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the_information_nexus/random/primary_data_sources.md

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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

📄 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 / 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.
  • Caution: Expungement ≠ mugshot removal from PD websites.

3. Bankruptcy Filings

  • Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
  • Index: PACER / RECAP.
  • Caution: Full bank account numbers often exposed.

4. Real-Property Deeds

  • Source: County Recorder.
  • Index: County GIS / Grantor-Grantee Search.
  • Caution: Transfer-on-death deeds reveal heirs’ addresses.

5. UCC & Business Filings

6. Professional Licenses

  • Source: State licensing board.
  • Index: CA DCA / Nursys.
  • 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 / OpenSecrets.
  • 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).
  • 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).
  • Caution: Temporary orders remain searchable after dismissal.

13. Domain Name Registrations

  • Source: Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap).
  • Index: ICANN WHOIS.
  • Caution: Historical WHOIS snapshots archived even with privacy.

14. Social Media Public Posts

  • Source: Your account (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
  • Index: Platform search / Wayback Machine.
  • 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).
  • Caution: Request text reveals litigation strategy.

16. Government Research Data

  • Source: Collecting agency (NIH, Census, etc.).
  • Index: Data.gov / ICPSR.
  • 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