How to Find Criminal Court Records

A criminal court record is the file a court keeps for one prosecution: the charging document, motions, docket entries, plea or verdict, and sentence. It is different from a criminal history, which is a compiled summary of arrests and outcomes kept by a state repository and the FBI. To find out whether someone has been convicted of a crime, you usually need both, because each has gaps the other fills.

Which court holds a criminal record

Every state splits criminal cases between at least two levels of trial court, and the clerk of the court that heard the case keeps the file.

The most common search mistake is looking for a misdemeanor in the felony court's index, or vice versa. If you do not know the charge level, search both.

Statewide criminal history searches

Most states run a name-based conviction search through the state police or department of public safety. These searches typically:

• cost a small fee per name;
• return convictions and sometimes deferred adjudications, but not pending cases, dismissals, or acquittals;
• only include cases the courts reported to the repository, so recent cases and minor offenses can be missing; and
• match on name and date of birth, so common names return several possible people.

Use the statewide search to find out which counties to look in, then go to the county clerk for the actual case file. Our state guides link the official repository search for each state.

Searching county court records

County-level searches are the most complete source for a specific case. On the clerk's portal you can usually search by defendant name or case number and see:

• the charge and its level (felony or misdemeanor);
• the filing date and the court;
• docket entries showing each filing and hearing;
• the disposition (dismissed, plea, verdict) and sentence; and
• sometimes the documents themselves, though criminal filings are more often restricted online than civil ones.

Many clerks require a free account to view documents, and some make criminal documents available only after the case is closed. When the document is not online, order a copy from the clerk. See how to request certified copies.

Federal criminal records

Federal prosecutions (drug trafficking across state lines, immigration offenses, federal fraud, weapons charges) are filed in U.S. District Court and are not in any state or county system. Search them in PACER; our PACER guide explains registration and fees.

What will not appear in a search

• Expunged records have been destroyed or removed by court order and legally did not happen.
• Sealed records and orders of nondisclosure hide a case from public view while keeping it available to law enforcement and some licensing agencies.
• Juvenile cases are confidential almost everywhere.
• Arrests without charges are not court records at all. They may exist in police records, which have their own access rules.
• Pending cases in some states are withheld from public portals until a plea or verdict.

If you are the person in the record and want it removed from public view, read our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record.

Using criminal records lawfully

Employers, landlords, lenders, and insurers who use criminal records to make decisions are subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act when they use a background-check company, and to state laws that may limit what can be considered. Official court records are public, but how you use them is regulated. When in doubt, consult an attorney.

Common uses and where to start

• Checking your own record before a job application: run the state repository search and then check each county where you have lived.
• Confirming a conviction for a court or agency: request a certified copy of the judgment from the clerk.
• Researching a pending case: search the county clerk where the arrest occurred; statewide searches will not show it.
• Finding a federal case: use PACER.