If you’re looking for high-volume employee hiring background checks – we are NOT it.

Our investigators conduct specialized background investigations for: litigation support, business, and select private clients. Our process takes time, goes deep into a person’s background, and – when necessary – provides physical court documents to back up our findings.

Background checks mean different things to different people. Our first step is running databases to see where the subject has lived for most of his or her life. A background check can be criminal and civil records, employment history, legal filings, financial public records, social media, etc. It’s as deep or as thorough as the client wants to commit resources.

Because of our experience, we know where to look for these records. There is no such thing as a one-source, nationwide criminal or civil records check. Don’t even bother with online services that claim to do background checks. the problem is that every state is different with how and what it makes available. Within each state, some counties make records available online in “index” form but many don’t. You might get a hit on a name, but you don’t know if its the same person unless you pull the records. We know how to get court documents in a timely manner and on budget.

But, California Has Online Records! Why does it take time?!

Even in computer-centric California, the system for online background checks is fractured. For example:

1. San Francisco has a great civil records section that even allows document review, but the criminal courts can only be checked in person.
2. Alameda County has some criminal records online but does not provide dates of birth, making it necessary to visit the courts in person. ‘
3. Contra Costa County often lumps traffic and criminal records together online in an index but with no documents.
4. San Mateo and Santa Clara court counties have online indexes of criminal and civil but no documents available online.

Those are just 4 court counties, out of the 30+ that have special “quirks” when it comes to running digital record retrieval. They don’t make it easy for you to find the information. Clients hire Spencer Legal Investigations for specialized knowledge of background checks and public records. Clients benefit from our experience and nationwide contacts.

We have different methods of doing background checks. We might request “incident report history” by address to a police department where the subject lives. Police are required to release a printout of incidents and any police report numbers. Though the reports are not public records, they may be subpoenaed. We are resourceful without methods.

Another specialty we do, a form of background check, is a preliminary asset search investigation. We look at subjects to try to see if they are capable of satisfying a judgment or capable of paying for damages. Often, it would cost more to sue and try to recover funds than the likelihood of collecting on a judgment. Our research can help you or your attorney decide whether it’s worth pursuing legal action.