Helpful Legal links Friday Law Firm

Directory Services	Search Newsgroups and Mailing Lists	Products Liability AT AL.
Reverse Directory	Check out corporations and Associations	Medical
Resources for Finding People	Check Out Insurance Companies	Banking
Fee Based Investigative Resources	Check Out Lawyers	Accounting
Search Engines	Planes, Trains, Boats, Trucks, and Automobiles

Directory Services
Craig's Phone Finder	Performs parallel search of other directory services, including Yahoo, WhoWhere, Switchboard, Infospace, AnyWho and Worldpages, plus reverse searches by phone # or address and map links.
MelissaData Lookup Directory	This eclectic melange of lookups isn't going to make you Sherlock (or Shirley) Holmes, but it's a useful compendium of free data. Thanks to Lee Keller King for the suggestion
AnyWho	A simple, fast way to search over 100 million directory listings. More up-to-date than some. Reverse directory too.
Bankruptcy Locator	This free search will tell you whether the individual or business name you enter is listed in a bankruptcy filing since January 1992. This search will tell you the date, name, city and state.
Bigfoot	So-so white pages, yellow pages, web pages and e-mail searches.
Information USA	Listings for 113 million households and 10 million businesses
Info Space	Search telephone directories in USA, Canada and other countries. Also yellow pages search, E-mail finder, corporate directory, Toll free number database, fax number database, and government telephone number directory. An excellent, wide-ranging site.
LYCOS People Finder	Search a massive telephone database
Switchboard	A simple, quick way to find almost anyone, anywhere who has a listed phone number.
WhoWhere	Find E-mail addresses and phone numbers from among 90 million U.S. listings. Also, toll-free numbers, yellow pages and corporate web site locator
WorldPages	Links to 112 million U.S. and Canadian white and yellow pages listings, but most valuable for its links to over 200 directories worldwide.
YAHOO People Search	Conduct surname searches via a national criss-cross directory. Locate E-mail addresses, home pages and phone numbers.
Reverse Directory Services:
Reverse Directory: InfoUSA	Both a people finder and a reverse directory: If you know the phone number, this database will return the subscriber's name and address
Reverse Directory: InfoSpace	This directory offers reverse lookup by phone number, fax number, U.S. street address and e-mail address!
Reverse Directory: DM411	Another reverse directory that will return the subscriber's name and address when you input the phone number
Resources for Finding People:
Birthday Database	Over 130 million birthdays online in a free searchable database. Search by name, limit by zip code.
Social Security Death Index	Find information about persons whose death triggered a Social Security benefit (e.g., social security number, dates of birth and death and place of residence).
Black Book Online	A helpful, free collection of links to investigative resources warns that it is "for professional investigators ONLY. If you are not a private investigator, or in the legal, insurance, collection, journalistic or law enforcement professions."
Search Systems Public Record Locator	This comprehensive links list is free, well-organized and includes many gems. It's definitely worth a look.
"Searching for People" page	Links to resources for finding people
Missing Persons Resource Center	Articles and book descriptions on professional methods for skip tracing.
Webgator	Excellent list of online investigative resources
Fee Based Investigative Services
Accurint	The newest kid on the block for skip tracing. What sets it apart is not just the high quality of its data, but its pricing: just dirt cheap. Accurint can find people for a quarter and will deliver a neat little dossier of addresses, relatives, neighbors and more in seconds, for under five bucks. The interface is intuitive and intelligent, and the system allows users to track usage by account or client number and authorize use by others within an account. The owner of the account can set additional user IDs and passwords, as well as program access limits for authorized sub-users. Although currently geared to not much more than skip tracing, UCC filings and phone numbers, Accurint expects to be adding drivers’ license records for thirty-three states along with criminal records data. On a scale from one to wow, Accurint is a WOW!
Public Data	This inexpensive but increasingly dated database contains records of licensed drivers, sex offenders, voters, vehicle license tags, criminal records and voter rolls. Search license records by name, or DL# and learn name, address, weight, birth date, sex, expiration date, status, class and restrictions. Although principally a Texas resource, it also offers DMV and/or DL information for Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
Flat Rate Info	If you are a bulk user of skip trace and dog tag data, this powerful site may be a good bet. True to its name, FlatRateInfo.com allows subscribers unlimited access to its database of credit headers, property ownership, phone numbers, etc. for a single flat rate. But, with annual subscription rates starting at $1,400.00, the service only makes sense for those conducting thousands of searches per year, in such fields as collections, mailing list updates and HR departments at large organizations. If you have the budget and the volume, this is a great tool.
URAPI	Texas only. The new kid on the block offers a few bells and whistles not found on PublicData.com, including a handy "tag records" feature. Although they claim that URAPI (you-rap-ee) stands for “Uniform Rapid Assessment of Public Information," what an amazing coincidence that it also sounds like "You are a P.I." Pricing is painless ($20.00 for 200 searches), but they still need to work out some of the bugs.
US Search	This heavily-publicized company does a reasonably good job of skip-tracing and background checking. They are pleasant and helpful, while offering a very quick turnaround and live telephone support outside regular business hours..
Information for Business	A reliable resource with reasonable prices and toll-free telephone support. This well-run outfit offers just about any type of data you could want and an impressive turnaround time for basic reports. The helpful people give this service an edge. Highly recommended.
American Information Network	Purchase reports re: bankruptcies, birth records, business background info, credit reports, death records, driving records, education verification, employment history, financial information, judgments, skip trace, media reports, pleasure craft/FAA registrations, criminal records, professional licensure, property ownership, tax liens, etc.
Dataland	This attractive and well-organized site offers the full range of skip-trace and asset identification data. Be warned that some of the data they are offering for sale is currently available online without charge (e.g., Social Security death records, surname searches, OSHA reports, FAA records, etc.).
Texas Department of Public Safety Convictions Records Database	This site allows you to obtain information about criminal conviction and felony deferred adjudication records maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Courts and criminal justice agencies throughout the state submit these records to DPS. Searches cost $3.15 each and you can pay online with a credit card.
InformUs	Driving records nationwide, Workers' comp. claim searches in 40 States, criminal recordnationwide, previous employment verifications in 72 hours, national credit and address information. FREE to check validity and state/time of issuance for any S.S.#.
KnowX	A reasonably priced (and partially free) search engine for millions of public records, including real property ownership, bankruptcies, assets, UCC filings and many more.
Locate Fast	Claims to have a billion records online. $1.75 per credit header search (name, SS#, address, phone).
LocateMe	Search selected public records (principally voter and DMV records) of all 50 states for $39.00 per search.
National Association of Investigative Specialists	A fascinating conglomeration of investigative resources, spy equipment, skip trace resources, P.I. publications, etc.
Search Engines
Craig Ball’s Search Central	Use all major search engines via one simple interface. Not selling anything!
Google	This is the best search engine in the world. A very fast, often relevant search engine that is less likely than some to be misled by metatags and other techniques used to draw users to sites.
Dogpile	This inelegantly-named site permits simultaneous searches of every part of the Internet using all major search engines
All The Web	More than 200 million URLs indexed and very fast search capabilities.
Alta Vista	Key word searches
Yahoo	Topical search engine. Very user friendly.
Beaucoup	Extraordinarily comprehensive links to all manner of search engines (over 800 listed) and reference sources. Perhaps the ultimate in one-stop searching.
Savvy Search	Another parallel search engine that allows you to check 17 major search resources in one fell swoop.
Search News Groups and Mailing Lists
Google Groups (formerly deja.com)	Search through E_mail in USENET newsgroups and mailing lists for specific subjects. You can sift through more than 40,000 discussion forums, plus newsgroups and mailing lists (700,000,000 messages!).
Check out Corporations and Associations
Tax Exempt Organizations	Search the IRS' directory of tax exempt organizations by name, city and state.
Hoover's Corporate Information	Profiles of corporations (some free, some fee-based) and relevant links. An excellent first stop for corporate information.
Lexis	The old familiar legal research tool is a superb way to identify the registered agent for service of process and other key information about any registered corporation, PA or PC. Goto TXSOS (for Texas Secretary of State Records) (Fee based). You can search Lexis and Nexis via the Internet if you are a current subscriber by using the URL: telnet://nex.lexis-nexis.com/ Tell them your terminal type is ".vt100"
SEC EDGAR Archives	Online corporate filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Tx. Sect'y of State Records	The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts offers access to selected (and in my experience incomplete) Texas Secretary of State corporate information, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday. Lexis does a much better job, but this information is free.
Report Gallery	Many links to corporate annual reports and web sites
Check Out Insurance Companies
A. M. Best	Address, phone number and rating for insurance companies
Insurance Company Locator	Names, addresses and phone numbers for about a trillion insurance carriers
Insure.com	Ostensibly unbiased consumer information about auto, home and life insurance, including insurance company ratings from Standard & Poor's. Includes insurance links by state and a library of carrier lawsuits.
Texas Dept. of Insurance	Many useful items here, including lists of authorized insurers and agents, disciplinary actions and consumer rights information.
Check Out Lawyers
State Bar of Texas Attorney Database	Obtain the registered data, current license status and State Bar Number or all Texas attorneys.
The Bluesheet	Online guide to verdicts and settlements in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri and Louisiana (free and fee based resources available)
Martindale-Hubble	The online version of the ubiquitous lawyer's decorative books. MH lets you find just about any lawyer in America.
Texas Electronic Ethics Reporter	Online ethics opinions
West's Legal Directory	Offers basic information on over 800,000 lawyers. Yikes!
Planes, Trains, Boats, Trucks, and Automobiles
Aviation Databases	An extensive collection of searchable databases of aircraft ownership, registration, pilot licensure, etc.
Coast Guard Vessel Database	Search the United States Coast Guard's database of vessels (crafts >5tons) by vessel name. To search by vessel I.D. number, click here.
Commercial Interstate Carriers	Search the Department of Transportation's SAFER database. Searchable by firm name, DOT Number and Motor Carrier number. If you catch the D.O.T. number stenciled on the cab of a tractor trailer, you can use this database to get the truck's owner, insurance carrier, and crashes in the last two years.
Air Transport data	The Bureau of Transportation Statistics Office of Airline Information (OAI) database
Airworthiness Directives	Contains malfunction and defect reports on aircraft and parts.
NTSB Accident Briefs	A searchable database of National Transportation Safety Board aircraft accident briefs
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Regulations, standards, recalls and a host of other automotive safety information.
NHTSA Recalls	Information on recalled vehicles, organized by year and model.
US Dept. of Transportation	Handsome site links to government agencies with oversight function for trains, planes, automobiles and boats. Search a massive library and regulatory database. A great resource.
Accident Reconstruction Resources	Extensive list of Internet links, addresses and phone numbers of accident reconstruction resources, including reconstruction software packages
Kelly Blue Book	How much is that car worth? FREE online access to the massive market value database (both wholesale and retail values available)
Products Liability AT AL.
Chemical Health & Safety Data	Toxicity and Safety data on chemicals of every stripe. Sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Services
ATSDR	The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry offers Data on toxic and hazardous substances
Standards and Specs	Comprehensive links to standards for just about anything you can imagine.
U.S. Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Admin.	Complete OSHA standards online, plus links to other safety and health sites.
Material Safety Data Sheets	Alphabetical compilation of Material Safety Data Sheets for virtually any compound.
Consumer Product Safety Commission	The US Consumer Product Safety Comm. shares recall info. and publications. This site is especially good for toy safety advisories.
Construction Criteria Base	An online construction industry library detailing codes, standards, specification and documentation of every stripe pertaining to the construction industry. Subscription only except for free access to the Unified Facilities Guide Specifications.
The Consumer Law Page Defective Product Resource Page	This useful compilation of resources (primarily geared to promote California's The Alexander Law Firm), offers a host of information about defective products and lists many links to other resources.
Intellectual Property Resources	"One stop shopping" for online patent and trademark resources
Delphion Patent Server	Database of millions of U.S. Patent & Trademark Office patent descriptions from 1971 to present, and graphics from 1790 to present. Search for patents by number or by words in the inventor, title, abstract, assignee, agent, and claims fields. Each patent links to all others in that classification. Also contains data on foreign patents. Limited free access.
Medical
Craig's Managed Care Links	A concise list of links of use to persons litigating managed care liability cases.
American Medical Association	Offers online member database
PubMed	The Nat'l Library of Medicine gives FREE access to the 12 million+ citations in MedLine.
Medscape	Medscape offers free access to Medline, Toxline and Merriam-Webster's Medical Desk Dictionary, as well as tens of thousands of full-text articles covering a range of medical specialties. An excellent, fast-growing and easy-to-use resource. Think of it as "Yahoo M.D."
Merck Manual	The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, now in its 17th edition, is the best all-around medical reference source out there. Thank you Merck & Co.
New England Journal of Medicine	Non-subscribers have access to abstracts of online articles back to 1975 and full text of articles more than six months old.
The Visible Human	They froze some folks solid, scanned the heck out of them, sliced them up thinner than pastrami and photographed it all. An amazing, massive database of anatomical information and stunning pictures.
Banking
American Bankers Association	One of American banking's most influential lobbying organization. Banking links, products, services and professional education.
List of Bank Internet Sites	This site claims to link to over 95% of all online bank sites.
American Banker Online	Headlines, financial data and a free two week trial subscription.
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas	The official home page of the Dallas Fed, "the Banker's Bank." Offers publications, economic data and links to other Fed resources.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation	This comprehensive site offers much of use to commercial bankers, including downloadable FFIEC forms, full-text searching of FDIC rules and regulations and detailed financial data on individual banks (making it easier to keep an eye on the competition).
National Information Center	The Fed's National Information Center of Banking Information. Offers data on bank organizational structures and finances.
Currency Exchange Rates	Daily unofficial average cross rates for major international currencies. Slick, but easy to use.
Banking Law Online	Why waste money on high-priced lawyers? Free online access to the text of Federal and state bank regulations and federal appellate decisions. Read it and you'll quickly realize why you hire the lawyers.
Bank Rate Monitor	Geared to consumers of banking services, offers mortgage, home equity loan, savings, credit card and checking account rates. Also tracks ATM fees and online banking fees for >2,500 institutions, surveyed weekly in 117 mkts. and 50 states.
Credit Unions	The National Credit Union Administration is an independent federal agency that supervises and insures 6,814 federal credit unions and insures 4,181 state-chartered credit unions.
Accounting
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants	The TSCPA hosts an excellent webpage offering information on CPE programs, an archive of "Today's CPA" magazine articles, member news and a concise but well-selected links page.
SmartPros Accounting	Billing itself as "the complete online resource for accounting professionals," this energetic site includes an online research facility and a thriving forum for accounting professionals (recent topic: "Are accountants stuffy or is it me?"),
American Institute of CPAs	Conference information, a wealth of online publication and industry news and a comprehensive links page save this otherwise dry-as-dust site.
AuditNet Resource List	An excellent overview of online accounting resources. If it's in English, on the 'Net somewhere and concerns accounting, it's probably listed here.
IRS Tax Forms and Publications	If forced to say something nice about the Service, I'd mention its website. All the major reporting forms and publications are online here, in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) "file ready" format.
IRS Tax Regulations	Although not the easiest site to navigate, the regulations are all here.
Texas Tax Codes	Plain and simple site links to the full text of the various Texas tax codes.
Texas Taxes	With links to reporting forms in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and much useful tax data, this is one of the best state-sponsored sites around.