The type of documents and information that are considered public records can vary from state to state.

The State of California defines “public records,” their availability, and the means for accessing them in Sections 6250-6270 of the state Government Code. Generally speaking, any sort of document or information compiled or maintained by a government body or agency is considered a public record – open to review by any citizen – unless otherwise considered protected from view by the provisions of the above law. In fact, the California attorney general’s office defines these records as “any writing owned, used or maintained by (any) department in the conduct of its official business. Writings include information recorded or stored on paper, computers, e-mail, or audio or visual tapes.”

Open records might include such information as a person’s criminal history (obtained through proper channels), vehicle registrations and tax records. Licenses and permits, such as alcoholic beverage licenses, contractor licenses and building permits, medical and teaching licenses and so forth, also would be public documents. Of course, the minutes of public meetings, the financial records of a city or county government and other documents like these are public records, as well.

Public records are to be made available to a requesting individual anytime during normal business hours for the agency in question, although certain records requests might necessitate a “reasonable” period of time to compile all the records for viewing, and an agency has 10 days (or up to 24 days with special permission) to decide whether the documents actually are public and should be released. Once that determination is made and release has been approved, the documents must immediately be made available, or at least a specific “reasonable” time must be given by which the request will be fulfilled. For the protection of certain records, viewing might be restricted to certain areas within the public office, and the viewing might be observed by staff. Copies are usually available, although the agency is allowed to charge a fee commensurate with the cost of making photocopies, copied computer discs, etc., to fulfill the request.

Protected records, not open to the public, include such documents as employee personnel records, some investigative documents, draft reports (which are public record in some states), confidential legal advice such as that given to a city council by an attorney, records prepared in connection with litigation but not yet revealed in court, and information that is otherwise protected by state or federal statute. Even documents that contain some protected information might be released to the public, albeit with the non-public information removed or redacted.

Bear in mind that a person requesting public records from a governmental body should never be asked to provide identification nor to give any reason or justification for wanting to see the open records. Only in the case of records that are requested to be delivered by mail or collected or by another individual might information such as an identity or an address be necessary. If the person requesting public information must be admitted to a secure part of a government building in order to view that information, then the individual must be willing to comply with any security identification requirements or other processes that permit access to the secure area.

The attorney general’s office offers several tips for easily and successfully obtaining public records. The AG suggests issuing your request to the public records ombudsman for the state, whose office is responsible for facilitating responses to such requests. The office can be reached at: Public Records Ombudsman; P.O. Box 944255-2550; Sacramento, CA, 95814. Contact the office by phone at (916) 445-4069, or by e-mail at mailto:PublicRecords@doj.ca.gov.

The California Secretary of State’s Office maintains a PDF page with full instructions on how to access public records from that agency.

While written requests are not required, the Department of Justice encourages making public record requests in writing to make clear what the requester wants to see, and to document the fact that a request was made.

California statewide public records resources:

• An individual seeking his or her own criminal history should visit the Fingerprinting Submissions site. You will receive specific instructions and other information to proceed.

• Businesses or individuals wishing to obtain a background check, also known as a “criminal history clearance” or a “fingerprint clearance” on an individual for the purpose of employment, licensing, certification, visa/immigration questions, or foreign adoption, must visit the Attorney General’s Fingerprint Submissions/Applicants Web site.

• Use this search to check the status or location of an existing inmate in California’s prison system.

• A hit list of raided clandestine drug labs in the California is available from the U.S. Department of Justice. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s list of “most wanted” suspects is available from both the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

• Check on predators who might have moved into your neighborhood through California’s sex offender registry.

• Hundreds of missing California children are detailed at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

• A real-time list of traffic accidents is maintained by the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

• California’s “vital records” include certified copies of birth and death records, fetal death and stillbirth records, and certified marriage and divorce records.
• Alcoholic Beverage Control licenses are available online. Information can be accessed by license number, business address, name of business (or “doing business as”) or name of the owner who appears on the license.

• California’s state court system can be accessed online. That includes opinions issued by the courts, including the California Supreme Court, information on individual cases in the courts, and a number of forms that might be required to submit information to the courts.

• Campaign finance information involving California candidates is available from the secretary of state’s office. This includes data on candidates and elected officials, information on committees, parties, major donors and “slate mailers,” and reports on daily, late and special filings.

• Research a building contractor online to be sure that he is currently licensed. You can check by license number, contractor name, name of an employee, or by home improvement salesperson license number or salesperson name.

• Corporate and business records are maintained by the secretary of state’s office in California. A PDF form to request information on licensed corporations is available. You can search for the availability of names if you are forming a new corporation, new limited liability corporation, or a new limited partnership. Special filings can be searched, such as a successor-in-interest, builder’s agent for notice, statement of facts-roster of public agencies, joint powers agreement, athlete agent information and other various bonds.

• Check on the teaching credentials of your child’s instructors through state records. Certification records might not be available for credentials issued prior to 1989.

• Look up information on foreclosures and tax sales or search to see if you have unclaimed property or money coming to you with information from the office of the state comptroller.

• The complete California legal code is available for searching, if you need the specific language of the law, ranging from business law, to family law, to game and fish regulations.

• The state Department of Consumer Affairs maintains an extensive search page for looking up the licensing of professionals operating within the confines of California. Included are professions such as: accounting; the medical arts (doctors, dentists, nurses, chiropractors, occupational therapists, pharmacists, even acupuncturists and midwives); psychiatric care specialists; sports licensees; auto and home repair shops and technicians; cemeteries and funeral directors; private investigators and security firms and their officers; pest control workers and companies; and veterinary medicine specialists.

• The California Bar Association provides search functions to find lawyers and their records, certified legal specialists by county, certified providers of other legal services, or use the Bar’s lawyer referral service. Check on lawyers that have been disciplined through the State Bar Court.

• Disciplinary actions taken against professionals can be searched, including: physicians (full licensure and disciplinary records); chiropractors; physical therapists; and escrow agents.

• The Department of Justice maintains a database of California Guardians, Conservators and Trustees.

• It only takes moments to check the licensing of a real estate agent.

• Find federal Superfund cleanup sites, state cleanup sites, and licensed hazardous waste sites.

California Records by County

Alameda (County homepage)

• Alameda County Census data.
• Birth, death and marriage certificates.
• Research public records, including land records, and order copies of public records.
• County inmate locator.
• Alameda County Sheriff’s Office listing of sheriff’s sales. The sheriff’s office is located at: 1401 Lakeside Drive, 12^th Floor; Oakland, CA, 94612; phone (510) 272-6878 or fax (510) 272-3796.
• City of Oakland crime watch map.
• Property tax lookup, property assessment lookup and supplemental tax estimator. The Alameda County Assessor can be reached at: 1221 Oak Street, Room 145; Oakland, CA, 94612; phone (510) 272-3787 or fax (510) 272-3803.
• Make a land search in Alameda County. The Alameda County Clerk/Recorder can be reached at: 1106 Madison, 1^st Floor; Oakland, CA, 94607; phone (510) 272-6362.
• County election results maps.
• Alameda County map by Board of Supervisors district.
• Restaurant inspection results for Alameda County.
• Superior Court of California, County of Alameda.
• Alameda County Library.
• Alameda County Treasurer’s tax default sales.
• Alameda County voter registration status.