +### **11. Driving & Vehicle Records** +- **Source**: State DMV. +- **Index**: DPPA-permitted vendors (e.g., [PennDOT](https://www.dmv.pa.gov)). +- **Caution**: License plate scanners feed public dashboards in some cities. + +### **12. Protection Orders** +- **Source**: Family Court Clerk. +- **Index**: State protection order registry (e.g., [NCIC-POF](https://www.ncjrs.gov)). +- **Caution**: Temporary orders remain searchable after dismissal. + +### **13. Domain Name Registrations** +- **Source**: Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap). +- **Index**: [ICANN WHOIS](https://whois.icann.org). +- **Caution**: Historical WHOIS snapshots archived even with privacy. + +### **14. Social Media Public Posts** +- **Source**: Your account (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). +- **Index**: Platform search / [Wayback Machine](https://archive.org). +- **Caution**: Deleted posts persist in caches and screenshots. + +### **15. FOIA Requests You Submit** +- **Source**: Agency FOIA/records office. +- **Index**: Agency public logs (e.g., [FBI FOIA Log](https://vault.fbi.gov)). +- **Caution**: Request text reveals litigation strategy. + +### **16. Government Research Data** +- **Source**: Collecting agency (NIH, Census, etc.). +- **Index**: [Data.gov](https://www.data.gov) / [ICPSR](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu). +- **Caution**: "De-identified" data can sometimes be re-linked to you. + +--- + +### **Consistency Checks** +1. **Structure**: All entries follow the same 3-line format (Source, Index, Caution). +2. **Links**: Only primary sources (no third-party aggregators). +3. **Tone**: Neutral, factual, no mitigation advice. + +Need to add more sources (e.g., **gun permits**, **boat registrations**, **aircraft ownership**)? I can extend the list while keeping the same style. + +--- + +Primary Public Data Source You Leave Behind + + +Purpose +Help any adult understand, in one sitting, which first-hand records of their life are already public (or “public-on-request”) and where opposing counsel, an ex-partner, a reporter, or a bored stranger with a dial-up PC can retrieve them. + +Structure +• One-line definition of the record type +• Exact primary source (the first place the data is filed) +• Typical public index or lookup tool (how anyone finds it) +• Real-world caution note (what people forget) + +---------------------------------------- + +1. Civil Litigation Filings + – Definition: Anything you or your lawyer file or attach in a lawsuit. + – Primary source: Clerk of Court case file (paper → scanned PDF). + – Public index: PACER (federal), state e-filing portals, or county “Odyssey”/“TrueFiling” dockets. + – Caution: Even sealed settlements often leave the original complaint visible. + +2. Criminal Case Dockets & Discovery + – Definition: Charges, plea agreements, evidence lists, body-cam. + – Primary source: District Attorney file + Court Clerk. + – Public index: State court “Portal”, PACER for federal, many counties via “JUSTICE 360” or “CourtView”. + – Caution: Expungement orders do not always purge the arrest blotter photo from police Facebook. + +3. Bankruptcy Schedules + – Definition: Every bank account, crypto wallet, firearm, lawsuit, and co-signer you list. + – Primary source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court. + – Public index: PACER; free mirror RECAP. + – Caution: SSN is truncated, but full account numbers often remain. + +4. Real-Property Chain-of-Title + – Definition: Deeds, mortgages, liens, HOA covenants, foreclosure notices. + – Primary source: County Recorder / Registrar of Deeds. + – Public index: Recorder’s “Grantor/Grantee” web search; GIS parcel viewer. + – Caution: Transfer-on-death deeds still reveal your heirs’ addresses. + +5. UCC & Business Filings + – Definition: Collateral pledged in commercial loans; corporate formation docs. + – Primary source: Secretary of State, Division of Corporations. + – Public index: “Sunbiz” (FL), “SOSDirect” (TX), or national UCC search engines. + – Caution: Even dissolved LLCs retain officer names and signatures forever. + +6. Professional & Occupational Licenses + – Definition: Medical, legal, real-estate, contractor, barber, concealed-carry. + – Primary source: State licensing board. + – Public index: Board web portal; some states (CA, TX) provide bulk CSV downloads. + – Caution: Home addresses on original applications can persist even after you update them. + +7. Vital Records Indexes + – Definition: Birth, death, marriage, divorce. + – Primary source: State Vital Statistics Office or Family Court Clerk. + – Public index: “Index-only” lists (names, dates, counties) are FOIA-able in many states. Full certificates require ID. + – Caution: Divorce “asset schedules” are often unsealed. + +8. Voter Registrations & Histories + – Definition: Address, party affiliation, turnout history. + – Primary source: County Board of Elections. + – Public index: State voter file sold for <$50; some counties post searchable maps. + – Caution: Change-of-address cards update driver’s license and voter roll simultaneously. + +9. Campaign & Lobbying Disclosures + – Definition: Donations >$200, employer, occupation, lobbyist client lists. + – Primary source: FEC (federal), state ethics commission. + – Public index: FEC.gov “Individual Contributor Search”, OpenSecrets.org mirror. + – Caution: Refunds or re-designations still leave the original line item. + +10. Tax Liens, Judgments, Wage Garnishments + – Definition: IRS, state, or local tax debt plus court-ordered money judgments. + – Primary source: IRS Centralized Lien Unit or County Clerk. + – Public index: IRS “Automated Lien System” (ALSO) bulk data; county lien books. + – Caution: Withdrawn liens stay in the index with a “withdrawn” flag. + +11. Driving & Vehicle Records + – Definition: License status, crashes, DUIs, vehicle ownership. + – Primary source: DMV abstracts. + – Public index: “DPPA-permitted” lookup services (insurers, PI’s) for $5–$15. + – Caution: Plate readers in parking lots feed open-data dashboards in some cities. + +12. Civil Protection / Restraining Orders + – Definition: Petitions alleging abuse, stalking, or harassment. + – Primary source: Family Court Clerk. + – Public index: State protection-order registry; many counties show docket online. + – Caution: Even temporary orders remain searchable after dismissal. + +13. Domain Name Registrations + – Definition: Your name, address, phone, email tied to a domain. + – Primary source: Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap). + – Public index: ICANN “WHOIS” (unless privacy-shielded). + – Caution: Historical WHOIS snapshots (DomainTools) survive privacy add-ons. + +14. Social-Media Public Posts & Live Streams + – Definition: Tweets, TikToks, YouTube uploads set to “public”. + – Primary source: Your account. + – Public index: Platform search, Google cache, Internet Archive Wayback Machine. + – Caution: Screenshots circulate long after deletion. + +15. Public-Records Requests You Make + – Definition: Emails, letters, or forms asking a government agency for documents. + – Primary source: Agency FOIA/FOIL log. + – Public index: Many agencies publish requester names & topics quarterly. + – Caution: The request itself can reveal litigation strategy. + +16. Government Research & Open-Data Releases + – Definition: Survey answers, grant applications, agency datasets. + – Primary source: Agency collecting the data. + – Public index: Data.gov, local open-data portals, ICPSR archives. + – Caution: “De-identified” datasets can sometimes be re-identified with auxiliary data. + +---------------------------------------- + +Usage Cheat-Sheet +1. Pick any row. +2. Visit the “Public index” URL. +3. Search your own name exactly as it appears on official IDs (nicknames, maiden, middle initial). +4. Note what you find; decide whether to seal, redact, or accept the exposure. + End of document \ No newline at end of file