Tips for Researching LexisNexis® Public Records on Lexis®

Tips for Researching

LexisNexis

Public Records

on Lexis

Using this guide

Leveraging LexisNexis

public records on the Lexis

service enables you

to get an extensive picture of individuals and businesses. It helps

you locate and connect people, businesses, locations, assets and

more from over 84 billion public records and across 10,000 diverse

source types in just seconds. Our proprietary LexID

advanced linking

technology exposes imperceptible data trails to help you find facts

or relationships that might otherwise remain hidden—even with

incomplete, old or misspelled information. Imagine the difference this

could make to your case, transaction or research!

Use this guide to get the most from your public records research. Find

tips for locating or connecting people and businesses and for achieving

better search results.

Contents

Choosing Your Search Method 2

People Searches 3

Business Searches 4

Searching Corporation Filings 5

Searching Real Property 5

Searching Bankruptcy Filings 6

Searching Judgments and Liens 6

Searching Phone Numbers 6

Searching Social Media 6

Searching Employment Information 7

Lexis®

Public Records

Form-Based Searching

Best use for search forms: Finding/identifying

specific entities

Examples

• Specific person or business, e.g., John Doe at

123 Elm St.

• Specific location (address)

• Specific bankruptcy filed

Note: In form searching, LexisNexis SmartLinx

technology matches many records to a single

entity. Connect associated entities that don’t have

a public record in common and surface records

that don’t contain the search terms. Find spelling

or name variations.

Search form tips

• Enter all the information you know to be true,

i.e., name, city, age range, etc., to increase the

likelihood your best answer will display first.

• Check these options:

— Find similar-sounding last names to find

“O’Neal” and “O’Neill,” etc.

— Find nicknames of first names to find

“Michael,” “Mike” and “M.,” etc.

— Strict Search to more closely match only

the terms you have entered, e.g., “Edward

R. Smith” will return Edward R. Smith, NOT

“Edward Smith” or “Ed Smith.”

• Address Radius box: Radius searching is

especially helpful for searching across state

lines or in metro areas that go across two or

three state lines. Select a radius from 5 to 100

miles (default is 30). Enter the wrong city, zip

or state? If the correct address is within your

radius, the record may still be retrieved.

• Date of Birth box: Use mm/dd/yyyy or mm/

yyyy or yyyy format. (Applies to Terms &

Connectors searches too.)

— AND

— OR

— AND NOT

— /n

— PRE/n

— W/SEG

— NOT/n

• Refine your search to specific document

segments or parts. Simply select a segment

from the pull-down list, enter your search

terms and click Add. If you select the Name

segment and enter “sean /3 doe”, for example,

Lexis will add “name (sean /3 doe)” to

your

search.

Terms & Connectors (Boolean) Searching

Best use for Terms & Connectors searching:

Connecting facts within documents

Examples

• Connect multiple people/businesses in a single

record.

• Determine who owns a specific property.

• Find terms in specific parts of documents/

records.

• Find judgments for specific creditors during a

specific time period.

• Find collateral types on UCC filings.

Note: Your search words must be in the document

for that record to be retrieved.

Tips for using Terms & Connectors

• After you click the Terms & Connectors

button on the search form, enter words and

connectors in the Additional Terms box. You

can use ! and * as well as these connectors:

Choosing Your Search Method

Each public records source offers a fill-in-the-blank search form. Many frequently used forms—real estate,

bankruptcy filings, corporate filings, judgments and liens, etc.—also include a Terms & Connectors option.

Following is an overview of each search method to help you determine which approach to use for a

particular search.

Public Records

People Searches

LexisNexis offers various options for researching people. You can leverage the SmartLinx

Comprehensive

Person Report for a broad overview with links; Locate a Person (Nationwide) Search for targeted research

across multiple states; or Statewide Person Search for locating records in a specific state.

Comprehensive Person Report

Use this resource when you “need to know

everything” about a person. It includes nationwide

locator information plus other resources such as

bankruptcy, liens, licenses, associates, relatives,

drivers license information, etc.

Source types are rolled up and “de-duplicated,”

then compiled into an easy-to-read report. Link

to a source type and go! Materials that can’t be

included in the report are identified within the

“Content Excluded from the Report” section of the

left-hand navigation bar. Link to these sources to

further your research.

Search form tips

• Locate current addresses and telephone

numbers of individuals—plus neighbors and

associates.

• Have the Social Security number (SSN) or LexID

number? For best results, search with one of

these (enter SSN with or without dashes).

• Common name? Add an age range, alias name,

relative name, previous state(s), etc.

• Unsure of which name combination a person

uses? For multiple last names and first names,

try different variations.

• To search an address range or an entire block,

use a colon between the numbers defining your

address range. For example, you could enter

“300:399 elm” in the Street Address field.

Locate a Person (Nationwide) Search

This resource includes all states’ locator sources,

so use this resource to find someone, e.g., their

location and contact information, when you do not

know which state to search.

In the results list, addresses are rolled up under

a single person—and document linking may

produce additional telephone numbers. Results

lists also show high-risk flags. Select an entity

result and records are displayed individually, e.g.,

you may find multiple documents of the same

type. Also link to Further Searches (real property,

professional licenses, etc.) to expand your

research.

Search form tips

• Locate current addresses and telephone numbers

of individuals—plus neighbors and associates.

• Have the SSN or LexID number? For best

results, search with one of these (enter SSN

with or without dashes). See next page for

more on LexID.

• Common name? Add an age range, alias name,

relative name, previous state(s), etc.

• Unsure which name combination a person

uses? For multiple last names and first names,

try different variations.

• To search an address range or an entire block,

use a colon between the numbers defining your

address range. For example, you could enter

“300:399 elm” in the Street Address field.

Statewide Person Search

Use this source to search public records within

a specific state. You can search all available

record types, e.g., UCCs, bankruptcies, etc., for a

specific state. Retrieved documents are displayed

individually; no roll-up by entity; no report

compilation.

Search form tips

• Have the SSN? For best results, use it alone

(enter with or without dashes).

• To search an address range or an entire block,

use a colon between the numbers defining

your address range. For example, you could

enter “300:399 elm” in the Street Address

field.

• Unsure which name combination a person

uses? For multiple last names and first names,

try different variations.

• Source Type field: Select to search only a

particular type of document (e.g., corporate

filing, UCC filing, criminal record, judgments &

liens, etc.).

• Filing Jurisdiction field: Use it to limit your

search to documents filed in a particular state.

(This will remove records based on mailing

address only.)

Public Records

Business Searches

Business interests and assets are rarely located in only one place or state. LexisNexis public records offers a

variety of ways to research business information, such as a SmartLinx Comprehensive Business Report—a

comprehensive report on all business information nationwide; Locate a Business (Nationwide) Search—for

targeted searching for business information; and Statewide Business Search—to locate information within

a particular state.

HELPFUL HINTS

Get automatic report updates!

Get updates on all—or only specific—parts

of a Comprehensive Person Report. Click

the bell icon at the upper-left side of the

report. Select the sections you want to save

for automatic update. Select daily, weekly

or monthly frequency and request online or

email delivery.

How current are public records sources?

Click the blue Coverage link offered on most

search forms in the upper-right corner to

review update frequency and coverage dates

by state.

Comprehensive Business Report

This easy-to-browse report links all available

public records information found on a business

nationwide. The left-hand navigation bar lets

you see how many documents per content type.

Materials outside your subscription are identified

for potential download. Click and move to data

on company property, bankruptcies, executives,

judgments and liens, UCC filings, internet domains,

industry and company codes, business associates,

etc. Duplicate documents are removed.

Search form tips

• Find addresses, telephone numbers and

executives/owners for very small businesses as

well as large businesses.

• Enter all the information you know, i.e.,

business name, city, etc., to increase the

likelihood your best answer will display first.

• Need to find registered agents? Go to the

Corporation Filings source (see next page).

Locate a Business (Nationwide) Search

This resource is good for finding a business.

Search Locate a Business (Nationwide) to retrieve

company addresses, phone numbers and company

executives for large and small businesses. The We

Also Found box shows sources and documents

found outside your subscription. Further Searches

are also suggested.

Search form tips

• Find addresses, telephone numbers and

executives/owners for very small businesses as

well as large businesses.

• Enter all the information you know, i.e.,

business name, city, etc., to increase the

likelihood your best answer will display first.

• Need to find registered agents? Go to the

Corporation Filings source. (see next page)

Statewide Business Search

Use this source to search public records within a

• State field: Select a particular state and get

filings in that particular state and documents

where that state appears in a mailing address.

SSN or LexID

Searching with Social Security numbers can be

accurate, but you can also use another secure,

unique identifier if you do not have an SSN.

LexID is a proprietary 12-digit number assigned

by LexisNexis to each person with a record

in the LexisNexis public records collection.

An entity’s LexID appears in the results of your

Comprehensive Person Report and Locate a

Person (Nationwide) searches. Click the LexID link

on any results screen and move to the results of

a Comprehensive Person Search on that LexID.

Once you find an entity’s LexID, you can enter

it in search forms with the LexID field, including

Cellular & Alternate Phones Plus, Employment

Locator Plus, Social Security Death Master

Records, Marriage & Divorce Records and

Drivers’ Licenses (permissible use required to

search).*

specific state. For example, you get the ability to

retrieve real estate records, UCCs, bankruptcies,

etc., for a specific state. Your results screen

identifies the record type for more efficient

browsing. No roll-up by entity; no report

compilation.

Search form tips

• Enter all the information you know, i.e.,

business name, city, etc., to increase the

likelihood your best answer will display first.

• Source pull-down field: Limit your search

to a particular record type, e.g., UCC filing,

judgments and liens, etc.

• Filing Jurisdiction pull-down field: Select a

state and locate documents filed in that state—

plus records where the state is mentioned, e.g.,

in the mailing address.

• State field: Select a particular state and get

filings in that particular state and documents

where that state appears in a mailing address.

HELPFUL HINT

Narrow any public records search results

As you review your search results, you can

narrow your search from the CITE screen. You

have two options:

FOCUS™: Looks for additional terms within

the text of the documents retrieved by your

search. Documents that contain these terms

are retrieved. You can search with * and !,

as well as limited connectors, i.e., AND or

AND NOT. The FOCUS feature is available

for sources that allow Terms & Connectors

searching.

FIND: Searches (blue) terms in the CITE

list only—not within the entire document

retrieved in your search.

Some sources will offer both FOCUS and Find.

Search form tips

• Check the Strict Search box to locate filings

that exactly match the name and/or address

entered.

• Company Name and First Name/Last Name

fields: If you enter a company name in the

Company Name field and a person’s name in

the First Name and Last Name fields, the Lexis

service will search for records that

include one

or the other.

Search form tips

• Current Records Only: Uncheck this box to

find archived as well as current records.

• Parcel Number field: You can enter it with or

without dashes.

• Source pull-down field: Limit your search to

just tax-assessor records or to deed transfers

and mortgage records only (available for Terms

& Connectors searches, too).

Searching Corporation Filings

Searching Real Property

Consider Terms & Connectors to search for:

• Owners of a particular piece of property (select

the PROPERTY-ADDRESS segment)

• A particular city block, e.g., enter: “PROPER-

TY-ADDRESS(13** w/3 elm AND dayton AND

oh)” in the Additional Terms box

• Properties that have sold for more/less than a

particular amount, i.e., use the =, <, >, between

figures in the Sales Price box

• Check the Registered Agent box to also search

the registered agent section of the document

for the name you typed.

• If you search by person name, the results CITE

list shows you how that name appears in the

document.

Public Records

Search form tips

• Filing Jurisdiction pull-down field: Select a

state, and locate documents filed in that state—

plus records where the state is mentioned, e.g.,

in the mailing address.

• SSN field: You can enter it with or without

dashes.

• Check the Strict Search box to locate filings

that exactly match the name and/or address

entered.

Search form tips

• Filing Jurisdiction pull-down field: Select a

state, and locate documents filed in that state—

plus records where the state is mentioned, e.g.,

in the mailing address.

• Check the Strict Search box to locate

documents that exactly match the name and/or

address entered.

Searching Bankruptcy Filings

Searching Judgments and Liens

Searching Phone Numbers

Searching Social Media

Consider Terms & Connectors to search:

• A particular type of bankruptcy

• Bankruptcy filings before, after or between

certain dates

• For a particular petitioner or attorney

Consider Terms & Connectors to search for a:

• Particular debtor

• Particular creditor

• Date before, after or within a particular range

for filings date, release dates or satisfied dates

Search form tips

• Phone Lookup: This is based on electronic

directory assistance. Similar-sounding last

names and nicknames are found automatically.

(You can uncheck these options, too.)

• Cellular & Alternate Phone Numbers Plus:

Offers millions of phone numbers not currently

listed in directory assistance and millions of cell

phone numbers.

— Select Strict Search to receive results that

more exactly match the terms you type in.

— Search with LexID.

— Search with phone number and find the

phone carrier, even when no person listing

is available.

Search form tips

• Use the Social Media Locator search to

examine an individual’s digital footprint.

— Along with a first and last name, utilize

additional search fields such as email

addresses, aliases, school, company, and

even “exclude” or “include” search terms.

— Enter as many phone numbers, emails and/

or social media usernames as possible to

help pinpoint results.

• Simultaneously search millions of indexed and

non-indexed websites—including hundreds

of social networking sites—to save time and

increase efficiency.

Public Records

Search form tips:

• Use the Employment Locator Plus search to find an individual’s

employer.

— Enter an individual’s LexID or Social Security number for

the most accurate and complete results.

— Flexibly search with similar-sounding last names and spouse

data.

• Use any work history results as a lead to locate your subject,

including prior employment records.

• Our employment information is derived from numerous

proprietary sources and processes and may even contain older

work history.

Searching Employment

Information

*You must have a permissible use to search these sources. Laws applicable to use this product include the Drivers’ Privacy Protection Act and related

state laws (DPPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). The data regulated by the DPPA and the GLBA may be used only for the permissible uses, e.g.,

litigation, fraud detection, etc., that you select from a list prior to searching. By selecting a permissible use prior to searching, you are certifying that the data

returned to you will be used only for that purpose.

These LexisNexis services are not provided by “consumer reporting agencies,” as that term is defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681, et

seq. (“FCRA”) and do not constitute “consumer reports,” as that term is defined in the FCRA. Accordingly, these services may not be used in whole or in part

as a factor in determining eligibility for credit, insurance, employment or another eligibility purpose that would qualify it as a consumer report under the

FCRA.

Due to the nature and origin of public record information, the public records and commercially available data sources used in reports may

contain errors. For Secretary of State documents, the data is for information purposes only and is not an official record. Certified copies

may be obtained from that individual state’s Department of State. The LexisNexis SmartLinx report will be provided within certain search

and privacy parameters and is subject to LexisNexis General Terms and Conditions located at www.lexisnexis.com/terms/general.aspx.

Other restrictions may apply.

For more

information or

assistance with

your LexisNexis

public records

research contact

your LexisNexis

representative

or call

800.543.6862

LexisNexis.com/Public-Records

LexisNexis, Lexis, LexID, the LexID logo, LexisNexis SmartLinx, SmartLinx and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks

and FOCUS is a trademark of RELX Inc., Other products or services may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective