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People Finder Report
A “people finder report” is not one official government record. Build it from record-specific sources and label each source separately.
Direct answer
Build the Report From Separate Sources
For a people finder report, use official record systems as separate evidence layers rather than expecting a government people-finder database. Federal court cases can be searched through PACER, some state court systems such as Delaware CourtConnect support person-name searches, and federal agency records may be requested through the appropriate FOIA process.
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Build the report by evidence type
Federal court activity
PACER can identify federal cases linked to the searched name.
State/local court activity
Use the relevant court portal, such as Delaware CourtConnect where applicable.
Federal agency records
Use the agency website and FOIA process when the record is federally held. Start with material the agency has already made public. FOIA ordinarily does not release records about another person when disclosure would invade their privacy. Their authorization or proof of death can increase access, but does not guarantee disclosure. Do not treat FOIA as a routine route to someone else’s protected personal records.
Identity match
Corroborate name matches with case location, dates and other non-sensitive identifiers.
Prepare
Minimum provenance for each finding
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✓
Source URL
Keep the official destination.
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Search date
Public records can change.
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✓
Record identifier
Case number, docket or request number.
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Match rationale
Explain why the record likely refers to the intended person without overstating certainty.
Important
A name match is not identity proof
Common names, stale addresses and incomplete public indexes make source-by-source verification essential.
Context
What a useful report should say
Prefer precise statements such as “a federal case with this party name was found in PACER” rather than “this is the person’s complete legal history.”
Separate facts from inferences. A court docket may establish that a named party appears in a case; it does not by itself establish a current address, employment status or relationship.
Related Record Guides
Sources
Authoritative next stops
Official federal judiciary source
PACER - Federal Court Records
Electronic public access to federal court records by specific court or nationwide index For this page, it supports the people finder report research route.
United States federal courts
Official state judiciary source
Delaware Courts - Civil Case Search
CourtConnect civil docket search by person name, business name or case type For this page, it supports the people finder report research route.
Delaware
Official federal records source
FOIA.gov
Federal FOIA research and request workflow; recommends checking already-public agency material first For this page, it supports the people finder report research route.
United States federal agencies
Official federal records source
FOIA.gov - Frequently Asked Questions
Third-person privacy limits, authorization and already-public material.
United States federal agencies