CUYAHOGA COUNTY -- It may sound creepy but conducting a background check on your future soulmate can eliminate future heartaches down the line.
"I've never done it, but my best friend dated a guy and we actually looked up his information and found all this criminal evidence and all these things about him," said Christina Cavotta.
"So now I would say, when I date someone, I would definitely look up their information."
And it's easy. With just a name, you can use Zabasearch.com to dig up a birth date, a telephone number, even whether your date lives with Mom and Dad.
And definitely check Facebook. It's perfect for uncovering personal information.
Once that's locked and loaded, you can set your sights on bigger game before your rendezvous.
Checking whether your date earned that bad boy image is as easy as searching for felony charges lodged at your local county common pleas court. Just look up the criminal docket on the county clerk's website and enter a name.
Municipal court websites will also tell whether your date has been charged with a misdemeanor.
Don't forget the offender search on the state Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections website. It will help you find out if your date is on parole, or maybe on the run.
Some singles say it's kind of like stalking, but wouldn't you want to know whether you're going out with a stalker or a sexual predator? The state attorney general and county sheriff both have must-see websites.
Of course, the two most important places for you to check are your county probate court -- which has a searchable database of marriage licenses -- and your common pleas court civil docket on the county clerk's website for divorce and child support records.
Channel 3 News has compiled a list of websites that can help you do a free background check. The list is tailored to Cuyahoga County but there are similar government websites for other counties in Ohio. You'll just have to do a quick search to find them.
Where's he calling from? Whitepages.com
Does he own a house, or if you're lucky a couple houses? Cuyahoga County Auditor
Does he live with anyone, maybe a girlfriend or his parents? Zabasearch.com or pipl.com
Ever been married? Cuyahoga County Probate Court
Is he divorced or been sued? Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Civil Docket
Has he ever been charged with a crime? Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Criminal Docket
Maybe he's on parole or escaped from prison? Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
Is he a sex offender? Attorney General's sex offender search or the Cuyahoga County Sheriff
What party does he vote for? Cuyahoga County Board Of Elections
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