WHO IS JOHN DOE -- and where to get the paper on him
John Doe. . . . . .
>>> leaves a trail in the deep Web
>> www.pipl.com searches by name, email, username and telephone
>> snitch.name searches social sites.
>> http://netbootcamp.org/facebook.html Facebook Search Tool
>>> was born, or married, or died
>> A comprehensive directory to free public records at http://publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/
>> Fee service for some birth, death, marriage and death records www.vitalchek.com (~$15)
>> Nexis (Subsc. required) (Public Records /All Searches / Courts and Fillings). Nexis
>> Check county clerks for marriage license applications. Some are open, some are not.
>> Social Security Death Index, includes addresses, addresses https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535
>> Legacy.com finds obituaries http://www.legacy.com/Obituaries.asp?Page=ObitFinder
>>> lived in different places, with different people:
>> Nexis shows addresses, relatives (Subsc. required) (Public Records tab, People tab or All Searches tab) at http://w3.nexis.com/new/
>> Aerial photo and map of the neighborhood: http://maps.google.com/
>>> was involved in a lawsuit, bankruptcy, divorce, probate, criminal or traffic violations:
>> Comprehensive directory and description of court records available through the Web: http://www.courtreference.com/
>> Justia - free access to many court documents - try before PACER http://dockets.justia.com/
>> Federal court index via PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) at http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/ (registration required) (10 cents a page, free <$15 a quarter) FAQ
>> LexisNexis Courtlink - $$ - https://litigator.lexisnexis.com/Courtlink/Login.aspx?redirurl=%2f
>> Nexis criminal records search: Power Search / Public Records / Civil & Criminal Court filings: docket summaries for federal and some state courts. Includes NY civil suits for many counties; NJ all counties.
>> State trial courts and large civil courts -- any have indexes, dockets and some filings available on-line. Going to the state and county courthouses is the only way to assure accuracy and completeness.
> Complete New York courts list, many with Web indexes, at http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain
> Criminal cases, NYC and 8 nearby counties - http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/Login Log in as Public user. Shows arrest dates, charges, lawyer, date of next appearance. Updated nightly.
> Civil cases, NY State Unified Court System - http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivilLocal/LCSearch?param=P
> New York State Criminal History Records Search - $65 - Name and DOB: http://www.nycourts.gov/apps/chrs/
>>> bought, sold or owns real estate:
>> county recorders, assessors (in New York, http://a836-acris.nyc.gov/CP/ To find these offices elsewhere, Google "recorder (countyname) site:gov" http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/jump/acris.shtml)
>> home values and comparables: http://www.zillow.com/
>> Realtors Heat Map shows nearby values and for-sales: www.realtor.com
>>> has a home phone: reverse directories at www.pipl.com and http://www.anywho.com/whitepages and www.referenceusa.com (Subsc. req'd)
>>> is in a social network:
>> snitch.name/: searches for people's profiles on social sites
>> www.linkedin.com: business contacts and ex-employees
>> www.facebook.com, www.twitter.com www.instagram.com
>>> holds a professional license
>> State licensing department Web sites nationwide
>> These Web sites have links to many, many free public record sites:
> www.brbpub.com BRB Publications updates links to state and local agencies that provide free on-line public records
> Virtual Chase - government and legal resources by state - http://virtualchase.justia.com/research-resources/state-resources
>>> is a doctor: AMA https://apps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/disclaimer.do and state medical licensing agency
>>> is a lawyer: state bar association, and Martindale Hubbell directory http://www.martindale.com/Home.aspx
>>> is a researcher in a clinical trial. www.clinicaltrials.gov
>>> attended school: http://www.classmates.com (reg.req.)
>>> attended college: most are required to verify enrollment, dates, degree. http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/
>>> runs a Web site: http://www.domaintools.com/ and Waybackmachine: http://www.archive.org/web/web.php
>>> to monitor whether text in a Web site changes, register at http://www.changedetection.com/
>>> to download a lot of data from a Web site at once, http://www.downthemall.net/
>>> is a pilot: FAA pilot and plane records and Pilot and aircraft certification from Landings.com
>>> owns a gun: state or county licensing department
>>> conducts medical or scientific research: Medline at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
>>> invented something: patent search at http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html
>>> holds a copyright: http://www.copyright.gov/records/
>>> votes: most states provide voter registration details - in NY https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/
>>> is an immigrant:
>> ICE Online Detainee Locator System
>>> is incarcerated:
>> VineLink offender databases: https://vinelink.com/#/home/site/33004
>> Federal Inmate Locator (1982 to present) http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp
>> State Departments of Correction
>>> is a sex offender - National Sex Offender Public Registry - Family Watchdog and National Sex Offender Public Website
>>> has been subject of FBI investigation: Privacy Waiver and Certification of Identity - http://mnstopfbi.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/fbi-privacy-waiver-certificate-of-identity.pdf
>>> is a politician
>> Federal campaign finance reports, www.opensecrets.org
>> Federal Election Commmission, www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/disclosure_data_search.shtml
>> Section 527 independent political committees, http://forms.irs.gov/politicalOrgsSearch/search/basicSearch.jsp?ck
>> State reports compiled by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, www.followthemoney.org
>> State or city campaign finance offices. www.followthemoney.org
>> Salaries, personal financial disclosures, trips and earmarks of members of Congress; salaries and revolving doors for staff: http://www.legistorm.com/financial_disclosure.html
>> Foreign travel reports by members of Congress, http://clerk.house.gov/public_disc/foreign/index.aspx
>> Legislation and speeches, http://thomas.loc.gov
>> Votes in Congress, http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/112/
>>> is a federal lobbyist, or hires one.
>> Center for Responsive Politics, http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/search.php
>> Lobbying reports submitted to the Clerk of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate.
>> National Institute on Money in State Politics http://www.followthemoney.org/.
>>> works for the government
>> Every record by or about that person is presumptively an open public record unless a specific exemption applies. Agencies are required to release email, travel records, salary, employment dates, outside income reports, and sometimes disciplinary actions.
>> NY government payrolls: http://seethroughny.net/payrolls
>> federal disciplinary appeals: www.mspb.gov
>>> current or past military
>> active duty military status: https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/single_record.xhtml
>> past military: https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel Media fax form to (314)538-2530. Media may call with SSN to (314) 538-2050 to confirm record exists.
>> military unit and buddy finder http://www.military.com/Military/Locator/New/Splash/?loc=L2 (reg.req.)
>>> works for a charity or nonprofit.
>> Citizen Audit http://citizenaudit.org/ Nonprofit form research, past 10 years, easy user interface
>> Guidestar http://www.guidestar.org/ - IRS Form 990 and 990EZ are annual tax forms and show highest paid employees; Forms 1023 and 1024 are the nonprofit application forms. Non-profit organizations are required to provide these upon request.
>> Foundation Center http://www.foundationcenter.org/findfunders/foundfinder/ tracks and identifies funders.
>>> works for a private company:
>> business licenses: city, county or state, sometimes on-line
>> corporate charter documents: secretary of state, often on-line or through e-mail request
>> prospectus: ask stockbrokers
>> receives federal government contracts, http://usaspending.gov
>> workplace injury claims: from the state labor agency
>> inspections by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration): http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/
>> environment, health and safety databases from the nonprofit Right-to-Know Network. http://www.rtknet.org/
>> owns a restaurant. Inspections: in NYC, http://a816-restaurantinspection.nyc.gov/RestaurantInspection/SearchBrowse.do
>> Securities and Exchange Commission filings (publicly traded companies) http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm
> EDGAR full text search - http://searchwww.sec.gov/EDGARFSClient/jsp/EDGAR_MainAccess.jsp
> SeekingAlpha.com earnings call transcripts - seekingalpha.com/tag/transcripts
> Look on company web sites in the Investors section for SEC filings. These are the most important SEC filings:
- 10-Q quarterly
- 10-K annual
- 8-K material event
- S1 initial registration as public company
- DEF14A, aka proxy statement, for shareholders annually, shows the pay and benefits of directors and top officers in the company
Duff Wilson, 2011