There are even programs out there that can aid in the process of finding, requesting and obtaining court records from a number of different jurisdictions. These programs can help anyone with the right information get their hands on documents they need to make important decisions about hiring, credit or even dating.

Anyone who is looking into getting their hands on court records does need to know some documents might just not be open to public scrutiny and others will be more difficult to get online depending on the state involved.

In general, these types of court activity records are available through online services:

- Criminal records: Records for criminal proceedings are almost always available for public viewing once a case is closed. This can include everything from findings and sentencing reports to transcripts of the actual hearings themselves.

The only time these records will not be open is in the case of juveniles or for those who have had special proceedings. Also, in the case of rape proceedings, victims' names might be withheld in documents released by the courts.

- Bankruptcy records: Whether these are for corporations or private residents, these records typically are open. The actual findings and creditors will be listed, but personal information such as Social Security numbers will generally not be available.

- Divorce proceedings: Here and again personal information, especially about minors, might not be fully open to the public, but findings generally will be.

- Civil proceedings: Almost without exception these records and their transcripts will be available for people to pull and see when the cases are closed by the courts. Whether it's a wrongful death suit or a suit against a company, records can generally be had online.

- Grand jury proceedings: These records are very often closed and transcripts are not even available until such time as the court deems it acceptable to release information. The records of actual findings and rulings might be more readily accessible.

Getting court records online with the help of programs that are designed to speed up the inquiry process is more than doable. These records typically are considered public knowledge and are available for anyone to look at and digest.

Obtaining public records and court records will vary from state to state in the ease that they can be pulled. This is where these programs can come in handy by ensuring the proper requests are filed for documentation.

Legal proceedings records can be very valuable tools in helping people make major decisions about such things as hiring, dating and extending credit. The records that are attainable will, however, vary on the state and the disposition of the case. Thanks to the Internet the process of getting these records is much more easy to traverse.