Washington Criminal and Public Records

Living next to a mysterious neighbor can be a nightmare for the best of us. It can put at risk the safety of our family as well as our safety.

This is why it is important to know as much as you can about the people that are present around you. It not only applies to neighbors but even the people you are dating. You never know what you might find out.

This is why knowing how to do a Washington State background check is very important. Most people are unaware that they can access anybody’s information in Washington legally (without them knowing!).

Washington Public Records

Washington State is growing economically at a fast rate. Located in the northwest region of USA, Washington is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Canada. It is the highest producer of many raw materials in the US.

However, its admirable economy is also troubled by its high crime rate. This makes it important to be vigilant. Keeping an eye on everyone around you is an important step in this regard.

Washington Public Records Law

Public Disclosure Act was passed in 1962 in the Washington State. This act governs the rules regarding the public records in Washington.

Originally, the Public Disclosure Act was aimed to improve Lobbying and Campaign finance activities by making them transparent. However, the scope of the act was widened in 2006 to make sure that the general public can benefit from the act as well.

According to this act, any person has the right to access a public record for any personal reason. However, the act also includes some limitations if the information is requested for commercial purposes.

Every state agency as well as the state departments are covered in this law. This even includes the Executive and Legislative bodies of such agencies.

However, unlike many other states, this act does not cover the Judicial branch of the agency. It also excludes private agencies that are funded by the State.

A few other records that are exempted from this act include any healthcare records, coroner’s reports, juvenile records, proprietary information, library records, and security related information.

Washington Criminal Records, Arrest Records and Background Checks

In Washington State, all background checks come under the supervision of the Criminal History Section of the Washington State Patrol.

Any person can request an unrestricted criminal history record. This record is only limited to certified justice agencies. It contains every arrest that occurred to the person, regardless of whether he was convicted or not.

If you want to access anyone’s criminal records, you can do that online. You can go to this government website for this purpose. However, it only provides criminal arrest records for a period of up to 1 year.

According to Washington law, an employer can ask an employment candidate about their past convictions. However, the law does not permit to ask about any conviction that is not relevant to the job. Further, employers can only ask for convictions that happened in the last ten years.

Background Check in Washington through TruthFinder

TruthFinder is a popular search engine that lets you find complete information about any person. This includes their real name, age, birthdate, address, previous address, phone numbers, criminal records, social media accounts, and so much more.

It can give you all the traces of a person’s life in the world. And there is no guesswork at all. TruthFinder is linked to several public records databases. This makes its data very accurate.

There are a variety of ways through which you can search on TruthFinder. These include:

Name Search:

Name Search allows you to search for the private information of any person through their name. All you have to do is enter the first name, last name, and city (optional) of the person about whom you wish to find the information.

Reverse Phone Number Lookup:

This can be very helpful in case you wish to know the identity of an unknown caller. All you have to do is enter a phone number and TruthFinder will tell you who owns it. You can then run a background check on the person if you want.

Reverse Address Lookup:

I find it particularly useful to check on new people that move in my neighborhood. It gives you a good idea about who they are and whether you should allow your kids near them.

Reverse Email Search:

This allows you to search for the sender of an email ID. If you have been getting suspicious emails lately, you can use this option and find who is behind it.

These options provide an easy way to access someone’s identity and learn what they are hiding behind their face.

TruthFinder Background Search

Once you have searched for a person, TruthFinder provides with the identity (or identities) that fulfil the criteria. You can select the person based on the overview provided by TruthFinder.

You have the option to run a full background check on the person and know their entire past. This includes their criminal history in not just the Washington State but everywhere else as well.

You can try TruthFinder’s People Search yourself. You will see the background information of the target person within 3 minutes.

Washington Court Records

Washington has an Administrator of Courts website where anyone can enquire about any court record. Further, there is also an eService search engine that lets you search for a public court record. You can search for any appellate, district, municipal, and superior court cases.

However, these records will only give you the calendar date, attorneys, parties involved, and case numbers. If you wish to know the case in detail, you will have to contact that particular court.

Washington Vital Records

Washington State Department of Health keeps a record of all the vital certificates issued in the State. These vital certificates include birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, and divorce certificate.

The procedure to acquire any certificate copy varies based upon the certificate in question.

Birth Certificates

You can access any birth certificate from July 1, 1907, onwards. You can order a birth as well, but you will need to provide the related information that is asked. Birth certificates before July 1, 1907 can be acquired by contacting the County in question.

Death Certificates

Similar to birth certificates, death certificates can also be accessed if they are dated July 1, 1907 onwards. You can order a death certificate if you have the necessary information for verification. Deaths certificates before July 1, 1907, can be had by contacting the County where the event occurred.

Marriage Certificates

You can request a copy of any marriage certificate if it is dated January 1, 1968, onwards. Marriage certificates falling before this date can be acquired by contacting the County Auditor’s Office. This has to be done in the county where the marriage occurred.

DIvorce Certificates:

Similar to marriage certificates, divorce certificates are kept if they are dated January 1, 1968, onwards. If you want to access a divorce certificate before that, you can contact the County Auditor’s Office. This has to occur in the county where the final decree was passed.

Endnotes

Washington administration provides ample resources for you to access any public record on the internet. However, if you want the complete information about a person, going through these resources one by one can be a cumbersome task.

Therefore, TruthFinder is my method of choice in such cases. It gives a detailed background check of the person along with their criminal history. And it is not just limited to their activities in Washington.

Therefore, if you want to do a Washington State Background Check, try TruthFinder.