Settlements happen when two parties agree to something without the assistance of a court, although these cases may begin there. Due to cases being handled out of court, you might be wondering – are settlements public records? Since the outcome of civil and criminal court cases are public records, the same must be true for settlements since they often begin in courts, right?
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, and settlements aren’t typically public records. However, there are some exceptions, so it’s important to understand every possibility, and we have you covered. Read on to learn everything you need to know below.
What Is a Settlement?
Settlements are legal agreements that happen between two parties who don’t want to continue with the litigation process with help from the court system. Essentially, both parties agree that it’s easier to handle and resolve the matter outside of court or without legal litigation.
That said, attorneys, insurance adjusters, and other parties will also work together to negotiate the settlement, and sometimes a judge can be present, so it’s not always entirely out of the court’s hands. The way states handle settlements will also vary, so keep this in mind and make sure you learn about the specific rules in your state.
Most settlements result in a payment, lump sum of money, or other types of financial contracts.
Are Settlements Public Records?
Settlements can be public records but they’re usually kept private. In most settlement cases, both parties will agree to keep the records and details of the settlement private, which means only the parties involved can view the details.
Still, there is often a record of the settlement happening, so you can see that one occurred and learn more about the parties involved without getting the specific financial records. Some famous cases and class action settlements may be public as well, so it’s worth a shot to look into them.
How to Find Information About Public Settlements
Information about settlements isn’t always publicly available, so you might have to resort to asking or knowing that a settlement was the outcome of a case. That said, there are ways to find this information if you know where to look, and we cover some of the best methods below.
File a Records Request With the Court
One of the best ways to find information about public settlements is to file a records request with the court where the trial took place. If any public information about a settlement or the proceedings of the case is available, this is where you’ll have the best chance to find it.
You can use online tools like Google or PublicRecord.com to find out where the court is located if you don’t know where to begin. Both are viable options and will help you start your search. Once you know what court to visit, you can call, go in person, or sometimes make a request online or resources are available.
While you can request this information from the court, there’s no guarantee that it’s public, so keep this in mind.
PublicRecord.com
The best way to find information about settlements is with PublicRecord’s online search. This tool makes it easy to find every detail about public settlements, so you don’t have to worry about navigating to several different court databases or visiting any courts in person.
What’s more, it’s one of the simplest tools to use, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding what you’re looking for when you enter someone’s name, state, and city. Multiple ways to search are also available, so if you want to learn more about a property dispute, for example, you can do so by entering the address in question.
Along with finding information about settlements, PublicRecord.com will also help you learn about other court and public records including:
- Criminal records
- Sex offender status
- Civil court issues
- Marriage and divorce records
- Death records
- Birth records
In fact, it doesn’t stop there, because you can also find useful information including social media accounts, email addresses, addresses, and contact information like someone’s phone number. So, even if PublicRecord.com can’t help you find settlement information, you’ll never walk away empty-handed.
Find Settlement Information Today
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find information about settlements. Essentially, you have to hope that the settlement was requested to be public by one or both parties or that the parties didn’t sign a confidentiality agreement.
That said, you can always use a third-party search tool to check before you visit your local courthouse to avoid wasting your time and money. Plus, if the information is public, resources like PublicRecord.com can help you find every detail about them within the full report.
