Posted by Hersh on May 25, 2005 at 19:50:35:
They aren’t saying it isnt there. It just isnt categorized, “for example under bk filings.”
Those would be mixed in with all the other misc.
legal postings and filings and you cannot sort the data base by bankruptcy, or divorce, or any other specific. You have to give a property address or case number.
Sounds like Jim in FL had the same problem. Thanks for a possible solution Jim.
Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Hersh
Posted by Hersh on May 25, 2005 at 09:49:21:
Bent-Twyford has an article on here that says to go to your courthouse and you can find records there of divorce, forclosure, and people filing BK. So I went to my county building and none of this is available. I need to give a name, address, or in case of BK a case number. I cannot just brouse through records to compile mailing lists. I’m not prohibited from getting the info, it just doesnt exist. This is why trying to get into this business can get so darn frustrating. You read something-try to do it only to find out, it isn’t like what you read.
So is this info available or isn’t it? If so, how can I get it? Thanks. Hopefully I will one day soon be able to post my first success story rather than peppering this forum with questions all the time!
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Mary in CA
Posted by Mary in CA on May 26, 2005 at 13:58:09:
Look for an index - in this day and age it ought to be computerized but ours is still on microfiche. Ours is alphabetized by name of party and usually gives names of parties, type of action and filing date. You’d have to go through entire alphabet to get all of them and you’d have to sort by date if you only want recent ones, but they should be available.
Adoptions & certain guardianship files would be restricted, but I doubt you’d find useful info there anyway.
Mary
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Jim FL
Posted by Jim FL on May 25, 2005 at 15:01:09:
Hersh,
I know exactly what you mean.
A long time ago, I took an idea from someones course to look thru county records for eviction filings etc.
The material that mentioned this idea called it an “Eviction filing list”, so…I went to my court house and asked for one.
After they finished giggling, and telling me there was no such list, I had another idea.
See, my courthouse also said that I needed info like you describe to look up cases.
Either case numbers, or parties in the case, or an address for the properties where evictions where being filed.
I did not have that, and was looking for that.
So, instead, I approached a clerk, and said, “Say I’m here to file such and such type of case. How does that work? How do assign case numbers?”
The clerk told me, when an eviction or foreclosure case is filed, its assigned a number based on the year, a letter code, and then the case number is assigned in the order filings are received.
So, a typical eviction filing for today would look like this: 2005 LMK 123456
From there, I walked to the computer terminal where you could index case info and searched up cases using ‘wild cards’.
I brought up a list of case numbers filed within the last 30 days for the LMK classification.
From there, I filled out a ‘file viewing request form’ with the clerk, listing the cases I wanted (a ton of them).
The clerk handed me file folders to review, and I made my own list.
Returning the files to the clerk when done.
A little work, couple hours, but well worth it.
My first effort landed me two deals, from 13 mailers sent out only to tired landlords.
So, when someone at the county says it cannot be done, they merely mean, ‘we don’t understand what you want, please work within our system’.
Do that, learn how they do things, and work backwards to get your required info.
HTH,
Jim FL
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Killer Joe
Posted by Killer Joe on May 25, 2005 at 10:45:58:
Hersh,
Depending on your locality, some of the records are held by the County Clerk. I go to the County Clerk first and get what I need, and then drive to the Courthouse to complete my search. Where I am looking at properties these two entities are 2 miles apart. It’s very easy.
KJ
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Phil
Posted by Phil on May 25, 2005 at 10:23:43:
“So I went to my county building and none of this is available” Huh? Well, you could be right. But, if its filed withh the courts, then the info SHOULD be public record. Even if they tell you its not there, keep trying, tell them its there, because its public record, unless that certain court case is “sealed” for some reason. Keep trying. If all else fails, go to the next county over from your county, and look up that counties info, I bet its there.
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by eman
Posted by eman on June 26, 2005 at 14:55:50:
is there any way to get this info online.
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Stew(NE)
Posted by Stew(NE) on May 26, 2005 at 09:20:31:
Same problem at my courthouse. You r a genius.
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by PHil
Posted by PHil on May 25, 2005 at 15:28:15:
Pure genius!
I did that… - Posted by Hersh
Posted by Hersh on May 25, 2005 at 19:46:19:
I went to the court house and the County Clerk. Neither were of help. They were friendly but said although those records were there they werent in data bases under those specific categories.
Re: Courthouse info NOT available - Posted by Lee
Posted by Lee on May 26, 2005 at 20:38:43:
Our Federal bankruptcy records are filed and housed 100 miles away.
Our local daily newspaper lists the bankruptcy filings every Sunday. Take the newspaper BK list and look up the records in the (property) Tax Assessor’s office. The Assessor’s records may be avilable online. Search “(your county,State)+Assessor”.
I use Google.
Lee