BRB's Public Records Blog

Hamilton County Courts, Indiana

In late September, 2009, the Circuit & Superior Courts of Hamilton County Indiana switched their case file management to the Odyssey case management system provided by the Indiana Supreme Court. As a result, online access to the court record index is now available at http://mycase.in.gov/default.aspx.

Previously, courts place the record index with https://www.doxpop.com. While Hamilton County records may still be accessed from Doxpop's subscription system, the range of records date from 01/1987 to 9/21//2009. Thus, since the switchover, new cases and updates to existing cases for Hamilton County are no longer updated on Doxpop.

Connecticut DPS Increases Record Fees

Effective October 1, 2009, the Division of State Police, part of Connecticut's Department of Public Safety, doubled the fees for criminal record checks and accident reports.

The fee for a criminal record check increased from $25.00 to $50.00 per request, be it a name search or fingerprint search. Please note, the actual fingerprinting for the criminal record checks must be completed by a law enforcement agency.  The fee for fingerprints taken by the DPS State Police Bureau of Identification DPS is an additional $15.00.

The fee for an Accident report increased from $8.00 to $16.00; add $1.00 for a certified record. Note, the agency web page does not use the words accident report or crash report and refers to these reports as State Police Reports.

The DPS home page is www.ct.gov/dps/site/default.asp.

About Tribal Courts

Tribal Courts represent a unique legal system that works within the separate sovereignty of the Indian nations within the United States. The impact on using these courts in business investigations is considerable within the gaming industry. The key point here is that case information in tribal courts is NOT found in any level within the rest of the courts in the U.S.

Searching tribal courts is a must for any obvious Native American name. Also any particular cases which may be brought against any gambling facilities or casinos. These court systems encapsulate criminal, civil, summary judgments and similar cases. Below are several excellent sources to find tribal courts.

• National Tribal Justice Resource Center - www.tribalresourcecenter.org
• Tribal Court Clearinghouse - www.tribal-institute.org/index.htm
• A listing of Tribal Courts is also provided by www.versuslaw.com

(This tip is from Cynthia Hetherington's book  Business Background Investigations.)

First Advantage Acquires Verify Limited

Per a press release by First Advantage Corporation-

First Advantage Corporation (Nasdaq: FADV), a global risk mitigation and business solutions provider, today announced the purchase of Verify Limited, a premier Asian Pacific employment screening company, by the Employer Services segment of First Advantage. The acquisition further extends First Advantage's ability to deliver its global talent acquisition solutions, especially in the high growth countries of Malaysia and China, and solidifies the company's international employment screening market leadership.

Read Press Release

Ohio - No Criminal Record Checks for Legislators

Ohio House Bill 104 requires a criminal records check of an applicant for an initial license for a number of professions including accountants, contractors, and dental hygienists . . . but not state legislators.  The bill passed committee and is going to the house but an amendment requiring checks on legislators was voted down.  Apparently what's good for the public doesn't apply to Ohio lawmakers.  View Bill Folder. 

Pre-Employment Screeners Conference

The Pre-Employment Screeners Conference will take place on November 11-13, 2007, at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater, FL.  This national conference pulls 400 -500 people including an estimated 40 -50 vendors.  BRB Publications will be exhibiting at the conference. For more information visit http://search4crime.com/.

Kroll Awarded Federal Contract

Kroll has announced it was awarded the Background Investigation Contract by the Department of Homeland Security, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).The contract runs through Aug 31, 2008 with 4 additional 1 year options.  The potential value is $30 million dollars.  View Press Release.

New Title, Business Background Investigations, to be Released in October

Business Background Investigations, by Cynthia Hetherington, provides the blueprint to perform proper due diligence and competitive discovery intelligence when examining the backgrounds of businesses and the principals who run them.  This book is applicable to all professionals who are involved in investigations, including insurance and risk managers, attorneys, and security practitioners.

The title is published by Facts On Demand Press, an imprint of BRB Publications.  Click here for more information.

Grand Canyon Super Conference Coming in Oct.

If you're interested in honing your investigative skills, you may want to check out the The Arizona Association of Licensed Private Investigators' Grand Canyon Super Conference at the Mesa Marriott, Oct. 25-27.

Among the speakers are:

Ray Krone, who was the 100th person exonerated by DNA evidence. He and attorney Larry     Hammond will discuss what went wrong in the criminal justice system that led to Krone's wrongful conviction and 10 years in prison.

Marc Klass, the father of murder victim, Polly Klass who was 12 when she was kidnapped and killed in 1993. Marc Klass' foundation is dedicated to stopping crimes against children.

Cynthia Hetherington, nationally known speaker and author of soon to be released book Business Background Investigations.

Breakout sessions include:
-- Conducting Business Background Investigations
-- Forensic Handwriting Analysis
-- Internet Profiling and Intelligence Gathering
-- Investigations Across Borders
-- Organized Crime and the Gaming Industry
-- Public Records challenges in the US and Europe

A PI Marketing Seminar will be offered by Jimmie Mesis of PI Magazine on the Sunday following the conference.

For more information about the conference, go to: http://aalpigcsc.com/. 

Background Checks for CA EMTs

A California bill requiring 70,000 emergency medical technicians to undergo criminal background checks is heading to the Governor for approval.   AB 941 will also create a statewide EMT registry. California is the only state that lacks statewide EMT licensure and mandatory background checks.  View bill folder.