Updated 5/1/2026- Court Search Delays
Southern Georgia Courts
4/21/2026: Please be advised that the wildfires in Southern Georgia may cause a significant disruption due to potential closures and evacuations. Please expect delays through this time. We will provide updates as they become available. Please note a Georgia Statewide is a viable alternative.
Sangamon County Courts, Illinois,
4/24/2026: The Public Access Terminal in various Illinois Counties are experiencing intermittent outages. These outages are causing a delay in processing. Please expect delays.
Hamilton County, Montana Courts,
4/29/2026: Hamilton County, MT court clerk is out of office during the week of May 4th through the 8th. Searches cannot be completed during this time. Please expect delays.
St. Tammany, and Orleans County, Louisiana Courts,
4/30/2026: Please expect delays as courts in various counties in Louisiana including St. Tammany, and Orleans, are experiencing intermittent system outages. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Washoe County, Nevada Courts
5/1/2026: Courts have advised that starting May 1, 2026, the public access terminal will be undergoing system maintenance. Searches cannot be completed during this outage. Please expect delays.
Fulton County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Fulton County, GA is currently experiencing intermittent system outages. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Macon County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Macon County, Georgia Courts have advised that the Public Access Terminal (PAT) is currently down with no ETA as to when it may be back up. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. Please note a Georgia Statewide is a viable alternative.
Bibb County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Bibb County, GA: Please expect delays as court is experiencing intermittent outages. These outages are causing a delay in processing.
Long County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: The Courthouse in Long County, GA is closed due to a burst pipe. Searches are unable to completed during this time. Please expect delays. A Georgia Statewide can be ordered as a viable alternative.
4/21/2026: Please be advised that the wildfires in Southern Georgia may cause a significant disruption due to potential closures and evacuations. Please expect delays through this time. We will provide updates as they become available. Please note a Georgia Statewide is a viable alternative.
Sangamon County Courts, Illinois,
4/24/2026: The Public Access Terminal in various Illinois Counties are experiencing intermittent outages. These outages are causing a delay in processing. Please expect delays.
Hamilton County, Montana Courts,
4/29/2026: Hamilton County, MT court clerk is out of office during the week of May 4th through the 8th. Searches cannot be completed during this time. Please expect delays.
St. Tammany, and Orleans County, Louisiana Courts,
4/30/2026: Please expect delays as courts in various counties in Louisiana including St. Tammany, and Orleans, are experiencing intermittent system outages. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Washoe County, Nevada Courts
5/1/2026: Courts have advised that starting May 1, 2026, the public access terminal will be undergoing system maintenance. Searches cannot be completed during this outage. Please expect delays.
Fulton County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Fulton County, GA is currently experiencing intermittent system outages. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Macon County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Macon County, Georgia Courts have advised that the Public Access Terminal (PAT) is currently down with no ETA as to when it may be back up. Searches are unable to be completed at this time. We do not have a timeline for resolution of these issues. Please note a Georgia Statewide is a viable alternative.
Bibb County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: Bibb County, GA: Please expect delays as court is experiencing intermittent outages. These outages are causing a delay in processing.
Long County, Georgia Courts
5/1/2026: The Courthouse in Long County, GA is closed due to a burst pipe. Searches are unable to completed during this time. Please expect delays. A Georgia Statewide can be ordered as a viable alternative.
New York Restrictions on Using Credit History in Employment Decisions
Effective April 18, 2026, a new amendment to the New York State Fair Credit Reporting Act will limit how employers may use a consumer’s credit history. Except in narrow circumstances, New York employers will be prohibited from requesting and using a job applicant’s or current employee’s credit history when making employment decisions, such as hiring, promoting, or determining other terms and conditions of employment.
For additional information on Senate Bill S03072, signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, please visit:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3072
For additional information on Senate Bill S03072, signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, please visit:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3072
The National Sex Offender Database
National Sex Offender Registry:
The National Sex Offender Database (NSOPW) continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. Please expect delays.
The National Sex Offender Database (NSOPW) continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. Please expect delays.
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, Mendocino, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, 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, Mendocino, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura
Suspended Services
All verification services out of the following countries are suspended:
• Afghanistan
• Russia
• Sudan
• Ukraine:
Education verifications are being completed in Ukraine.
Employment verifications are not able to be completed in Ukraine.
Criminal searches are currently not available in:
• Afghanistan
• Palestine
• Iran
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.
• Afghanistan
• Russia
• Sudan
• Ukraine:
Education verifications are being completed in Ukraine.
Employment verifications are not able to be completed in Ukraine.
Criminal searches are currently not available in:
• Afghanistan
• Palestine
• Iran
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.
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 (Effective November 2024)
Please copy and paste the below link for additional information by state.
www.cleanslateinitiative.org/states
States with pending bills:
• Kentucky (HB 588)
• Missouri (HB 753)
• Rhode Island (SB 606)
• Hawaii (SB 1168)
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 (Effective November 2024)
Please copy and paste the below link for additional information by state.
www.cleanslateinitiative.org/states
States with pending bills:
• Kentucky (HB 588)
• Missouri (HB 753)
• Rhode Island (SB 606)
• Hawaii (SB 1168)