Whether you’re conducting pre-deal due diligence, verifying assets, investigating possible fraud, or checking out your expert witnesses, online public records contain a treasure trove of information about businesses and individuals. However, searching for assets, liabilities, corporation filings, court documents, and other online public records can be challenging, even for experienced researchers and investigators.

This in-depth course covers the what and how of online public records searching, including what public records are and what they are not, what is and isn’t available online, myths and challenges, sources, and strategies for effective searching. Learn how to save time, know what information you can trust, and when you need to go offline to find what you need.

 

Course Key Concept: Public records, Investigative research, Online research, Background investigations, Due diligence, Asset investigations, Court records, Lien searches, Property records, Corporation filings.

Learning Objectives
  • Explore the definition of public records and the different types available online.
  • Recognize the myths and challenges of searching online public records.
  • Identify the types of sources that offer access to online public records and what sources to avoid.
  • Discover tips and strategies for effective searching and retrieval of online public records.
Last updated/reviewed: March 12, 2024
16 Reviews (46 ratings)

Reviews

5
Member's Profile
Well done! For a one-hour course it was very thorough and complete. It was also well organized. The presenter is extremely knowlegable on this topic. I enjoyed this course and learned from it, even though I do public records searches for work. Thank you!
5
Member's Profile
I feel like a "Charlie's Angel" after taking this course! Seriously, it was a very enjoyable course. The material was very well organized, and the instructor seemed very knowledgeable about the topic.
5
Anonymous Author
As a non specialist, this is a good overview of places to find public records. I think these tips would be useful for certain types of research in the future, not exclusive to investigations.
5
Anonymous Author
Marcy is an excellent presenter who provides great tips in a straightforward manner that's easy to listen to and allows the information to stay with you long after the course has ended.
5
Member's Profile
Well organized and presented. Marcy did a great job of organizing the information into manageable segments. The links and resources provided are useful takeaways.
4
Member's Profile
Very helpful, great to know what resources are out there. I especially appreciated the fact that you provided links to websites that will be very useful.
4
Anonymous Author
The course covered the stated learning objectives. The presenter was a little dry but you can't expect too much from a recorded presentation like this.
4
Member's Profile
I appreciated the level of detail that was provided, and "insider" tips. I did find myself wishing the picture of the speaker was a little bit larger.
5
Member's Profile
A great resource and overview for those who are just starting research in Public Records. Includes subject overview and cautionary advice.
4
Anonymous Author
Good information and presentation but a little slow-moving. Would have liked to work through a couple more examples.
4
Anonymous Author
Great course detailing best practices and resources for conducting record searches. Real world examples included.
5
Anonymous Author
Courses very good introduction to considerations concerning searching online for public records.
5
Anonymous Author
Excellent course. The links and tips provided will be very useful in searching online.
5
Member's Profile
Excellent course, very well organized and presented, with practical examples provided.
5
Anonymous Author
Great course. I learned a lot about records searching I was not aware of.
4
Anonymous Author
Interesting subject with lots of ways to assist in doing your research.
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Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Intermediate

No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course.

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
  Course Overview CPE
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to How to Search Online Public Records Like a Pro1:26
  Public Records: Definitions and Types4:42
  Myths / Challenges11:45
  Types of Sources / Sources to Avoid14:10
  Search Strategy / Tips11:53
  Online Public Records: Search8:28
  Court Records11:03
  Online Public Records: Summary 2:34
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  How to Search Online Public Records Like a Pro1:05:59
SUPPORTING MATERIAL
  Slides: How to Search Online Public Records Like a ProPDF
  Handout: How to Search Online Public Records Like a Pro - Resources LinksPDF
  How to Search Online Public Records Like a Pro Glossary/ IndexPDF
REVIEW AND TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam