How To Remove Online Court Records from Google?

It is becoming extremely important to know how to remove court records from the internet because of the increasing amount of data available online. Court records can be found online thanks to the public access laws, such as the Freedom of Information Act, which allows access to a variety of official records.

Transparency does serve crucial public interests, but it can also invade people`s privacy, putting their online reputation at risk.

Public court records, such as criminal and civil court case documents, can include sensitive information that might be used, impacting personal and professional life in a negative way.

Search engine results showing these records can ruin your reputation, which makes online reputation management an important consideration. The process to remove court records comprises a few steps, so it can be challenging. From figuring out where your data is listed to managing websites, every step requires a clear understanding of your rights and persistence.

The thing is that you might need a valid court order to erase certain public documents, especially if they happen to be a part of federal court records. Utilizing reputation management agencies, such as NonDetected, can make the process easier. However, you still need to understand how you can get rid of such information yourself. If you are willing to find out how this issue can be solved, this guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview.

NonDetected has a lot of experience in dealing with this kind of situations, so our tips should help you maintain a clean online presence. If you follow these steps, you can protect your private data and make sure that your court records are effectively deleted from the internet. NonDetected is always there to help you with advice and the right actions.

What Are Public Court Records?

Before you learn how to remove court cases from the internet, you might want to know what public court records actually are. In general, they are information and documents generated by court cases, and they include the decisions and details of different legal proceedings.

These records happen to be a part of the official record and are available to anyone unless they are expunged or sealed. Understanding what these records are and how they become accessible to the public is the first step in your online presence management.

Why Do Such Records Rank Highly in Google?

You might be wondering why such records tend to rank so highly in Google search results, especially if the court record is seen above other web properties that have been there for years. There are three main reasons why this happens:

1. Clicks. The number one ranking factor is the number of clicks a certain link receives over time. Basically, the more clicks a link has, the higher it will be in search results. When people search for your business or name, they are highly likely to click the court record rather than your LinkedIn profile or website. That is why it can appear among the top results.
2. Domain authority. Every website on the internet comes up with a certain level of “trust” or “domain authority” on Google. Consequently, the higher a website`s domain authority, the higher it ranks in search results. The bigger part of sites that contain court records are trusted by the engine, so it is one of the reasons why old court records can quickly appear among the top results.
3. Links. Many court records are republished and shared on other blogs, websites, etc. When other websites link to the record, it lets Google know that the court records must be interesting to users. As a result, it appears highly in search results.

This is the reason it quite hard (read as almost impossible) to bury this type of information in the Google search results and the only option is to remove the record completely.

How Can Court Records Impact My Reputation?

Many people decide to remove court records from Google because when they appear online, they can have a significant impact on someone’s reputation and life. This is a fact, even if the case was dismissed, minor, or resolved a long time ago. The mere presence of this information on the internet can result in negative assumptions about your personality.

• Job search. Employees tend to research potential employees online as a part of the recruitment process. If they find court cases, they might question your reliability, overall suitability for the role, and trust. Even if the case does not have a bearing on your professional qualifications, its presence can result in bias. This way, it might be more difficult to land interviews and ultimately secure your next job.
• Housing. Property management companies and landlords often perform background checks on potential tenants. If they come across court records during online searches, they might be concerned. That is why it might be harder for you to secure housing, even as a qualified and responsible applicant.
• Social life. Court records might also impact your personal relationships, especially when it comes to the dating world. These days, around 50 percent of global online daters search for their potential life partners online before they meet them in person. If they find court cases online, it might result in misconceptions about your character or history. This can create barriers to building new connections or establishing trust in personal relationships.
• Personal brand. Your online presence forms how others perceive you, both in a personal and professional context. Court records visible on Google can tarnish your personal brand, overshadowing your positive qualities and achievements. For professionals and business owners, this can turn out to be especially damaging. Colleagues and customers might form unfavorable opinions based on these court records. For public figures and celebrities, publicly available court cases might turn the public against them.

Unfortunately, anyone can face the issue, so it is critical to know how to get court records removed. Even if you are a well-known person, such records can cause significant damage.

Real Life Cases

Let’s take Michael Jackson as an example. In the early 1990s, Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse, and the ensuing legal battles and media frenzy nearly destroyed his career and personal life. Even though the case was settled out of court in 1994, the records from the proceedings, combined with relentless public scrutiny, cast a long shadow over Jackson’s reputation.

The accusations first surfaced in 1993 when the family of a 13-year-old boy alleged that Jackson had molested him. While no criminal charges were filed at the time due to insufficient evidence, a civil lawsuit was brought against him. Court records from depositions and evidence submissions leaked to the public, fueling tabloid speculation and showing the performer in a negative way. The settlement, reportedly $23 million, led some to presume guilt, despite Jackson maintaining his innocence.

The damage from these court records was significant. Jackson’s public image shifted from that of a global pop icon to someone viewed with suspicion. Brands distanced themselves, and his career experienced a downturn. The allegations resurfaced in later years, culminating in a 2005 criminal trial where Jackson was acquitted on all charges.

This case shows the power of court records when it comes to public opinion, even when guilt was never legally established. That is why it is critical to remove court records from internet if there are any.

A Detailed Guide to Remove Court Records From the Internet

The easiest way is to ask for help from a reliable agency, like NonDetected, but you might want to do that yourself. In this case, the following guide is just what you need.

1. Identify the Court Records Source

This is the first thing you should do when learning how to remove court records and trying to do that. You can find this information on a diversity of websites, such as official court websites, news websites, legal research websites, and public records websites.

2. Contact the Owner of the Records Website

As soon as you identify where the court records are hosted, you need to contact them. The approach can be a bit different depending on the type of the site. In the case of official court websites, you need to reach the court`s administrative office or webmaster and ask for the removal of information. You should provide any required documentation, such as expungement certificates or court orders, to support your request.

If it is a legal research website, you need to contact the customer support team of the site. Your task is to explain your situation and ask for the de-indexing or removal of the records.

If a news site has published an article about your court case, you need to contact the webmaster or editor. You should politely ask them to remove or update the information so that it reflects the current situation.

For public records sites, you need to find their contact information, complete a public record removal letter template, and ask for deletion.

3. Request De-Indexing from Google

If the platform hosting the court records does not want to delete them, you should ask Google to de-index the content.

Here is how you should do it:

• Remove URLs from Google search. It is possible to utilize Google`s URL removal tool to send a request for the deletion of certain URLs from search results. You need to submit a valid reason for such a request.
• Report outdated information. If the information is no longer relevant or accurate, you need to utilize Google`s Outdated Content Removal tool to ask for deletion from search results.
• Use the right to be forgotten. In some jurisdictions, like the European Union, people obtain the Right to Be Forgotten. It means that you are welcome to send a request under this law to erase your private data from search engines.

4. Suppress Bad Search Results

If it is not possible to de-index or remove arrest records from the internet, you have the option to suppress negative search results. It’s one of the methods used by SERM companies, this included creating and promoting good content that pushes the bad results down in search engine rankings.

For this purpose, you need to create articles, blogs, press releases, and other types of content that showcase your positive skills, achievements, and attributes. You need to utilize the same keywords that bring up bad records in order to optimize the content.

It is also a great idea to set up and actively maintain profiles on well-known social media platforms, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. You need to regularly post positive updates and interact with your audience.

You can also create business or personal websites that introduce positive and relevant information about your business and yourself. It is important to make sure that these sites are optimized for search engines to enhance their ranking.

Another way is to submit your business or personal information to trustworthy online directories and professional profiles. Thanks to this, you will create positive associations with your brand or name.

5. Legal Recourse

When learning how to remove civil court records, you will realize that you might have to take legal action. If your records are eligible, you may file for sealing or expungement of the information. As soon as this happens, you are welcome to ask for removal from online sources.

You can also send a cease and desist letter to platforms hosting your court records. This approach should work if they are violating your privacy rights or engaging in copyright infringement or defamation.

Another solution can be filing a lawsuit against the entity or website that is refusing to erase the content. In this case, it is critical to consult with legal experts to understand your options.

6. Hire a Reliable Information Removal Company

Doing all that on your own can turn out to be a time-consuming and complicated procedure. Therefore, hiring a professional company, such as NonDetected, can be the right solution.

Here is how we can help:

• Comprehensive removal services. NonDetected provides comprehensive services to delete court records from the internet, including filing de-indexing requests, contacting websites, and suppressing negative results.
• Expertise and experience. With years of experience, NonDetected has enough expertise to cope with the most challenging cases. Our professionals are well-versed in the legal and technical aspects of online reputation management.
• Customized strategies. We create customized strategies tailored to your certain goals and needs. Whether you are a business or an individual, we obtain the right resources and tools to improve your online reputation.
• Ongoing monitoring and maintenance. We come up with ongoing maintenance and monitoring services to make sure that your reputation is always positive. With us, you can be sure that we will detect any new negative content and act quickly to delete it.

Ready to Remove Court Records?

Having court records on the internet can be disastrous for both businesses and individuals. At the same time, if you follow the steps offered in this guide should help you understand how to get arrest records off the internet.

You should still consider that the procedure can be time-consuming and complicated. That is why it is better to ask for expert assistance if you need the problem to be solved quickly.

At NonDetected, we have enough knowledge, experience, and resources to cope with the problem quickly.