Most felony and misdemeanor cases are filed in county courts, so county criminal record searches are one of the most complete sources for criminal records. All felony and misdemeanor criminal records, and all cases tried in local jurisdictions, regardless of disposition (guilty, dismissed, etc.), are housed at the county court.
County records, which make up the majority of criminal offenses, are available in all counties in all 50 states, and are located in county courthouses across the 3,200 counties in the US. These records are not reported to the federal database, and will not be found in a federal search. Often, the existence of a county criminal record is determined by conducting a search in the National Criminal Database search, which is used as a pointer to county or state records.
The following items may be reported on a county search:
- Defendant’s Name
- Case Number
- Charge Classification (Felony/Misdemeanor)
- Charge Type
- Disposition (Guilty, Dismissed, etc.)
- Disposition Date
- Sentencing Information
The process of searching at the county level varies from county to county. Some county searches are returned on the same day, while some take several days or more, depending on the search methodology. Most counties provide a public access terminal (PAT) where records can be searched, in real-time, at the court. Slower counties typically require a court clerk-assisted search be performed, whereby an employee of the court conducts the search on Checkr’s behalf.
Candidate experience
The county search must be run in conjunction with the Basic+ report package. The county search is unavailable as a standalone search.
Candidates will be asked to provide Personally Identifiable Information (PII), including their full name, date of birth, social security number, email address, and phone number.
They will then be presented and asked to acknowledge receipt of applicable forms and notifications, including a Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and an Acknowledgement and Authorization for Background Check.
After the candidate consents, Checkr will initiate the search.
If you've applied for a job and want to know your background check’s status, log in to the Checkr Candidate Portal.