01 · Field route
Councilon
Plan a responsible search for a person, address, or historical public record
Open the guidePrivacy & practice
Public Record Requests
Ask for records, not answers. A strong request names the agency, record, subject, place, date range and preferred format. It does not ask the records office to conduct open-ended research.
Open the safe workflow
PAUSEVERIFY
PROTECT
Decision test
Would this use surprise or endanger the person?
If yes—or if the purpose depends on avoiding consent—stop. Use a safer route, a formal authorized process, or no search at all.
1
State the legitimate purpose
Write why the research is necessary and what outcome is allowed.
2
Minimize the identifiers collected
Collect only what answers the question; do not expand the dossier by default.
3
Verify before associating
Use independent details and preserve conflicts or uncertainty.
4
Limit sharing and retention
Keep sensitive details out of public notes and delete what is no longer needed.
Official source
Read the rule in context.
Continue the trail
Keep the evidence moving.
Move to the next guide only when it answers a different question. That keeps the research plan focused and retraceable.
02 · Field route
Start With What You Know
Turn known facts into a focused research question
Open the guide