UniCourt is a service that gives you access to public records for legal cases. This includes court decisions, civil cases, and criminal records. People can often see these records, so they can be searched for on sites like Google.
It can be worrying when UniCourt records come up in Google searches. They often show off information that you don’t want to share. There are ways to fix this, thank goodness. We’ll show you how to get rid of UniCourt records from Google Search in this guide.
Why People Want Their UniCourt Records Taken Down
People want to have their UniCourt records removed because they don’t want their private legal issues to be seen online. UniCourt gets public court records and makes them easy to find. That includes lawsuits, traffic cases, and even charges that were dropped. These records can show up in search results and stay there long after the case is over. This can be a big problem for someone who is looking for work or trying to fix their reputation.
A case may be sealed or thrown out in court, but that doesn’t mean it goes away online. Data brokers and websites that aren’t yours may still have copies. This could hurt people’s reputations. That’s why so many people use services that help them get rid of or hide this kind of information.
Getting to know UniCourt
UniCourt is a site that makes it easy to find public court records. You might not want to share information about legal cases or disagreements that are in these records. This can be a useful tool for lawyers and other professionals, but it can feel like an invasion of privacy if your personal information is included.
People often think of court records as public information. UniCourt puts all of this information together so that it is easy to find. Sadly, this means that your name and case information, among other personal details, could be seen online.
How UniCourt Protects Your Privacy and Public Records
As part of its effort to make court data easier to find, UniCourt puts legal records online. Most of these records are technically public, but the way they are gathered, sorted, and shown can feel intrusive. People can search by name and find information that used to be in courthouse files.
The business says it follows privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act. That includes cases with minors, sealed records, or files that have been deleted. In those cases, some content may not be available or may be taken down.
People who want something taken down have to send in papers that explain why. There could be a court order or other legal documents that go with it. UniCourt looks over the request and decides if the law allows for removal once it is in. They also think about whether the record is still important to the public and whether there is a good reason to keep it online or take it down.
How did my data get on UniCourt?
For a long time, the United States has let people look at records and court cases. The following laws and rules make it possible for people to publish or access public records online:
- The First Amendment.
- The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the public records law in each state.
Some rules don’t apply in some cases. For instance, if someone’s privacy is more important than the public’s right to know about court cases.
A lot of the time, online court records come from websites that aren’t part of the legal system. Law enforcement and courts can get a lot of court documents, but only sometimes on Google, except for federal cases.
Websites like UniCourt look through public records and post the court papers they find. Similar sites include Trellis and PacerMonitor.
What UniCourt Shows About Public Records
UniCourt gets its records from courts and other government sources. There are all kinds of papers, lawsuits, business filings, property records, and sometimes even personal information like marriage or divorce cases. Local courts also keep probate records, summaries of criminal cases, and other papers.
This information is public, but not all of it can be taken down. Some records, like court decisions or business registrations, usually stay online forever. If someone makes a proper request, other records may be looked at if they contain private information.
If you’re worried about your online reputation, it’s helpful to know what people are saying and how it could affect you. These records may be public, but they can have a long-lasting effect once they are easy to find.
How to Handle a Record That Is Hurting Your Reputation
There are things you can do if you find a court record online that hurts your reputation or makes you feel like your privacy is at risk. The first step is to find out where the record is listed. If you see it on UniCourt’s website, you can go to their contact page and ask them to look at it or take it down. When you get in touch, it helps to have the case number or a link to the page.
You can also get in touch with the court that handled the case. If the case has been dropped, settled, or is eligible for removal under privacy laws, some records may be sealed or changed. Call the clerk’s office and ask what you can do.
Include any papers that show the case was dropped or expunged with your request. That kind of proof can help you win your case.
You can also use Google’s outdated content removal tool if the record is showing up in Google searches and hurting your reputation. This is useful if the content isn’t on the original site anymore but still shows up in search results.
If things get more complicated, it might be a good idea to talk to a lawyer or hire a reputation management service. These experts know how to deal with both the courts and websites that aren’t their own. They can help you through the process and make it more likely that harmful information will be taken down or hidden from view.
How to Take Information Off of UniCourt
You might want to get rid of any personal or business information that shows up on UniCourt. This could be court papers, legal papers, or records that are not sealed and show up in search results. Depending on the type of information and your legal status, there are a few different ways to ask for removal. You will have to ask for a redaction of public records.
- Look for your court record on the UniCourt website.
2) Locate the record that you want to remove.
3) Search for your court record on the UniCourt website.
4) Locate the record that you want to remove.
5) Copy the URL of the record you want to remove.
6) Visit the UniCourt removal page https://unicourt.com/case/removeRecord
7) Fill out the form with your details and paste the URL you want to remove.
After that, UniCourt support will look over your court records and get back to you within 72 hours. Some of the things they think about when they take down (de-index) court records are:
- Did the court order the record to be sealed or erased?
- Does the record put the person who asked for it at a higher risk of getting hurt?
- Is the person who asked for the record a victim of identity theft, and is the record a result of this theft?
- Is the record about a minor and does it hurt them?
What to Do If UniCourt Won’t Remove a Record
It can be hard to know what to do next if UniCourt denies your request to redact. The first thing you need to know is if the problem is with the court itself. If the legal system hasn’t sealed or erased a record, UniCourt might say it doesn’t have to take it down. Sometimes, it’s not UniCourt that makes the decision; it’s just showing what is still public information.
You might want to look into whether state law allows the record to be sealed or suppressed. Most of the time, you have to file a motion with the court to start this process. If you win, this could give you the legal right to ask to be taken off of sites like UniCourt.
You might also want to talk to a lawyer if you think your information is being used in a way that is misleading or harmful. If there is a reason to believe that someone is misusing or defaming you, a cease-and-desist letter may work in some cases.
Reputation management services can help those who don’t want to deal with the process on their own. A company like NewReputation can help you with difficult cases and work to make sure that bad records are less visible on the internet.
What to Do After You Tried to Get Rid of Your Record
Your work may not be done even if your record is taken down or hidden. Some sites upload content again. Some people scrape data from public databases over and over again. It’s a good idea to check back every so often to see if anything has come up again.
You can also make a Google Alert for your name. It’s an easy way to find out when new pages talk about you. You’ll see it early if something comes up.
In the meantime, work on making your online presence stronger. A LinkedIn profile, a personal website, or a few good articles can help a lot. You don’t want people to find something from a court record when they look you up. You want them to find something that shows who you are now.
What Reputation Management Companies Do
Reputation management companies help people control what people see about them online. If search results show negative information, it can hurt chances and privacy. Services like NewReputation try to make your online reputation better by hiding bad information and highlighting good information.
One worry that many people have is that UniCourt records show up in search results. UniCourt gathers public records, which could include court cases and other private data. Public records policy says that this information can be shared, but a lot of people would rather keep it to themselves. Reputation management services can help by asking for the removal of old or wrong records or by moving them down in search results.
It’s important to take care of privacy issues. The internet never forgets, but professional services can help you control what people see about you online. The best way to protect your image and future is to work with professionals if you want to improve your online reputation.
How do we keep records that are open to the public off the internet?
Taking your information off of UniCourt is a good start, but it’s not enough.
It isn’t always easy to remove records from UniCourt. Even if you do everything right, your request could still be denied or ignored. Also, sites like Trellis and PacerMonitor often copy the same information. So, even if it disappears from one place, it could still appear in another.
It can take a long time and get you nowhere if you try to do this on your own. That’s when working with professionals really helps. They know how the systems work, what works, and how to hide harmful links. If your attempts haven’t worked so far, we can take over and help you with a plan that fits your needs. We know how to protect your privacy, and we will do it right.
Conclusion
If you want to get rid of UniCourt records from Google Search, you need to be patient and plan ahead. It’s important to do something, whether you do it yourself or hire someone else. Keep your personal information safe and decide what other people can see about you online.
NewReputation is here to help if you need it. Give us a call today to set up a free consultation.
