A US County Criminal Court Record Check searches for felony and misdemeanor records at the county level. It looks for legally reportable criminal records, including convictions and pending cases, using the county’s Predominantly Used Index (PUI).

This check offers the most direct, accurate view of a candidate's criminal history within the counties where they have lived or currently reside.

Details about US County Criminal Court Record checks

This check searches a county’s Predominantly Used Index (PUI), the primary source where most felony and misdemeanor records are filed. It returns only legally reportable information, including convictions and pending cases, ensuring results are both relevant and compliant. Because it sources data directly from local courthouses, this check provides the most accurate view of an applicant’s criminal history within a specific county.

Key features:

• Direct search of county PUI: Accesses the official court index that holds the majority of felony and misdemeanor records for the county.
• Covers convictions and pending cases: Reports only on legally reportable records, including felony and misdemeanor convictions, along with active pending charges.
• Local, high-fidelity data: Pulls results directly from the county level for the most accurate and up-to-date local criminal history.

How it can help you:

• Delivers reliable, local criminal records: County-level searches provide verified data straight from the courthouse, reducing reliance on broad database checks.
• Supports legally compliant decision-making: Limits findings to what is legally reportable, helping you stay aligned with FCRA and other hiring regulations.
• Improves confidence in screening outcomes: Offers clear, localized insights into where offenses occurred, giving you a precise picture of an applicant’s background.

Order this check

To order a US County Criminal Court Record Check, you need the candidate’s email address. When selecting it as part of your order, you can choose to search:

• Current address only, or
• 7-year address history

For more on placing orders, see our Order checks article.

Turnaround time

Certn’s US County Criminal Court Record check varies by jurisdiction. 

• Some counties return results in 1 to 3 business days
• Others may take longer depending on local court processing speeds

For more information on County Court processing times and delays, see our Helpful Resources for US Criminal checks article

Stages of this check

US County Criminal Court Record checks ordered through CertnCentric go through the following stages:  

Candidate experience

Candidates will receive an email inviting them to complete their background check. To run this check, candidates must provide consent and authorization before the check can proceed and within the application are asked to provide:

• Consent and authorization to run the check
• Full legal name (including given name and optional aliases)
• Date of birth
• Address history, including at least one US address
• Current US address (only required for current address history)
• Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Optional for current address searches
  • Required for 7-year address history (because of SSN Trace)

Next steps

Once Certn receives the completed application:

• The check is processed using county court records
• Results are shared with both the client and the candidate
• You can monitor progress and access results in your Certn account

Learn more about managing your checks in our Manage your cases Help article.