Hiring a new employee is one of the most common reasons for using Maryland public records. A small business may prefer to take advantage of the free information available online instead of hiring another company to perform this service.

Finding an applicant with the right job qualifications is only part of the hiring process. Background checks should be essential because the employer can be held responsible for an employee’s actions on the job. Maryland criminal records can help identify individuals that could be a poor choice due to their credit or criminal history. Employers must also specifically check people who will be working with children or the elderly for any history of abuse.

There are three types of public records of particular interest when performing background checks:

1. Credit reports that show current lines of credit, payment histories and declarations of bankruptcy.

2. Maryland vital records that show past convictions, births or divorces. These may also be useful in determining criminal history, residency requirements and alimony payments.

3. Registered sex offender lists. Maryland requires convicted sex offenders to be kept on a list for a specified period after their conviction.

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Use Maryland court records to get general information on individuals

Public records can include Maryland marriage records, birth records, death records and divorce records. Many cities and counties in Maryland have websites with this information that is freely available to the general public.

I recommend: The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County maintains public records such as land transactions, marriage licenses and Circuit Court records. The Circuit Court for Hartford County provides a partial list of records that are available for public review.

Use Maryland police records to get information on criminal history

Law enforcement agencies keep criminal records which may be publicly available. Laws vary widely by state as to the specific information you will be able to obtain. Some government agencies may also charge fees.

I recommend: The Maryland Department of Public Services and Correction Services provides various background checks. The Maryland Board of Nursing allows you to lookup licensees by name, social security number or license number.

Use public records to conduct a Maryland background check

There are many sites dedicated to performing background checks for prospective employees. These checks can also include Social Security number verification, education verification and reference checks.

I recommend: InfoRecordSearch.com performs a variety of information searches in Maryland including criminal background checks. Instant Criminal Checks performs criminal background checks, tenant screening and pre-employment screening.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You will first need to obtain some basic information on the individual you are seeking a Maryland public record for. Job applicants will need to provide this information on the application form or on a separate form for the background check. Individuals must also grant permission for a background check in most cases.

Maryland public records contain a wealth of information for individuals and businesses about to make an important decision. Taking the time to locate and review information contained in these records can save you time and money in the long run.

In today's uncertain economy, you need to arm yourself personally with all of the information available on a subject before making an important decision. Performing a Maryland background check on a potential partner or a tax and price check on a potential real estate investment can provide you with critical information. A quick search of available resources today can help you to avoid making a costly mistake that will affect your future.

Locate and review the following information before making an important decision:

1. Maryland court records

2. Maryland property records

3. Maryland bankruptcy records

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Know what information is available to you in a Maryland public record search

Public records contain a wealth of information on various people, places and things. Knowing what information is easily accessible will help you to (a) avoid time consuming searches at public offices, (b) be a more informed consumer and (c) spot issues when it is time to make an important decision.

I recommend: For an overview of what is available in Maryland public records, visit the Maryland Free Public Records website. This comprehensive site provides information on everything from Maryland police records and Maryland vital records to Maryland court records and Maryland marriage records.

Gather detailed information on your research topic prior to your Maryland public records search

Before starting a search of any Maryland public record, obtain as much information as possible on the subject of your research. Websites and public record officials will ask you to provide search information, including names of parties, dates and addresses.

I recommend: A simple search of Maryland marriage records requires you to know the last name of the party, while a search of Maryland public court records requires you to know the name of the party or company as well as the approximate date of the case. To obtain free identity information on your research subject, check websites such as Zabasearch or Free People Search. Just key in the name of the party that you're researching.

Select a reliable source to obtain your public records in Maryland

The Internet is overrun with information on public records and public record searches. Whether you are trying to locate Maryland public court records or Maryland police records, selecting a reliable source to provide that information is critical.

I recommend: Since public records are essentially government records, to obtain the most reliable information, go directly to the source. Visit government sponsored websites or websites with links to government resources like BRB Publications, Inc.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Only 35% of public records are online, so use free online resources as a preliminary way to quickly obtain the information that you need from Maryland public records.

Making the most of Maryland public records will require you to have a guide or referral. You can conduct Internet searches of many government agencies for free but you will spend a lot of time looking at irrelevant links and websites if you have no idea where to start.

You will first need to obtain some basic information on the individual or property you are seeking information on. For example, if you are seeking Maryland police records on an individual, it will be helpful to know some addresses where that person has previously lived.

There are three general types of public records in Maryland:

1. Criminal records that include files on registered sex offenders, past convictions or current information on current inmates in a particular prison. These records can help you investigate individuals such as prospective employees.

2. Maryland vital records such as census records, consumer protection information or legislation minutes. You may find these records helpful when researching a product or political candidate.

3. Real estate records like property appraisals, ownership and taxes. These types of records can be useful when buying or selling a home.

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Find Maryland court records from local government agencies

City and county clerks in Maryland can frequently provide a great deal of current information on an individual when you know their name and address.

I recommend: The Maryland Judiciary provides the contact information for the courts in Maryland and it also allows a site search. Maryland.gov has an alphabetical list of the homepages for the counties in Maryland.

Learn more about the laws regarding Maryland public records

The records that are publicly available vary widely by state. You will want to have at least a general idea of what Maryland public court records you can expect to find before conducting your search.

I recommend: The Maryland Attorney General offers an overview of the Maryland Public Information Act as well as the complete text by chapter. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration provides a range of vehicle services including a summary of the laws regarding driving record requests.

Perform searches of specific databases of Maryland public records

Many cities and counties in Maryland maintain a variety of records on individuals and property that are freely available to the general public.

I recommend: The Anne Arundel County Clerk maintains land records and also provides the fee schedule for making copies of those records. The Clerk’s Office for Howard County provides land records and a variety of other services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Exhaust free sources of information before you consider paying for Maryland marriage records. Sites that charge a fee may only provide information you could obtain elsewhere for free. Fortunately, libraries frequently subscribe to services that you would normally need to pay a fee to access. You should also bear in mind that many public records are simply not available online.

Searching public records has never been easier these days. Computer technology has advanced to such a point that accessing a particular State's government databases is easy and available to public. Most of these types of searches can be done for free or for a small fee to access specific areas of records.

Public records contain valuable information for finding things such as unpaid bills, locating a registered sex offender's address, birth and death records, unclaimed property, bankruptcy and even governmental employment. Maryland has a variety of information that can be viewed by the public.

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Unclaimed property

Unclaimed property is an asset that has been abandoned, left, unclaimed or inactive by the owner of the asset. These can include stocks, refunds of credit, dormant bank accounts, bonds and insurance proceeds reported as unclaimed by banks and other financial institutions after three years.

I recommend: The Comptroller of Maryland explains unclaimed property and provides a searchable database on its website.

State employment

Maryland is the largest employer within the State and offers employment through the Department of Civil Services. They supply educational requirements for employment, list of scheduled examinations for future job opportunities and other work related information and resources.

I recommend: All state employment opportunities for Maryland State are compiled and saved in a free searchable database supplied by the State of Maryland Department of Budget and Management.

Birth and death records

In Maryland, records relating to birth and death are considered public records after 100 years have passed from the person's date of birth and 50 years from the person's date of death. This information is important for things such as school entrance, employment, passports, proof of citizenship and even governmental benefits.

I recommend: Birth and death records can be obtained, once requirements are met, by requesting them from StateGovRecords.com which also delineates the instructions of how to obtain the needed record type.

Lawyer referrals

All members of the Maryland State Bar Association are listed on the membership directory so that a search for an attorney can be done by county and practice area. It is important to note that the Maryland State Bar Association is a professional association, which is voluntary.

I recommend: The Maryland State Bar Association maintains a database that is accessible by the public for lawyer referral services. For more information, go to the State Bar's website.

SOCEM, Sex Offender Compliance and Enforcement in Maryland

Sex offenders in Maryland can be searched for very easily by using SOCEM, which helps to find sex offenders living in a certain area, track offenders' movements and get help for any child that may be a victim of sexual abuse.

I recommend: To access the information regarding sex offenders, visit the website for Maryland's Sexual Offenders Compliance and Enforcement agency which is available 24 hours a day.

Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

In Maryland, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing does the licensing and regulating activities for many corporations, partnerships and individuals which requires that the licensees meet a standard of competence in whatever their chosen profession.

I recommend: Read about the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing on its website.