Quebec MVRs - Delayed
Quebec MVRs are currently delayed as the verifying agency is experiencing higher than normal volume. Turnaround time is currently 8-10 weeks. Please continue to expect extended delays.
Illinois Child Abuse Registry
6/11/2024: The Illinois Child Abuse Registry has moved to an Online Portal Platform. The Illinois Abuse forms will no longer be accepted. Universal Background Screening will be reaching out to the applicant to approve the Illinois Child Abuse screening, then Illinois will send the applicant a link to fill out the necessary fields in order to complete the Illinois Child Abuse Registry check.
CrowdStrike Update Causing Mass System Outages
Currently multiple industries across the world are being impacted due to a recent CrowdStrike update that is causing mass system outages.
With this we are seeing multiple access issues within courthouses and companies across the country that we rely on to begin your background checks.
As the situation continues to remain fluid, we will be sure to provide additional updates as they become available.
Los Angeles County, California:
Updated 7/25/2024: Los Angeles, CA courts have confirmed that the public access terminal has been restored from the ransomware attack. Please continue to expect extended delays due to the DOB redaction.
Delaware Courts:
Delaware courts continue to be affected by the worldwide cloud computing systems disruption that began late last week. No searches are able to be completed at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they are available.
As the situation continues to remain fluid, we will be sure to provide additional updates as they become available.
Los Angeles County, California:
Updated 7/25/2024: Los Angeles, CA courts have confirmed that the public access terminal has been restored from the ransomware attack. Please continue to expect extended delays due to the DOB redaction.
Delaware Courts:
Delaware courts continue to be affected by the worldwide cloud computing systems disruption that began late last week. No searches are able to be completed at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they are available.
District of Columbia Court Searches - Update
Effective Monday, 7/29/2024, the option to run a search for the District of Columbia will be at a county criminal level. The statewide will no longer be offered.
If you have any questions, please contact Client Success at cs@universalbackground.com.
If you have any questions, please contact Client Success at cs@universalbackground.com.
Updated 7/18/2024 - Court Search Delays
Illinois Statewide:
4/22/2024 - The Illinois State Police is working with limited staff and resources. Please expect extended delays.
New Hampshire - All Counties:
4/22/2024 - Courts in all New Hampshire counties are currently operating with limited staff which is causing increased turnaround time in court search processing. We do not have an ETA for resolution at this time, please continue to expect extensive delays.
Holmes County, Mississippi:
3/8/2024 - Updated 7/18/2024: Courts in Holmes, MS have recently installed a public access terminal which allows searches to be completed, however their files do not contain complete information and searches still require clerk assistance. Please continue to expect extended delays. We will provide additional updates as we receive them.
Los Angeles County, California:
3/26/2024: Effective 2/23/2024 the Superior Court of Los Angeles County will no longer include the month and year of birth as criteria in its criminal name search engines. Courts are also setting limitations on file pulls based on staffing levels and service demands extending excessive delays. Please continue to expect extended delays. Information will be updated as it's available.
Berrien County, Michigan:
5/31/2024: Please expect extended delays as courts in this county are undergoing a change in their case management system. This will begin on 4/8/2024 and is taking longer than originally expected. No searches will be completed during this time. A MI Statewide search is a viable alternative. Information will be updated as soon as it is available.
Clayton County, Georgia:
5/2/2024: Please expect extended delays in Clayton County, Geogia, as courts in this county are experiencing system issues and only one Public Access Terminal is functioning. We will continue to monitor and provide an update as soon as one is available.
NSOPW:
5/3/2024: In order for this search to process, all 50 jurisdictions need to be up and running. There is currently one or more jurisdictions that are down, and there is no ETA at this time. Please continue to expect delays.
Carson City, Nevada:
6/3/2024: Please expect delays for searches in Carson City, Nevada as the clerks in the District Courts have advised that there is limited staff. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
San Luis Obispo, California:
6/24/2024: Due to recent changes in staffing and ongoing system migration issues, courts in this county are experiencing extensive delays. We do not have an ETA for resolution at this time but will continue to monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Wyoming Courts:
7/23/2024: Wyoming Courts will be closed on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in observance of their annual Cheyenne Day celebration. Please expect delays as the clerks get caught up from the backlog once they reopen.
Georgia Statewide:
7/24/2024: Georgia Statewide- GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) is experiencing intermittent outages which has created delays in processing. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
4/22/2024 - The Illinois State Police is working with limited staff and resources. Please expect extended delays.
New Hampshire - All Counties:
4/22/2024 - Courts in all New Hampshire counties are currently operating with limited staff which is causing increased turnaround time in court search processing. We do not have an ETA for resolution at this time, please continue to expect extensive delays.
Holmes County, Mississippi:
3/8/2024 - Updated 7/18/2024: Courts in Holmes, MS have recently installed a public access terminal which allows searches to be completed, however their files do not contain complete information and searches still require clerk assistance. Please continue to expect extended delays. We will provide additional updates as we receive them.
Los Angeles County, California:
3/26/2024: Effective 2/23/2024 the Superior Court of Los Angeles County will no longer include the month and year of birth as criteria in its criminal name search engines. Courts are also setting limitations on file pulls based on staffing levels and service demands extending excessive delays. Please continue to expect extended delays. Information will be updated as it's available.
Berrien County, Michigan:
5/31/2024: Please expect extended delays as courts in this county are undergoing a change in their case management system. This will begin on 4/8/2024 and is taking longer than originally expected. No searches will be completed during this time. A MI Statewide search is a viable alternative. Information will be updated as soon as it is available.
Clayton County, Georgia:
5/2/2024: Please expect extended delays in Clayton County, Geogia, as courts in this county are experiencing system issues and only one Public Access Terminal is functioning. We will continue to monitor and provide an update as soon as one is available.
NSOPW:
5/3/2024: In order for this search to process, all 50 jurisdictions need to be up and running. There is currently one or more jurisdictions that are down, and there is no ETA at this time. Please continue to expect delays.
Carson City, Nevada:
6/3/2024: Please expect delays for searches in Carson City, Nevada as the clerks in the District Courts have advised that there is limited staff. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
San Luis Obispo, California:
6/24/2024: Due to recent changes in staffing and ongoing system migration issues, courts in this county are experiencing extensive delays. We do not have an ETA for resolution at this time but will continue to monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Wyoming Courts:
7/23/2024: Wyoming Courts will be closed on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in observance of their annual Cheyenne Day celebration. Please expect delays as the clerks get caught up from the backlog once they reopen.
Georgia Statewide:
7/24/2024: Georgia Statewide- GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) is experiencing intermittent outages which has created delays in processing. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Michigan Clean Slate Law Search Restrictions
Due to the Michigan Clean Slate law, the following courts are limiting the scope of work that they will search:
Updated 4/22/2024:
Antrim (7-10 years District)
Bay (10+ years District)
Baraga (7 years District)
Cheboygan (10+ years District)
Clare (7 years District)
Gladwin (7-10 years District)
Grand Traverse (7-10 years District)
Kent (10+ years District and 2018-Present Circuit)
Leelanau (7-10 years District)
Ottawa (7-10 years and 10+ years circuit)
Presque Isle (10+ years District)
Saginaw (7+ years District and 10+ years Circuit)
St. Joseph (10+ years District and Circuit)
Schoolcraft (2008- Present Circuit)
Updated 4/22/2024:
Antrim (7-10 years District)
Bay (10+ years District)
Baraga (7 years District)
Cheboygan (10+ years District)
Clare (7 years District)
Gladwin (7-10 years District)
Grand Traverse (7-10 years District)
Kent (10+ years District and 2018-Present Circuit)
Leelanau (7-10 years District)
Ottawa (7-10 years and 10+ years circuit)
Presque Isle (10+ years District)
Saginaw (7+ years District and 10+ years Circuit)
St. Joseph (10+ years District and Circuit)
Schoolcraft (2008- Present Circuit)
Statewide Criminal Court Fees Update - Kansas Statewide Searches
Effective July 1st, 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation has updated its fees.
You can locate these updates by going to your “Help Tab” and choosing the “State and County Fees” dropdown.
You can locate these updates by going to your “Help Tab” and choosing the “State and County Fees” dropdown.
Montana Statewide Change
Montana Statewide Change:
Please note, effective 7/17/2024, the Montana Statewide will be conducted thru the Department of Justice. This change will enable UBS to search all district and justice courts and report more than just felony convictions.
Please note, effective 7/17/2024, the Montana Statewide will be conducted thru the Department of Justice. This change will enable UBS to search all district and justice courts and report more than just felony convictions.
Marin County, California
As of April 17, 2024, the clerks in Marin County confirmed that all cases currently on Diversion, dismissed after successful completion of Diversion, and cases that have been dismissed per P.C. 1203.4 record clearances are designated as “Confidential” in the court computer system. Clerks will not have access to the DOB information for any of these cases marked “Confidential." Please expect delays as Marin County adjusts to this change. We will provide new information as we receive it.
California Delays caused by DOB Redaction
On June 21, 2021, several CA courts have redacted DOB from their public index and files due to a 4th Appellate District Court, Court of Appeal, Division One, State of CA opinion.
We are still able to conduct name-based searches. Due to the redaction, researchers are having to use alternative methods to obtain DOB, where possible, therefore causing delays. These delays will impact County Criminal searches and Nationwide Database searches.
Counties with redactions: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lassen, Los Angeles, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Tulare, Ventura
We are still able to conduct name-based searches. Due to the redaction, researchers are having to use alternative methods to obtain DOB, where possible, therefore causing delays. These delays will impact County Criminal searches and Nationwide Database searches.
Counties with redactions: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lassen, Los Angeles, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Tulare, Ventura
Clean Slate Initiative
The Clean Slate initiative automatically seals certain non-violent conviction records if a person has remained conviction-free for a period of time (seven years for misdemeanors, 10 years for felonies).
Universal will continue to provide information that is reportable by state and federal laws.
States that are part of this initiate are as follows:
• PA
• UT
• NJ
• MI
• CT
• DE
• VA
• OK
• CO
• CA
• MN
• NY (pending Governor approval)
Please click on the below link for additional information by state.
Learn more
Universal will continue to provide information that is reportable by state and federal laws.
States that are part of this initiate are as follows:
• PA
• UT
• NJ
• MI
• CT
• DE
• VA
• OK
• CO
• CA
• MN
• NY (pending Governor approval)
Please click on the below link for additional information by state.
Learn more