New hires represent a blank slate. If your business is in Michigan, or a potential employee is from Michigan, gaining information from Michigan court records can alert your human resources department to criminal pasts, court orders to garnish future wages, or potential trouble from ex-spouses.
Companies can be held responsible for on-the-job problems, but such problems can be revealed and prevented by a simple background check. Particularly if your business is in the sensitive position of dealing with children, checking Michigan public records is the smart course to take.
Before hiring a new employee, check Michigan court records for the following information:
- Michigan divorce records and alimony payments;
- Convictions;
- Lawsuits listed in Michigan public court records;
- Garnishing wages.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Contact county courts to access Michigan court records
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act allows for the disclosure of public records by all public agencies in the state, including those related to court cases. Because all courts keep records of their proceedings, it is possible to request court records.
I recommend: If the employee’s residence in Michigan is known, it is possible to contact the local court to inquire about the person. All Michigan court records are not available online. Consult this
list of courts by county. You can also check local
trial courts.
Pay an online service to get public records in Michigan
Online services can save you time in uncovering information and are usually quicker and easier than contacting the courts. The fee is usually worth the investment. The down side is that not all online services are equal in terms of actual information provided.
I recommend: Check
Net Detective, a favorite of law enforcement officials, journalists and employers. Another useful site is
Court Records. Both come with a money-back guarantee.
Beware of using free online services to acquire Michigan public records
In this case, you can get what you pay for. If you access fraudulent or outdated information, you could land in trouble for refusing employment. Consider the time and money involved with a private detective's work, and you have some idea of the effort required to compile accurate court information.
I recommend: Check
Rhino Reviews or
Hot Four for current reviews of public records services.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Be aware that counties can charge for labor as well as copying fees for public records in Michigan, according to state law. Ask first about fees; online services may be cheaper.
- Develop a plan ahead of time to deal with personnel issues if you uncover information in Michigan public court records that will affect someone's employment.
The official source of Obtaining Michigan Public Records is
the Michigan Public Records page at Business.com
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