Public records are files or information available for everybody. Although in principle the public can access such records, the government agency where the information can be procured may have rules and policies on releasing such information. Some may charge a fee. The Freedom of Information Act of the United States of America was promulgated during the time of President Lyndon Johnson on July 4, 1966. This law basically guarantees access to information about the government and local agencies. This does not encompass information about personal or private information.

Public records include Census records. Census files pertain to information about the members of the population. These comprise birth, death, marriage and other information about the population.

Consumer protection information is also considered public document. Federal laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Truth in Lending Act all protect the rights of the consumer. It is sanctioned by the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Information regarding consumer protection must be freely available to the public.

Court dockets are also public documents. In a court of law, a court docket is a folio of official summary of proceedings. Anybody can have access to this type of information.

Criminal records which consist of an individual\’s criminal history, is also considered public document. These may be used for a wide variety of reasons which can include background checks, security clearance, immigration/travel requirements, adoption, licensing, used to support convictions in criminal prosecutions, and as a tool in developing suspects in a criminal examination.

Government spending reports are also public files. The general public has a right to know how government funds are spent thus these types of files must be made available to everybody.

Legislation minutes are also public documents. Documents used in the legislature must also be made available to the general public.

Professional and business licenses are also public documents. Information regarding complaints, investigations and disciplinary actions on professionals must be made available to the public. The same holds true for business enterprises.

Real estate appraisal records are also public files. Land or property valuations must be made available because they are used as basis in land or property transactions.

Sex offender registration records must also be made public. The general population must be made aware regarding sex offenders so as to protect the minors and adults from these kinds of people.

Public records can now be accessed either through the traditional means or via online. Traditional means can be time and effort consuming because one has to transact with the proper government agencies to procure the necessary documents. Online data banks on the other hand can provide the same needed information in the comforts of one\’s home or office. Some websites offer it for free while some charges fees.

Prior to embarking on a public document search online, it is best that one does research first on which sites can best provide ones needs especially if these sites are charging fees for the information.

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Category: Legal
Keywords: public records,public documents,public document