tools for case development and investigation on the internet
TRANSCRIPT
TOOLS FOR CASE DEVELOPMENT AND
INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET
Virtually everything is online
• Personal information
• Property information
• Business information
• Criminal information
• Court information
• Legal resources
We Are Your Guide Through . . . The Final Frontier
The Catch-All Sites
• www.google.com– If you want to know what’s out there about
someone, “google” them
• www.virtualgumshoe.com/resources– A directory that links you to free and fee-
based websites, organized by subject matter
• data.tennessean.com/– A wealth of obscure but potentially useful
information
Personal Information
• www.pipl.com– Search engine for people, even if you only
have partial information
• www.namefromphone.com– Allows you to find out to whom a phone
number belongs
• www.ssnvalidator.com– Provides information about known SS number
PIPL
Property Websites
• 170.190.30.53/WebproNashville/default.asp– Davidson County Tax Assessor website– Property ownership, tax delinquency, property
values
• www.googlemaps.com– Get directions, maps, birds-eye views, and
street level view
Webpro
Google Maps
Bill’s House from the Air
Bill’s House from the Street
Down the Street from Bill’s
Business Information
• http://www.state.tn.us/sos/– TN Dept. of State: corporation rules and regs,
as well as regulated entities• tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/FilingSearch.aspx
– TN Secretary of State: search for business information
• www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/websuers.htm– SEC filings, including tender offers, insider trading
reports, proxy statements, bankruptcy
Criminal Information
• ccc.nashville.gov/portal/page/portal/ccc/home/– Criminal Court Clerk’s website
• www.nashville-sheriff.net– Davidson County Sheriff’s website
• www.state.tn.us/correction– TN Dept. of Correction’s website
• www.ticic.state.tn.us/sorinternet/sosearch.aspx– TN Sex Offender Registry
The Case of Clifford Garretson
A Real Life Example
Appt’d to the case . . . Check it Out.
Run Client’s Name . . .
What else here?
• Look for criminal histories for alleged victim and all witnesses
• Find out if client on probation in Nashville
• Get all sorts of forms (continuance, expungement)
Is Client on State Probation, Parole or in Prison?
Is Your Client in Local Jail?
Legal Resources
• www.tsc.state.tn.us– AOC’s Website: TN judicial opinions, TCA in
searchable format, Court rules and forms• pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/
– Federal court opinions, filings, case information, briefs, etc.
• www.tncrimlaw.com/TPI_Crim/index.htm– Annotated pattern criminal jury instructions
• www.jurispro.com– Expert witness search engine
• The Standard stuff: Westlaw, LexisNexis
AOC’s website
Federal Court -- PACER
The Real Fun . . . .
Social networking sites
Scott Beaten v. Wes Pounder
An Example of How Internet Social Sites are Useful
Meet Plaintiff, Scott -- Before
• Tulane Law Student• While in Nashville,
went for dinner with friends at the Tin Roof
• While there, he encountered Wes, a “bouncer” and equity owner for Tin Roof
• They had a misunderstanding . . .
Scott – After Encounter
• Scott was severely beaten by Wes
• Wes’ actions were completely unjustified beating (says Scott’s lawyer)
• Scott suffered permanent brain damage
What’s on Wes’ Myspace page???