Updated 7/16/2025- Court Search Delays
Puerto Rico:
7/2/2025: Issues with the criminal records system continue in Puerto Rico. The system is still up and down. In cases where there are criminal records/potential criminal records/identity verification and other issues - these searches are on hold in the Analysis Division of the Policia de Puerto Rico which at this time, is unable to process the searches while the system is in its current state. Departamento de Justicia de Puerto Rico continues to work on updating the system and repairing the problem. We have been advised that no criminal records will be reported until this issue has been resolved. We are receiving clear search results and reporting results as quickly as possible.
Wyoming Courts:
6/5/2025: Courts in Wyoming are clerk assisted with limited staff. Please continue to expect delays. Information will be updated when available.
Lee County, Florida:
6/20/2025: Lee County, Florida searches are currently experiencing system issues, which are causing a delay in the turnaround times. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Nye County, Nevada:
7/7/2025: Please be advised that the Nye County Court is currently experiencing a staffing shortage. The clerks are aware of the delays in records request processing and are working to address the backlog. At this time, the court is unable to provide an ETA. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Ventura County, California:
7/7/2025: Please expect delays in Ventura County as the courts are currently short staffed and experiencing some delays internally. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Rutherford County, Tennessee:
7/8/2025: The court has removed identifiers from the primary index. These identifiers are now only available through the court clerks, who are currently overwhelmed. As a result, limits on the number of case requests may soon be implemented. Please anticipate delays as a new process is developed in coordination with the clerks.
Greene County, Kentucky:
7/15/2025: The Public Access Terminals (PAT) in Green County, Kentucky is down with no estimated time for resolution. Searches cannot be completed during this outage. Please expect delays as the courts try to work thru the backlog once they are back up. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Cocke County, Tennessee:
7/16/2025: The General Sessions court will be closed this week (7/14 – 7/18/25) for renovations. Searches are unable to be completed during this time. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
7/2/2025: Issues with the criminal records system continue in Puerto Rico. The system is still up and down. In cases where there are criminal records/potential criminal records/identity verification and other issues - these searches are on hold in the Analysis Division of the Policia de Puerto Rico which at this time, is unable to process the searches while the system is in its current state. Departamento de Justicia de Puerto Rico continues to work on updating the system and repairing the problem. We have been advised that no criminal records will be reported until this issue has been resolved. We are receiving clear search results and reporting results as quickly as possible.
Wyoming Courts:
6/5/2025: Courts in Wyoming are clerk assisted with limited staff. Please continue to expect delays. Information will be updated when available.
Lee County, Florida:
6/20/2025: Lee County, Florida searches are currently experiencing system issues, which are causing a delay in the turnaround times. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Nye County, Nevada:
7/7/2025: Please be advised that the Nye County Court is currently experiencing a staffing shortage. The clerks are aware of the delays in records request processing and are working to address the backlog. At this time, the court is unable to provide an ETA. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Ventura County, California:
7/7/2025: Please expect delays in Ventura County as the courts are currently short staffed and experiencing some delays internally. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Rutherford County, Tennessee:
7/8/2025: The court has removed identifiers from the primary index. These identifiers are now only available through the court clerks, who are currently overwhelmed. As a result, limits on the number of case requests may soon be implemented. Please anticipate delays as a new process is developed in coordination with the clerks.
Greene County, Kentucky:
7/15/2025: The Public Access Terminals (PAT) in Green County, Kentucky is down with no estimated time for resolution. Searches cannot be completed during this outage. Please expect delays as the courts try to work thru the backlog once they are back up. We will continue to closely monitor and provide updates as they become available.
Cocke County, Tennessee:
7/16/2025: The General Sessions court will be closed this week (7/14 – 7/18/25) for renovations. Searches are unable to be completed during this time. We are closely monitoring this and will provide updates as they become available.
Nevada Statewide Courts Search update
7/2/2025: Nevada Statewide Department of Public Safety has changed what they are returning on a statewide search. Effective immediately,
this search will no longer include dismissed, non-convictions or pending cases. Universal Background is ready to provide an alternative statewide search that will capture all of this information. This search is a county wide sweep of all 17 counties at the district court level.
Please contact your account representative to learn more about this search or to get started!
this search will no longer include dismissed, non-convictions or pending cases. Universal Background is ready to provide an alternative statewide search that will capture all of this information. This search is a county wide sweep of all 17 counties at the district court level.
Please contact your account representative to learn more about this search or to get started!
The National Sex Offender Database
7/11/2025: The NSOPW is back up and processing, however the database continues to experience intermittent outages that occur when individual jurisdictions go down. We are monitoring the database and will provide updates if extended delays are to be expected.
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, 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, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, 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 (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)
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
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
We will continue to monitor the situation and notify you when we are able to reinstate services.