Civil Search

A search for records in civil cases will be conducted for any non-criminal lawsuits.

These cases in a Civil Search are lawsuits filed by or against an individual within the past 7 years.

Information Direct will search by plaintiff, defendant, attorney or case number of Superior Court filings of $25,000 or greater. Records obtained will be in both upper and lower courts as pursuant with civil cases that are non-criminal. For any background check conducted, a Civil Search is an essential part.

In particular for hiring decisions, the Fair Credit Reporting Act states that cases can’t be reported in a background investigation after 7 years that which involved civil suits, civil judgments, arrest records and paid tax liens.

Federal Civil Search

For a nationwide level search, A Federal Civil Search will include civil cases filed in the US, and will also include Bankruptcy courts and Appellate courts. According to US courts, federal civil cases are defined as legal disputes between two or more parties. The process for civil action begins when one party to a dispute files a complaint and follows legal proceedings.

For an employer to understand the records provided in a Civil Search that may have resulted in federal court, a summary will be presented to you that is comprehensive and with an outline of the proceedings. For such a case to have begun, a complaint that is filed by one party to court in the legal dispute serves a copy of the complaint on the defendant. The complaint will need to articulate the damages done, injuries caused or so forth. Monetary compensation may be sought after an order by the court to put a stop to what caused the damages or injuries.

Whether a Federal Civil Search or a Civil Search , records obtained will provide the employer a different perspective on the applicant and will verify information they provided verbally or in documentation. The search will help uncover records that may or may not play a role in the hiring decision. But is the commitment of Information Direct to conduct a search within the requirements of the law and adhere to the process in obtain and reporting the records to you.

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Civil Municipal Court Records

Civil municipal court records may also be searched by Information Direct, but cases only under $25,000. However, it is not in the best interest nor does Information Direct recommend this search. The reason being, that civil records contain the names of individuals but names only and no other means of identification.

As an employer, identifying the court and the system in which cases are handled should be explained, and that is the commitment to making records easy to read and from Information Direct. A municipal court is defined as a court with jurisdiction that is limited to a city or municipality. Cases in a municipal that may have involved an applicant would address violations of city ordinances generally speaking. The municipal court may also have jurisdiction over minor criminal cases and certain civil cases.

Employer Policies

A Civil Search may uncover details about an applicant with a criminal record. According to the Labor Department, most employers typically have policies of their own when it comes to hiring someone with a criminal record. These policies will often times be outlined in employment requirements. However, a civil case, depending on the employer policies, does not disqualify an applicant and may not have an impact on their employment, typically in the private sector.

For employers making a hiring decision it doesn’t necessarily boil down to criminal activity. In civil proceedings, there are cases involving wrongdoing. An employer may consider lawsuits involving a breach of contract in a hiring decision. A Civil Search can uncover information pertaining to such cases and therefore impact an applicant’s opportunity. Cases in these matters can result in damages or compensation and may reflect as a risk for a business.

Cases such as civil proceedings can also be described as civil action or civil suit. Information Direct will obtain records as defined by either reference, and provide the result that an employer is looking for. The result with information that helps an employer limit liability and make a confident hiring decision is our commitment.

Civil vs Criminal

Information Direct is your primary source to screenings that help define the contrast between types of cases and the outlining records you request. While employers will look to filter applicants by verifying information they provide to records obtained in criminal and civil searches, it’s important to have the big picture in addition to the minor details you seek in the records obtained.

What happens in the different types of cases will often time pain the picture for you. The process in which a case is handled can do the same. For criminal proceedings, the person, or applicant in the matter that this person is seeking employment at your company, would have a case filed against them seeking punishment. For civil proceedings, the person would have a complaint filed against them seeking payment, as most civil cases involve money, and won’t result in jail time either as the punishment or result of losing the civil case in court.

Information Direct will abide by the laws to begin the Civil Search and adhere to the law in obtain records. Records obtained will have a turnaround time that meets, and often times exceeds expectations to give you the information you need in a timely manner.