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Searching for Criminal Information in Public Records

The following are just a couple of searches illustrating common methods for searching for criminal information:

The criminal information sources are Automatic Display Files (ADF). When you search any of these sources, the system automatically displays a content and/or coverage description. For additional details about these sources, review their source description. Consult your LexisNexis® Help for instructions on retrieving source descriptions.

Criminal History Records
Use the DATE-OF-BIRTH segment to find statewide and county criminal background on an individual with their date of birth in the criminal history records group source. For example, use the following search to find Michigan criminal history records on John Doe that contain his date of birth:

1. Click the Search tab.
2. Click the Public Records source tab.
3. Click the following links in the order listed to search Michigan Criminal History Records:
   Public Records / Criminal History / MI Criminal History Records
   NOTE: Because the LexisNexis services list some of the most popular sources on the main search page, you can often link to the source you want directly from the Look for a Source box.
4. Click New Search.
5. Click the radio button in front of Terms and Connectors.
6. Enter john or jon! W/3 doe and date-of-birth = 01/01/1970 in the search field.
7. Click Search.

Inmate Information
Use a free-text search to find a person's sentencing information in the combined inmate information group source. For example, use the following search to determine if there is inmate information on John Doe:

1. Click the Search tab.
2. Click the Public Records source tab.
3. Click the following links in the order listed to search Combined Inmate Information:
   Public Records / Civil & Criminal Court Filings and Regulatory Actions / Inmates, Parolees & Convictions / Combined Inmate Information
   NOTE: Because the LexisNexis services list some of the most popular sources on the main search page, you can often link to the source you want directly from the Look for a Source box.
4. Click New Search.
5. Click the radio button in front of Terms and Connectors.
6. Enter john or jon! W/3 doe in the search field.
7. Click Search.

Federal Criminal Dockets
Use the FILING-DATE segment to find information on an individual or company within a certain timeframe in federal criminal docket abstracts group source. For example, use the following search to determine if John Doe has been a defendant in a federal criminal docket since 1998:

1. Click the Search tab.
2. Click the Public Records source tab.
3. Click the following links in the order listed to search U.S. District Courts, Criminal Filings:
   Public Records / Civil & Criminal Court Filings and Regulatory Actions / Combined U.S. District Courts / U.S. District Courts, Criminal Filings
   NOTE: Because the LexisNexis services list some of the most popular sources on the main search page, you can often link to the source you want directly from the Look for a Source box.
4. Click New Search.
5. Click the radio button in front of Terms and Connectors.
6. Enter defendant (john or jon! W/3 doe) and filing-date aft 1998
7. Click Search.

Search State Criminal Dockets on lexis.com®, as well.