Federal Criminal Records Search

While county-level criminal searches return violations of state and local laws, a Federal Criminal Records search is required to uncover violations of federal law. This search is an essential component of a robust screening strategy, providing visibility into high-level offenses that simply will not appear on a standard county or state background check.

What Does the Search Cover?

The U.S. federal judicial system is divided into 94 active district and territorial courts. To best fit your screening requirements, we offer a couple of different jurisdiction levels. You can order a comprehensive Nationwide Federal search (which checks all federal districts), or you can target specific jurisdictions (such as searching only the candidate's current or previous federal districts of residence).

Federal offenses generally fall into one of these categories:

• Crimes Crossing State Lines: Offenses that involve interstate commerce or cross jurisdictional borders, such as drug trafficking, cybercrimes, and kidnapping.
• Federal Property Violations: Crimes committed on federal land or in government buildings, such as a DUI in Yosemite National Park, trespassing on federal property, or an incident at a U.S. Post Office.
• Immigration and Customs Violations: Offenses such as illegal entry or re-entry after deportation.
• Severe White-Collar & Federal Crimes: Offenses like embezzlement, piracy, counterfeiting, and major security law violations.

How Does the Search Work?

Our team processes these searches directly through official U.S. federal court systems to ensure you receive the most accurate data.

1. Direct Search: We utilize the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) Case Locator (PCL), which serves as a national index for federal district, bankruptcy, and appellate courts. 
2. Identity Verification: Because PACER acts as a broad search tool, our team carefully sorts through any potential federal litigation matches using your candidate's identifying information to determine if the case definitively belongs to them.
3. Record Delivery: If a federal record is confirmed as an accurate match, the specific case details will be populated directly on your Verified First report for review.

Who Needs This Search?

While any organization looking for a truly complete view of a candidate's background can benefit from this search, it is highly recommended for:

• Financial institutions and organizations handling sensitive data.
• Companies hiring for executive or C-suite positions.
• Organizations dealing with federal contracts, high-level security clearances, or international supply chains.

Why Make This Part of Your Screening Process?

• Uncover the "Hidden" Crimes: A candidate could have a completely clean state-level record but be currently indicted for massive federal fraud. This search closes that dangerous loophole.
• Identify High-Severity Risks: Federal convictions are typically of a very serious nature. Because federal agencies (like the FBI or DEA) heavily investigate these cases and U.S. Attorneys prosecute them, federal charges boast an exceptionally high conviction rate, frequently exceeding 90%.
• Complete the Picture: Combined with county and standard nationwide database searches, this product ensures you have a truly comprehensive, holistic view of your candidate's criminal background before making a final hiring decision.

The information and opinions expressed are for educational purposes only and are based 
on current practice, industry related knowledge and business expertise. The information
provided shall not be construed as legal advice, express or implied. 

If you have any further questions, or need a product enabled on your account, 
please contact Verified First Client Services for assistance.

Call 844-709-2708 or email clientservices@verifiedfirst.com