6.3 KiB
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)
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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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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
- Pick any row.
- Visit the “Public index” URL.
- Search your own name exactly as it appears on official IDs (nicknames, maiden, middle initial).
- Note what you find; decide whether to seal, redact, or accept the exposure.
End of document