Becoming a Court Researcher
If you are looking to earn an extra income or find that you cannot commit to a regular job shift, working as an independent, freelance contractor doing court research is a great option. This is not for everyone, so here is some insight to help you decide before applying.
Usually, this is not a work-AT-home job, but a work-FROM-home in which requires field work – commuting to the courthouse and spending some time there searching for specific types of public documents that have been recorded and placed on file by the courts. For each document type, you’ll be given a list of data topics you’ll need to locate and report for each document. The information you report about each selected document is referred to as a record and typically results in a potential sales lead for the end client. The types of assignments vary with each of our clients, but the most common assigned involve researching mortgages, marriages, tax liens, judgments, probates, bankruptcies, evictions and foreclosures. Occasionally our clients will also offer additional work-at-home assignments as bonuses for doing the field work.
When you report the information requested by our clients, you will typically enter the data into a pre-formatted Excel-compatible spreadsheet or into a software program specifically designed for the entry of researched information. Both are usually simple to learn. Being a fast typist is a bonus, but not a limitation in this line of work; it just means you’ll get work done faster than if you are a slower typist. Also, having a laptop can speed your work up, but it’s not usually an absolute requirement. If you don’t’ have a laptop or your courthouse doesn’t allow the use of such in their facility, you will need to handwrite the information while conducting your research and then enter it into the requested media when you get home. Most assignments will have deadlines, so it’s good to keep your schedule on a calendar or worksheet. Good organization skills and ability to work independently with little supervision really pays off in this line of work.
Expected earnings are not an easy formula to calculate as it will be different for each researcher. Since compensation is paid per approved record submitted to the client, your earnings initially will be less than average and will increase productively as you develop your skills and familiarization in court research. The amount you can expect to earn on a weekly basis is also determined by the amount of work you have available to do for your assignments. A county with a population of 500,000 people will routinely have more documents recorded and available to research than a small county of 100,000. The more document types assigned, the more work you have, but all assignment types may not be available from our clients for each court you visit.
If this is your first introduction to court research, be reassured that our clients will provide you the specifics for each assignment. If you’ll invest your time in preparing for assignments, you’ll be rewarded with steady and ongoing work!
What is the data used for?
The court documents that you'll be asked to research are all public information (anyone can go into the Records Office and view these documents). The information you report back about each document will be used as marketing leads in various industries. For example, if you collect information from mortgages, marriages and birth records, the data may be used to send letters to those households in an effort to sell Mortgage and/or Life Insurance policies. If you collect data regarding tax lien records, that data will usually be used in recovery efforts - to help the one in debt avoid garnishments, negotiate a reduced balance or payment terms, etc. from the IRS or State Offices. If you collect probate information from death records, this is usually for two purposes; either to contact the family should they have real estate that they may wish to sell or credit companies who want to know when an account holder has passed so they can resolve the outstanding debt. Other clientele may include Genealogists, Mortgages Lenders, Judgment Recovery Specialists, Service and Utility Companies, etc. With the "no-call" restriction, many industries rely on mailing flyers or letters as well as receiving internet inquiries to promote sales.
The difficulty level of all assignments is considered to be entry-level. However, as with any new venture, there will be some reading required and a learning period. It's important therefore that you read thoroughly, all the material presented to you by the client. One important fact you should know, unlike Internet scams, we don't send you a list of companies to which you can apply, only to receive a response of "sorry, we're not hiring at this time." IT-Boss Research actually has clients who will issue you long-term, ongoing assignments immediately after your qualify as a court researcher.
Once we transfer you to one of our clients, you'll be presented with guidelines as to what documents are to be researched and the specific data you'll need to report about each of those documents. This assignment is online and can be performed from your home via the Internet. Demonstrating your ability to understand the guidelines and fully apply them to the assignment will then "qualify" you to be awarded ongoing assignments from the client.
But Are You Ready?
Are you ready to start immediately? After you've been presented with an offer letter via email and completed an online Virtual Interview, we'll introduce you to the client we selected for you. Understand, that the process moves very quickly. You should anticipate starting your courthouse research assignment in 7-10 days. After you have been given an assignment, your first data submission will be due within 5 to 7 days. So be sure you are ready to go !
Ready to apply now? If so, click Here!
Still not sure? Click HERE to read more FAQs about being a Court Researcher.