How to Search Someone’s Criminal Record in See Someones

Where Can You See Someone’s Criminal Record Online?

There is no single free, unrestricted government website that shows every person’s complete criminal history across all 50 states.

In the United States, criminal records are maintained by different courts, law-enforcement agencies and criminal-history repositories.

The correct website depends on the type of record you want.

How to See Someone’s Criminal Record: Step-by-Step Instructions

This method works for many U.S. public criminal court systems, although each jurisdiction may have different search requirements.

1. Find the state where the person may have a criminal case. If you know the person’s former residence, arrest location or the county where an incident happened, start there.

   Do not assume that searching the person’s current state will reveal cases filed in another state.

2. Identify the appropriate county or court. Most state criminal prosecutions are filed in courts connected to a county, district or municipality.

   Use the USA.gov Courts directory or the official state judiciary website to locate the appropriate court.

3. Open the court’s official public case search. Look for a menu labeled Case Search, Criminal Records, Court Records, Public Access, Docket Search or Case Information.
4. Choose the criminal case category. If the website includes civil, family, probate and traffic cases, filter to criminal records when the option is available.
5. Enter the person’s full name. Start with the last name and first name. Add the middle name, initial or another available identifier if the portal supports it.

   Some courts permit partial names or phonetic searches; others require exact spelling.

6. Review the matching cases. Compare the person’s name, case filing dates, court location, available age or other legally public identifying details.

   Do not assume every case involving the same name belongs to the person you are researching.

7. Open the case details. The public docket may show charges, scheduled hearings, pleas, motions, judgments, sentences and dispositions.
8. Read the final disposition. This is the most important step.

   Determine whether the case resulted in a conviction, dismissal, acquittal, deferred disposition or remains pending.

9. Check whether later orders changed the result. A conviction could have been vacated, modified or subjected to a legal record-relief order.

   Some cases are sealed or removed from ordinary public searching.

10. Request an official document when needed. Contact the court Clerk for a certified judgment or disposition if the outcome must be verified accurately.

Free Websites to Search Someone’s Criminal Record

Several states offer online access to public court case indexes. These examples demonstrate how different states handle searches.

Why Minnesota and Maryland are important exceptions

Minnesota’s Court Records Online system does not allow ordinary defendant-name searches for pending criminal cases, including certain dismissed cases under the system’s rules.

Maryland, meanwhile, suppresses specified non-conviction dispositions from remote public Case Search. Some of those records may still be inspected through the court Clerk’s office when legally public.

These are examples of why not finding a criminal case online does not prove that no case ever existed.

Can You See Someone’s Criminal Record With Only Their Name?

Yes, in many public court systems. A person’s first and last name may be enough to search an available criminal case index.

However, name-based searching has significant limitations.

If you only know their first and last name

• Start with the court in a known state or county.
• Enter the name in the format required by that court.
• Use a full middle name or initial when already known.
• Try legitimate spelling variations supported by the portal.
• Compare possible matching case dates and court jurisdictions.
• Avoid assigning a criminal record to someone solely because the name matches.
• Do not use another person’s credentials or try to access restricted systems.

What if you do not know their date of birth?

Some free court indexes do not require a date of birth for a basic name search.

Official statewide criminal-history systems, however, may ask for a date of birth and other identifiers to reduce mistaken matches.

For example, Georgia Felon Search requires a person’s first name, last name, date of birth and sex.

If you do not have the information required by a particular search system, you may be unable to complete that check. Use another lawful public court lookup rather than entering guessed personal information.

Georgia.gov — Official Felon Search Requirements

How to Request Someone’s Official State Criminal-History Report

Public court dockets and state criminal-history reports are different.

State police or criminal identification agencies may maintain qualifying arrest and conviction records submitted by criminal justice agencies throughout the state.

Whether an ordinary private person can request information about another person depends on state law and the specific background-check program.

States with public criminal-history check options

Florida FDLE: Public criminal-history search

Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement offers a public online criminal-history record check.

The instant-search service costs $24 per search plus a $1 credit-card processing fee.

Results can be printed or emailed but are not certified. FDLE offers a separate certified or non-certified processed search option.

The agency also explains that the Personal Review process is only for individuals requesting their own record, or their designated attorneys. It cannot be used to obtain another person’s complete personal review.

Pennsylvania PATCH: State Police criminal record check

Pennsylvania State Police operates Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH).

An ordinary individual can request a qualifying state criminal-history background check through the official system.

The published standard fee is $22. Since April 22, 2026, online PATCH payments have also been subject to a 2% credit-card transaction fee.

A status of Request Under Review does not mean a criminal record was found; it means that the search requires additional processing.

Georgia Felon Search: Public felony conviction checks

Georgia’s service searches qualifying reported felony conviction information maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center.

It does not return ordinary misdemeanor records, juvenile felony history or sealed and expunged information.

The state charges $15 even when the search returns no matching record.

How Can I See Someone’s Federal Criminal Record?

For federal criminal cases, use PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), the official electronic case-access system of the U.S. federal judiciary.

PACER allows registered members of the public to search federal district, appellate and bankruptcy court cases.

Federal criminal prosecutions are generally filed in U.S. District Courts.

How to search federal criminal records on PACER

1. Open PACER Find a Case. Visit the official federal judiciary website.
2. Register for an account. PACER requires account registration for electronic access.
3. Choose the search method. Search a known federal district court directly or use the nationwide PACER Case Locator.
4. Enter the person’s name or case number. Add date-range or jurisdiction filters when available.
5. Review possible matches. The Case Locator may show the party name, filing court, case number and filing dates.
6. Open the case docket. Review the charges, court entries, judgments and publicly accessible documents.
7. Check the outcome. Verify the final judgment or other disposition instead of relying only on the original indictment.

Is PACER free?

Registering for PACER is free.

As of October 2026, electronic record searches generally cost $0.10 per page.

Charges of $30 or less in a quarterly billing period are waived. Individual documents generally have a $3 charge cap, although the cap does not apply to all search-result pages or report types.

The federal judiciary has announced a fee increase effective January 1, 2027, so verify current pricing before searching after that date.

PACER — Official Pricing and Fee Waivers

How to Tell If Someone Actually Has a Criminal Conviction

One of the most important parts of a criminal records search is understanding the legal difference between an arrest, a criminal charge and a conviction.

Online court records can include cases that ended without a finding of guilt.

Why should you look for the final disposition?

Suppose a court search shows that someone was charged with a felony in 2020.

The initial charging record alone does not establish that the person was convicted.

If the court dismissed the charge in 2021, describing the person as a convicted felon based on the 2020 filing would be inaccurate.

Similarly, a case involving three charges may result in a conviction on one count and dismissals of the others.

How to Obtain Someone’s Criminal Court Documents

Finding a criminal case number online does not always mean the full case file is available to download.

Some courts show only a case summary or docket, while others allow viewing publicly accessible pleadings, judgments and orders.

If the document you need is not online, contact the court Clerk responsible for the case.

Documents you may be able to request

• Public criminal docket or register of actions.
• Formal charging document or indictment.
• Judgment of conviction.
• Sentencing order.
• Order of dismissal.
• Acquittal or final verdict record.
• Other publicly accessible orders and filings.
• Certified copies of qualifying documents.

How to request the record from a court Clerk

1. Find the original filing court. Use the case search result to identify the county and courthouse.
2. Write down the complete case number. A complete case number helps the Clerk identify the correct file.
3. Identify the specific document. Ask for a judgment, sentencing order, dismissal or other relevant public document.
4. Review the Clerk’s records request instructions. The court may offer online ordering, postal mail, in-person inspection or another process.
5. Confirm public access. The Clerk must follow applicable rules concerning protected and confidential documents.
6. Ask whether certification is necessary. Certified documents usually have an additional charge.
7. Pay the official fee and obtain the record. Fees depend on the court and requested format.

Can You See Someone’s Entire Criminal History Without Their Permission?

You can generally view court records that are legally open to the public without obtaining the defendant’s personal permission.

However, a person’s complete criminal history can contain information that is not available through ordinary public court searches.

Access to state criminal-history repositories, fingerprint-based records and confidential information is controlled by applicable laws.

Records that may not be available to you

Can you request somebody else’s FBI criminal record?

No, not through the ordinary personal-review process.

The FBI explains that individuals may obtain their own criminal-history record, but it does not provide copies of another person’s arrest history to private citizens simply because they ask.

Authorized employment, licensing and other criminal-history checks use separate processes where federal or state law permits them.

FBI — Can Private Citizens Request Another Person’s Arrest Record?

How to See Someone’s Arrest Records or Jail History

Sometimes the question is not whether someone was convicted, but whether they were arrested or are currently in custody.

Those searches normally use different government databases.

How Much Does It Cost to View Someone’s Criminal Record?

Many state and county court indexes are free to search, but official background checks and certified court documents may cost money.

Are paid people-search websites necessary?

No. A paid people-search website is not required to examine criminal court records that are already publicly accessible through a government portal.

Private background-information websites can aggregate records from multiple sources, but that convenience does not necessarily mean the information is complete or accurate.

The Federal Trade Commission explains that people-search websites collect and resell information from public records, data brokers and other sources.

Their reports may also contain information that is unrelated to criminal proceedings.

FTC — What to Know About People-Search Websites

Can You Check Someone’s Criminal Record for Employment or Renting?

Public criminal record searches should not automatically be treated as legally compliant employment or tenant-screening reports.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs the use of consumer reports obtained from consumer reporting agencies for certain purposes, including employment and rental housing.

Employment background checks

Employers using a company to prepare a background report must follow applicable disclosure, authorization and adverse-action requirements.

The FTC explains that, before obtaining an employment background report from a consumer reporting company, an employer generally must give the applicant the required notice and obtain written authorization.

Employment decisions must also comply with applicable anti-discrimination laws and state or local restrictions.

FTC — Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know

Rental housing background checks

Landlords and property managers obtaining tenant-screening reports from consumer reporting agencies must have a permissible purpose and comply with applicable FCRA requirements.

If a consumer report contributes to an unfavorable rental decision, the landlord may have to provide an adverse-action notice explaining the consumer’s rights.

FTC — Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know

Why Can’t You Find Someone’s Criminal Record Online?

A blank search result can have many explanations. It does not necessarily prove that the person has no criminal history.

How to Search Someone’s Criminal History Responsibly

Public criminal records can be useful, but their accuracy and legal context matter.

Before you make a statement about someone based on a court search, follow these precautions:

• Verify identity. Do not attribute a criminal case to a person based only on a common name.
• Check the final outcome. A charge is not a conviction.
• Use original sources. Prefer official court records over copied third-party summaries.
• Respect confidentiality. Do not attempt to bypass sealed, expunged or juvenile record restrictions.
• Consider corrections. Court judgments may have been reversed, vacated or otherwise updated.
• Avoid public accusations based on incomplete information. An arrest report or old docket entry may not show the complete story.
• Use regulated screening procedures where required. Employment, housing and other eligibility determinations may have additional legal requirements.

What is the safest way to verify a conviction?

Identify the filing court, find the complete case number and obtain the court-issued judgment or certified disposition.

If the record concerns an important legal or administrative matter, verify whether later court orders affect that judgment.

Final Answer: How Can You See Someone’s Criminal Record?

The easiest lawful method is to search the official criminal court records in the jurisdiction where the case occurred.

Many courts allow name searches for free, while states such as Florida, Pennsylvania and Georgia provide separate paid criminal-history or conviction-check services.

For federal criminal cases, PACER is the official search system. For current custody information, use the relevant jail, corrections department or federal inmate locator.

Remember that publicly accessible records are not necessarily a person’s complete criminal history. Confirm identity, review the final court outcome and respect confidential record-access restrictions.

Official Sources for Searching Someone’s Criminal Record

These government and court resources provide the official search tools, access limitations, criminal-history programs and legal guidance discussed throughout this article.

• USA.gov — Federal and State Court Information
• USA.gov — Find Official State Government Websites
• Wisconsin Circuit Court Access — Public Case Search
• Missouri Judiciary — Case.net
• Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System — Case Search
• Maryland Courts — Public Court Records and Search Limitations
• Maryland Judiciary — Case Search
• Minnesota Judicial Branch — Court Records Online FAQs
• PACER — Official Federal Court Case Search
• PACER — Official Search Fees
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement — Public Criminal History Checks
• FDLE — Personal Criminal History Review and Access Restrictions
• Pennsylvania State Police — Criminal History Background Checks
• Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History — PATCH
• Georgia.gov — Official Georgia Felon Search
• FBI — Access Restrictions on Another Person’s Criminal History
• Federal Bureau of Prisons — Inmate Locator
• U.S. Department of Justice — National Sex Offender Public Website
• Federal Trade Commission — People-Search Websites and Data Brokers
• Federal Trade Commission — Employer Background-Check Requirements
• Federal Trade Commission — Landlord and Tenant Screening Requirements