I'm very
pleased to announce that the Court PC online
database of CT Superior Court cases will be upgraded
with new search capabilities and a new look
over the next few months. Thanks to all of
you who have made suggestions and comments on how to
improve the database. Our new website designer and
SQL developer are working on a number of improvements
and additions, the first major upgrade since the online database was
introduced roughly five years ago.
The
planned new features and searches include:
-
a
quicker, smoother login process directly from our home
page
-
additional CV/FA search result filters
by party type and date range, so you can limit a
report to defendants only, or to only those records
from 2000 or later
-
view
CV/FA search results by judgments only or by all
cases
-
party
name search results page will also display case and
appearance info - no need to click on case displays to
see which attorney or firm represented your subject
-
three
new search types will be added --
-
for
CV/FA cases by location and docket number --
displays basic case info, parties and appearances,
and available docket information for hundreds
of thousands of cases no longer archived
on the Judicial Branch website
-
search
the civil case database using multiple
selection criteria, such as location, case type,
outcome and date range
-
search
our attorney appearance database by Juris number for
all appearances filed by a particular firm or
attorney from
1994-present
-
all
search results will be stored for 30 days -- if you've
lost a report or simply need another copy, you
can easily retrieve recent search reports without
having to run a second search
Additional
details will appear in the next issue of this
update. The project is being completed by CT Web
Factory LLC of Wolcott, CT.
What's in
a name? It's where all public records searches
begin. The first and easiest thing you can do to
guarantee better search results is to simply make sure the name you search is
entered in the proper order. This is probably
the single most common issue I've had to address in
the five years of offering the online database.
Remember,
not all databases use the same search logic or work in
exactly the same way. Court PC's database uses a
search page which specifies a first name field and a
last name field, in that order. It's not
self-correcting, either. You must use these
fields correctly and enter the first name
in the first name field, etc. to get the results you
want.
Yes, Court PC's criminal
and motor vehicle searches will by default also search
those records in reverse order, so where the first name
and last name go doesn't really matter for CR
searches. But CR and MV records are structured
differently from CV and FA records. They don't
contain "first name" and "last name" fields,
but use a single, longer "name" field.
Whenever this type of data entry is used, there's a much
greater possibility that a name like "Francis Earl"
will be entered incorrectly as "Earl Francis,"
which makes the "bi-directional" search absolutely
necessary.
So don't fall
victim to habits you may have formed on other
databases. Note the type of search you're doing,
note where the names go, and enter each name
accordingly.
Search tips will be a
regular feature of this newsletter. Tips will
address the most common search problems I encounter when
reviewing search logs. My top priority is seeing
that you get the best possible results from the Court PC
database. If you have any questions at all about
the best way to run a name through the database,
please e-mail me.
A New York client
handling the sale of stock in a small restaurant
corporation recently asked if I could check into any
public records of liquor license violations or actions
filed against the seller. The first stop in my
research was to search the CT State website for the
simple term "liquor license," which took me to the
website of the CT Department of Consumer
Protection. My first thought was
that this seemed an unusual place to find such
info. However, most commercial and/or professional
licenses and permits fall under the DCP's jurisdiction,
and within the DCP is the Liquor Control Commission
(LCC). Documentation of all suspensions and
revocations, plus memoranda of all decisions involving
liquor permits (applications, etc.) are found at the
online locations listed below.
There is no searchable
database, only a year-by-year list of names. Each
year's list must be searched separately, making the
search somewhat tedious. However, the LCC's full
decisions are here, as well as copies of the notices
that must be publicly posted when a permit is
suspended. This is an interesting public
information resource you may wish to
bookmark.
In each issue,
I'll highlight public records resources from
Connecticut or elsewhere, and news from BRB
Publications, LinkedIn groups and other associations
that may be of interest to you. I
welcome input from readers as to any research tips
and public records sites that may be useful
to attorneys, private investigators, lenders,
public records researchers and anyone in the fields of
background screening and due diligence.
contact: John Lach, Court PC of
Connecticut Inc.
toll-free
fax:
866-768-3761
mail
to: P O Box 951, Philmont, NY
12565
