Is it possible to find an absolutely free website to search public records in the United States?

Answer 1

There is no single "absolutely free" website where you can search all public records in every state. Many municipalities offer free tax assessor databases where useful information can be viewed. Some states offer free online access to public land records. The best place to search free public records is through the official government sponsored website.

A government website is run by a State, County or City and will provide the most accurate information. Government websites are run independently so you'll need to check each city, state and department individually. Those records are freely available to the public if you visit the particular office in person.

You should keep in mind that various websites that advertise "free public records searches" are not free at all. The records are incomplete, navigation is difficult even for a professional and search results take you to other websites where you need to pay for the information. They are not worth the time it takes to find them worthless.

One of the most challenging aspects of researching public records is finding the correct home page to begin your search. Many public records are not available online and many small towns do not have websites that offer any databases. A good way to start is to do an online search using the county, state and the records you seek such as "Hampden County Massachusetts land records". For assessor's records the town and state (+ assessors) should be used to search for the official website if there is one. You can also check the particular Secretary of State website for useful links. Many government data bases are free and many charge a fee for use.

Searching through government databases is something of an art and sites can be cumbersome. In most cases it takes some experience to access the information that is available.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts uses two different land records systems and land records can be accessed online at Masslandrecords.com. Most counties use a system that allows one to print copies of documents for free. However, it takes some patience and practice to reach the desired information. Most court records are not available online. Most larger cities have online assessor's databases with easy to access and print assessor's maps.

Missouri

The State of Missouri Court records are available online and search-able by litigant name, filing date, case number and court calendars. Greene, Jackson and St. Louis Counties also have court record information available online. Most other types of Missouri public records are limited and may need to be accessed at your local courthouse or city hall.