PI buzz - Private investigators, Google and Public Records

Now at http://pibuzz.com * National Motor Vehicle Title Information System Database - - - - - * This week in public records: Florida - - - - - * This week in public records: Pennsylvania - - - - - * Real Time Tracking On Microblogging Search Engines - - - - - * Read Private Investigator Blogs - - - - - * Texas AG Launches Charitable Organizations Search Tool - - - - - * Social Networking for Investigators - - - - - * Do Public Records Belong To the Public? - - - - - * Think Twice Before Going Undercover - - - - - * So You Think You Know Google? - - - - -

Now at PI buzz - Private Investigator and Public Records News

Now at PI buzz: # This week in public records: Alabama - California - Maine - Virginia

- - - - - # U.S. Postal Service employees are added to employment verification service

- - - - - # This week in public records: Federal - Washington - Iowa - Wisconsin - California - Tennessee - Pennsylvania

- - - - - # Illinois Meth Manufacturer Database Online

- - - - - # Database of the Day: Federal and state employee names and salaries

- - - - - # Government seeks to further restrict the use and display of the Social Security number

- - - - - # Database of the Day: Missouri Department of Corrections

- - - - - # This week in public records: California - Connecticut - North Carolina - Nebraska - New York - Minnesota

- - - - - # South Dakota Supreme Court upholds legality of trash seizure

- - - - - # Find Montana permits and professional continuing education status

Private investigator and public records - PI buzz

Private investigator and public records topics have moved to PI buzz. Current topics:
# This week in public records: Illinois - California - Texas - Nevada - Iowa
# This week in public records: California - Maryland - Nevada - Idaho - Montana
# Malaysia Introduces New PI Television Series
# Database of the Day: Free bankruptcy searches
# More tools to find criminal history in New Jersey
# This week in Internet search: ND Courts, RI DOC, DormItem
# Private Investigators in Oregon Might Become Part of Landmark Case
# This week in public records: Colorado - Virginia - New Jersey - Louisiana - Nevada
# More California public records accessible through a Google search
# Iowa Sheriffs differ on online warrant databases

Public Records - Private Investigator - Internet Search

All blog postings about Public Records - Private Investigator - Internet Search are now at PI buzz.

* Coral Gables Police Department crash reports and event reports online

* This week in public records: Pennsylvania, Texas, Nevada

* Find a Federal Employer Identification Number

* A slew of data brokers settle with AT&T

* Database of the day: Social Workers

* This week in Internet Search: RootsWeb, SearchSystems, LawQuest, Voompeople

* Corporate governance and private investigations

* Personal information: business background and more legislation

* Law enforcement agent’s arrest leads to removal of police reports from all court files

* Database of the Day: Texas Athlete Agent

Recent Comments

* Amanda Guardado: Hello, I wanted to know about my... * Don Anderson: In reply to police reports in court files.... * Michael Taney: FYI, here's a link to the Vermont statute... * Douglas Calderbank: The information listed above... * Kate: I would not post additional information if I had... * frank marderosian: please provide details of how the cell... * Kate Wilson: Yes, it really does. There are several ways... * forest milbourn: Does the cell,phone method, really work.... * Kate: Being tracked by GPS mobile phone technology is... * Stacey Zellmer: Dear K.Mun, I would like to assist you if... Categories * Blogs (2) * Business (26) * Computer tools (2) * Conferences (1) * Data Brokers (13) * Databases (26) * FOIA (3) * Genealogy (5) * Government (39) * International (15) o Canada (5) o Puerto Rico (1) * Legislation (41) * Litigation (20) * Personal Data (35) * PI Business (11) * PIs In the News (44) * Portals & Directories (4) * Privacy (18) * Public Records (149) o Criminal (66) o Divorce (1) o Education (2) o Military (1) o Probate (2) o Real Property (14) o Recorder (9) * Reference (3) * Regulation (14) * Research Methods (15) * Spy Gear (2) * States (167) o Alabama (2) o Arizona (12) o Arkansas (2) o California (61) o Colorado (4) o Connecticut (9) o D.C. (2) o Delaware (4) o Florida (23) o Georgia (4) o Idaho (2) o Illinois (7) o Indiana (4) o Iowa (7) o Kansas (5) o Kentucky (2) o Louisiana (3) o Maine (4) o Maryland (7) o Massachusetts (7) o Michigan (7) o Minnesota (4) o Mississippi (2) o Missouri (7) o Montana (1) o Nevada (4) o New Hampshire (9) o New Jersey (11) o New Mexico (4) o New York (11) o North Carolina (2) o North Dakota (4) o Ohio (10) o Oklahoma (5) o Oregon (6) o Pennsylvania (14) o South Carolina (3) o South Dakota (2) o Tennessee (1) o Texas (11) o Utah (4) o Vermont (3) o Virginia (7) o Washington (9) o West Virginia (1) o Wisconsin (7) o Wyoming (2) * Surveillance (3) * Telco (38) o Cell (6) * Uncategorized (565) * Vital Records (6) * Web tools (10) o Podcasts (1) * Workers Comp (1)

Private Investigator - Free government records - Now at PI buzz

# Federal government portal to professional license and certification lookups
# State Roundup: Iowa State and County Web sites
# A taste of state legislation affecting private investigators
# California UCC filings Web site shut down
# This week in public records - New Jersey - Florida
# State Roundup: California County and State databases
# This week in public records - Florida - Oregon - Kansas - Georgia
# Georgia Governor Makes Executive Appointment of Private Investigator
# Private Investigators Involved in H-P Scandal to Avoid Jail.
# Federal Contractors - approved and debarred

Private Investigator and Public Records News and People Finders

Current posts at PI buzz:

• This week in public records - Virginia - California - Iowa - Mississippi
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• Canadian databases of people finders and registered stallions
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• Canadian PI perspective on personal information restrictions
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• This week in public records - California - Wyoming - Washington - North Carolina
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• President Bush Signs HR 4709 -Telephone Records and Privacy Act of 2006
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• Private Investigator in H-P Scandal Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Conspiracy
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• Private Investigator to Plead Guilty in HP Probe
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• Government agencies oppose full access to public records
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• 50 States’ and D.C.’s Workers’ Compensation Agencies
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• 2006 Index to Legislation in California

PI buzz - Private Investigations - Public Records - Internet Research

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Recent Posts

• Pretexting for Telephone Records One Step Closer to Becoming a Federal Crime
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• Finding public conservators and guardians
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• Information disclosure in federal and state laws
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• Blog proliferation - Private Investigators and Public Records
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• San Joaquin County California inmates search
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• Subject of Investigation Sues TV Reporter and Pennsylvania Private Investigator
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• New Hampshire Court Rules Against Private Investigator in Stalking Case
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• Malta Private Investigator Jailed for 2 Years For Fabricating Report
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• 50 state database of drug labs
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• DOJ crime and prison data - recent releases

Postings Now At PI buzz

To view current postings please visit my new site: PI buzz.

# Pretexting may not be pretty but often beats the alternative

- - - - - # More crime maps - free real property ownership - real property maps and demographics

- - - - - # Genealogical Resources in U.S. Federal Depository Libraries

- - - - - # Online criminal records search techniques - Ventura County California Inmates now online

- - - - - # This week in public records - Texas - Florida - FTC

- - - - - # California consumers can’t “freeze” their credit reports

- - - - - # Private Detective Comes out of the Shadows

- - - - - # GPS Device Causes Bomb Scare

- - - - - # Who’s a Rat - database of those who do and tell

- - - - - # Searching SEC filings

PI buzz - Private Investigator News

All postings for this site can now be found at PI buzz. Recent Posts * Private Detective Comes out of the Shadows - - - - - * GPS Device Causes Bomb Scare - - - - - * Who’s a Rat - database of those who do and tell - - - - - * Searching SEC filings - - - - - * A Wiki that profiles domains - - - - - * Non-PI Focus of New York Law Journal - - - - - * Court TV Looking for Private Investigators - - - - - * Free information databases and their fee services - - - - - * The cost of data breaches - - - - - * Resources at the State Bar - New Jersey - California - - - - -

PI News Link gets a new home at PI buzz

PI News Link is now posting at our new site, PI buzz. If you've been linking to PI News Link would you please adjust that link to reflect the change?

At PIbuzz I'll continue writing about the state of public records, personal information databases, electronic access to records, privacy and legislation of interest to private investigators, lawyers, librarians and journalists.

Go to PI buzz and add your email address in the subscribe area or get the site updates in your newsreader.

Current Posts at PI buzz

This week in public records - Florida

This week in public records - California - Ohio - Louisiana

FTC phone and financial records cases

California AG indicts executives and data brokers for identity theft

California law bans unauthorized access to telephone call logs

This week in public records - Connecticut - Kansas

U.S. House Hearings on phone records and pretexting

Pennsylvania legislature considers a drug registry

Free 50 state guide to public records
The private investigator archives: Free Internet research and librarian assistance

Private Investigations - PI buzz - Public Records

Current Posts at PI buzz

This site is now posting at PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com). Please go there and register for free updates.

# Free real property valuations integrated with census data

# Legislative research reports: shortcuts to topical summaries of state laws

# California Supreme Court slams out of state telephone recordings

# ChoicePoint ever shifting also delivers some free online tools

# Financial background investigations

# LocateCell is hit with FCC fine - more to follow?

# Free 50 state real property assessor search

Current Posts at PI buzz - Topics on private investigations and public records

Current Posts at PI buzz

# Florida moves to next phase of implementing electronic court records

# More business research resources

# So goes the country: outlawing investigative deception in California

# South Dakota and Oregon round out the 50 state sex offender registries online

# Can expunged records be reported in background screening?

# North Dakota AG addresses distinction between security and investigative services

# Searching for Answers

# Louisiana law gives law enforcement opt out on motor vehicle and driver license records

# Wisconsin financial disclosure statements online

# Supreme Court paves the way for Kansas death penalty

Private Investigator News | Public Records | - PI News Link is now PI buzz

PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com) is the current site of PI News Link. Posts now at PI buzz: California Congresswoman takes aim at online access to the Social Security Death Index National Institutes of Health small business project awardees Find people in the U.S. Military Merlin Information and IRB Search: Consolidation in the personal information database industry is good for private investigators 10 Must Have Desert Island Web sites for Private Investigators Michigan county Recorder removes online document images Connecticut Judiciary reviews access to court records Federal hearing on Data Brokers and Pretexting Privacy concerns press Congress to legislate vehicle black box data recorders Electronic criminal records indexes PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com) is the current site of PI News Link. Sign up at PI buzz to get current posts on Private Investigator News | Public Records | Internet Search | Genealogy | Privacy | Reporting | Personal Information | Adoption | Genealogy | Heirs | Open Government.

Arizona legislature - Public records - Calaveras County - Secret trial courts - private judges - hidden public records

Please visit PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com) to view updates to this site and to read the following current topics.

Arizona legislature seeks to remove code enforcement officers from public records

Public records from the New York Attorney General

Calaveras County Zoning Maps

Arizona governor signs phone pretext bill

Secret trial courts - private judges - hidden public records

Employment verification service modifies access

New York City Courts release 2005 report

Alabama removes social security numbers from public records

Oklahoma marriage licenses retain social security numbers

Louisiana legislature proposes altering police reports

The Public Records blog - PI News Link - Private Investigator news - has moved to PI buzz

The new home for this Public Records blog - PI News Link - Private Investigator news - has moved to PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com). Please register at PI buzz to receive updates.

Private Investigations | Public Records | Genealogy | Information Research - all now at PIbuzz.com

This site has a new home at http://pibuzz.com. Please sign up there to receive site updates. Do not continue to subscribe here. If you do you won't get what you came here for!

Disappearing dockets - PI Magazine - PI buzz

Tamara Thompson has joined forces with Rosemarie Mesis, Publisher of PI Magazine, the largest print periodical for the professional investigator industry, and launched PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com). PI buzz will continue to address issues on public records access and provide practical tools to information researchers: private investigators, attorneys, librarians, and journalists. Free registration at the new site. See today's posting Disappearing dockets

Private investigator appears on Anderson Cooper to discuss Pellicano

PI News Link is now posting at PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com/). California PI Jan Tucker will talk about the Pellicano case and the ethics of private investigators. See my post: http://pibuzz.com/

California - Texas - Florida - legislation and courts

Current topics I'm tracking at PI buzz (http://pibuzz.com), my new blog site:

California and Texas follow the lead of other states criminalizing sales of telephone subscriber data By Tamara Thompson

The California legislature, adding its imprint to a politician’s dream issue, is considering Assembly Bill 2838, “an act to add Section 530.1 to the Penal Code, and to amend Section 2891 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telephone records.”

California divorce records under fire By Tamara Thompson

An earlier attempt to seal California divorce records was dashed by an appellate court but a revised version is on the legeslative fast track, according to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

EPIC challenges attorneys’ use of private investigators

PI New Link is now PI buzz. Please come to the new site and subscribe to receive updates.

Visit our new site at PIbuzz.com

PI News Link is now posting at our new site, PI buzz. If you've been linking to PI News Link would you please adjust that link to reflect the change? At PIbuzz I'll continue writing about the state of public records, personal information databases, electronic access to records, privacy and legislation of interest to private investigators, lawyers, librarians and journalists. Go to PI buzz and add your email address in the subscribe area or get the site updates in your newsreader. Thanks for continuing to read. Tamara Thompson

PI News Link gets a new home at PI buzz

Gentle readers, lend me your eyes. PI News Link is now posting at our new site, PI buzz, where I'll continue writing about the state of public records, personal information databases, electronic access to records, privacy and legislation of interest to private investigators, lawyers, librarians and journalists.

Go to PI buzz and add your email address in the subscribe area or get the site updates in your newsreader.

We're encouraging comments to the posts and I always welcome your thoughts on site improvements or topics you'd like me to explore. Email me at: pinewslink@gmail.com.

Federal Legislation Is Proposed To Criminalize Seeking or Selling Telephone Data

Legislation that would criminalize obtaining, selling or, under some circumstances, possessing, telephone customer information, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Law Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006, H.R. 4709 would, "amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen protections for law enforcement officers and the public by providing criminal penalties for the fraudulent acquisition or unauthorized disclosure of phone records." Phone records that are linked to subscribers include their call history -telephone calls made on that phone line- but also just the subscriber name and address. The ostensible reason for the blanket prohibition, which does not exempt anyone other than law enforcement, is because disclosure

"...not only assaults individual privacy but, in some instances, may further acts of domestic violence, compromise the personal safety of law enforcement officers, their families, or confidential informants, and undermine the integrity of law enforcement investigations."

I haven't seen any media reports that cite instances of law enforcement safety or investigations being compromised. I imagine the people who access records for that reason aren't going to be too concerned about the 5 years they could get in the can.

Will lawyers stand behind the legal use of telephone data?

A second article has been published by law.com pointing the finger at attorneys as the primary purchasers of telephone subscriber information. Will Lawyers Get Hung Up In Quest for Cell Phone Records?, suggests that the litigation by state Attorneys General and impending state and federal legislation may be rattling the cage of many lawyers. Unfortunately the article misses the opportunity to detail the legal and appropriate uses by law firms of telephone subscriber data, which I mentioned in a prior post on government regulation. In fact, the author had difficulty getting lawyers to talk to her, even though the practice does not violate the law. And, according to law professor Harold Krent, purchasing cell phone records is not an ethical breach.

"Are cell phone records private? We probably all assumed that they were, but the answer is probably to the contrary. We probably have some privacy interest but it's not protected by common law or statute," said Harold J. Krent, dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law. Krent noted that given the vagueness of the law, attorneys who obtain cell phone records via the Internet are not doing anything illegal or unethical.

Former D.C. private investigator, now privacy consultant, Robert Douglas gets some ink because of his active assistance to the federal government identifying cell phone subscriber data purveyors that operate on the Internet. His testimony before a U.S. House hearing, and that of others giving testimony are collected at the law.com site.

Search Real Estate By Address

Search real property profiles at zillow.com, a free Internet site that is searchable by street address. Search results include a satellite map, home value, square footage, date of last sale and comparable homes. This database lists all homes in the counties covered, not just properties for sale.

Law firms hire private investigators in-house

Private investigators and law firms are stirring over the recent Law.com article, Private Investigators Go In-House At Law Firms, a discussion of the practice of some law offices hiring staff investigators, mostly former federal government law enforcement agents. The attorneys interviewed site cost savings to their clients as a motivation, but also the increased quality of the overall product "because they will work closely with the firm's attorneys on litigation and have a better handle on the information that's needed." That's a key tip for all investigators, whether we're working in-house or on a contract. There are a few thoughts I try to keep in mind.

- Often the attorney doesn't know that there's a unmined wealth of information in their own files, which should be culled before launching your investigation.

- Communicate frequently and in detail with your client. A regular exchange of findings can advance the case. Verbal discussions are essential because many times the attorney doesn't thoroughly read our written reports; she may have breaking news that needs to be conveyed. Make it convenient for her by calling often.

Don't paper your attorney to cover shortfalls in your findings. Explain the work you did and the obstacles -including legal barriers to obtaining some types of data. You might also consider marketing a more specific investigative specialty rather than presenting a list of a dozen types of work you can do. Investigators take pride in our talents as generalists but you may get more of the type of work you want if you define it more particularly. Various clients will speak of me as the "Internet researcher" or "the PI who can find anyone." These tags are more tailored to the client's immediate need. Nader Anise, an attorney marketer has some other suggestions for ways the private investigator can work with law firms that are employing PIs.

New Jersey real property records may be restricted

Legislation proposed by New Jersey state Senator Ron Rice could obstruct the public access to real property records, according to this report by the Newhouse News Service. The bill would require everyone, except real estate agents or the property owner, to submit a formal public records request in order to receive property profiles. This restriction could interfere with obtaining property information online, where the proof of identity is more difficult to verify.

Find a name from a telephone number

Free reverse telephone lookup is being offered by Merlindata, for subscribers, through February 17. Enter a telephone number to get the name or address of the subscriber.

~ phone records debate in US Senate to be webcast ~

Protecting Consumers' Phone Records is the topic of the U.S. Senate Consumer Affairs, Product Safety, and Insurance subcommittee webcast on Wednesday, February 8, 2006. Needless to say, the witness list isn't balanced; all of those testifying are expected to argue that selling or obtaining consumer telephone records should be criminalized.

The hearing will examine unauthorized third party access to phone records, potential legislative solutions, and will assess the proper roles of the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.

More Hearings in Congress on sale of phone records

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hearing, Evidence of Records and Practices Sought From Websites that Sell Private Cell Phone Records, held Wednesday February 1, 2006, opened an investigation into the retail sales of customer telephone records. The Committee press release includes the letters sent to Steven Schwartz, director of First Source Information Specialists, Inc., and Patrick Baird, director of PDJ Services, which demand a list of the customers who have used their service. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation website lists the panel that will assemble at its February 8 hearing, Protecting Consumers' Phone Records.

PI opinion on phone pretexts

The San Francisco Chronicle has published an honest opinion piece on the use of telephone subscriber information and pretexts by private investigators, submitted by our own, Mike Spencer, a PI out of Oakland, California.

Ohio AG confirms that court record financial information is a public record

The Ohio Attorney General has issued an opinion that financial information in court files is a public record. Read all about it at the Ohio Sunshine Project.

Oklahoma may create a meth offenders database

Oklahoma legislators envision an online database of individuals convicted of possession of methamphetamines, much like the existing one in Tennessee.

Michigan makes non conviction arrests a public record

The Michigan news site, The Daily Telegram, reports that the Michigan State Police has made additional criminal history information the public at its website.

A new state law provides that all criminal history information associated with a state identification number and supported by fingerprints shall be disseminated in response to a fingerprint- or name-based search of the state's criminal history record database, a statement released Friday by the Michigan State Police said. Information that previously would not have been released includes arrest information even if the charge or judicial portion is not yet available. Currently only criminal records containing convictions are available.

Intelius dumps its private investigator site

The short lived effort by the personal data retailer Intelius to break into the private investigator market has come to an abrupt end. Intelius' primary market is the general public. It appears that the profit margins for the PI side of the business didn't warrant continued tailored service to the investigations industry. The Company notified subscribers in a recent email.

As of January 31st, 2006, all Intelius PI accounts and the invoice billing system will be closed. To better serve our clients, special volume discounts for those in the investigation industry will become part of our regular Intelius service.

The PI.Intelius site never quite took off and was plagued with a substandard interface, and insufficient pricing and data source information -features that PIs have come to expect to be clear upfront. Thankfully, all of the data PI.Intelius offered is available through other vendors.

New Jersey dog license records released to commercial venture

The New Jersey Government Records Council (GRC) is the arbiter of the state Public Records Act and is the only appeal body that considers denied requests for public information, other than the court system. I previously wrote about the GRC opinion that government sponsored data maintained on personal computers is a public record. The GRC recently ruled that a commercial request for dog license data which included personal information should be released.

At its April 14, 2005 public meeting, the Government Records Council ("Council") considered the April 7, 2005 Findings and Recommendations of the Executive Director and all related documentation submitted by the parties. After balancing the public's interest in disclosure against the privacy interests raised in said findings and recommendations, a three-member majority of the four-member Council voted to reject the recommendation of the Executive Director and hold, instead, that in the specific circumstances of this case, the dog license owners names and addresses are to be disclosed.

NewJersey.com explores this case and tactivitiestes of the GRC.