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Direct answer

Search Online by Record and Custodian

Finding public records online works best by record type and custodian. Use the court for case records, the state/local agency for its administrative records, the vital-record authority for certificates, and federal systems such as PACER for federal court cases. A generic government directory can help you locate an agency, but it does not establish that agency’s access rules.

Source map

Record-to-source routing

Record type Official route Online use Boundary
Federal court case PACER Federal case locator and court records Federal courts only
Birth/marriage/divorce/death certificate State vital-record authority State-specific order/search route CDC directory only helps route
State/local agency record Agency that created/maintains it Agency portal or request process Rules are agency/jurisdiction specific
Historical federal record National Archives Catalog/genealogy research tools Often historical, not a living-person locator
Context

How to interpret find records online results

PACER provides federal case access, CDC routes users to state vital-record authorities, and NARA provides historical federal-record research. These systems are not interchangeable.

USAGov can help find state/local government websites, but that directory alone does not prove record contents, redaction, eligibility or processing rules.

Process

A step-by-step route for find records online

  1. 01
    Name the record

    Court case, vital certificate, police report, property filing, business filing, archival record, etc.

  2. 02
    Locate the custodian

    Use an official directory only to reach the agency when needed.

  3. 03
    Use the agency’s actual search/request system

    Read its scope, exclusions and identifiers before interpreting results.

Interpretation
A missing online result is not a universal finding
Some official records are not remotely available, are restricted, require a request, or simply belong to a different custodian. Preserve the scope of the search you actually performed.
Prepare

What to have ready for find records online

  • ✓
    Record type

    Determines the likely custodian.

  • ✓
    Jurisdiction

    State/county/city/federal level matters.

  • ✓
    Name and event date

    Useful identifiers when the official system accepts them.

  • ✓
    Case/parcel/license number

    Prefer stronger identifiers when known.

Related Record Guides

Sources

Authoritative next stops

Official federal judiciary source

PACER - Find a Case

Federal court case search

United States federal courts