/ Add-on Guides
Federal & county civil searches
Civil searches find lawsuits a candidate was party to — as plaintiff or defendant — in federal or county civil courts. They're most common for executive, financial, and fiduciary roles.
What each search covers
| Search | Coverage | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil | Cases filed in federal court — securities, civil rights, interstate disputes | $15/check |
| County civil | Cases filed in county civil courts — contract disputes, judgments, small claims | $40/check* |
*Third-party court access fees may apply, passed through at cost with no markup.
How to order
Civil searches aren't part of the self-serve order flow yet. Contact sales or support with the roles and jurisdictions you need, and we'll confirm coverage, expected timing, and set the searches up for your account.
Request a civil search setup →When to order a civil search
- Executive and senior leadership hires
- Roles with financial or fiduciary responsibility
- Positions where litigation history is a disclosed job-related concern
What results show — and their limits
- Cases matched to the candidate, with the court, case type, and disposition where available
- Civil records are not criminal records — a lawsuit is not a finding of wrongdoing
- Coverage depends on court indexing; some courts require manual research
- Always evaluate civil records for job relevance — blanket rules create legal risk
Turnaround
Civil searches typically take 1–3 business days; courts requiring manual research can take longer. Because these searches are set up per account, confirm expected timing for your jurisdictions with support when you order.