What can an asset search find in Oklahoma?
Assets and debts that appear in public records: real property, recorded liens and mortgages, secured loans, business interests, lawsuits and judgments. Those records do not show bank balances.
| Record | What it can show |
|---|---|
| Land records, kept by the county clerk in each county | Deeds, mortgages and recorded liens |
| UCC financing statements, most filed with the Oklahoma County Clerk | Secured lenders and the collateral pledged to them |
| State and federal court records | Lawsuits, judgments and bankruptcies |
| Business entity filings | A company's status and filing history |
| Motor vehicle records, only for a purpose federal law permits | Vehicles |
A business due diligence investigation reads the same records before money changes hands, to check that a company and the people behind it are what they say. Daniel reads the entity's status and history, the principals' litigation, lien and judgment history, and UCC filings against business assets.
Due diligence research supports business decisions such as a deal, a partnership or collecting a judgment. It is not used to decide a person's eligibility for employment, housing, credit or insurance.
Who asks for due diligence or an asset search?
- Judgment creditors and their attorneys. An asset search for a judgment shows counsel where assets appear to be, so the court's collection tools can be aimed at them. It also records what the debtor held at that point in time.
- Business owners and investors, for business partner due diligence on a buyer, a seller or a company before a deal. A person's own history is a background investigation.
- Family law attorneys. What some call a hidden-asset investigation can show public-record indicators, such as property, liens, business interests and new entities, for the attorney to pursue through discovery.
- Estate and elder law attorneys, where the question is part of an elder abuse and exploitation matter.
What can no one lawfully obtain, and what can a court order?
Bank and brokerage balances, account numbers and transactions are not public records. Anyone who promises them from a quick search is describing something unlawful or unreliable.
Getting someone's bank information through false statements is a federal crime, with a narrow exception for state-licensed investigators collecting court-ordered child support with a court's authorization. The same law prohibits asking another person to get it that way. 15 U.S.C. § 6821
Daniel does not seek bank, brokerage or phone records by pretext.
After a judgment, Oklahoma lets the creditor seek a hearing on the debtor's assets, and use subpoenas and discovery about property, income and liabilities. 12 O.S. § 842
Those tools belong to counsel. Daniel's research tells counsel where to look and whom to ask.
Most UCC financing statements in Oklahoma are filed with the county clerk of Oklahoma County. 12A O.S. § 1-9-501(a)(2)
Federal law lets licensed investigative agencies use motor vehicle record information only for permitted purposes, such as litigation and the enforcement of judgments. 18 U.S.C. § 2721(b)
Vehicle records are read only when one of those purposes applies.
A report used to decide a person's eligibility for credit is a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(d)
Daniel does not pull credit reports.
Nothing on this site is legal advice. Ask your attorney how the law applies to your situation.
What does the report give you and your attorney?
- An asset indicator table: the type of asset, a description, the county or office, the instrument or case number, the date and any lienholder.
- A chart of the entities and their principals.
- Litigation and lien history.
- An "as of" date for every finding, and the sources checked, including the searches that found nothing.
- Suggested lines of discovery for counsel to consider.
- Daniel, available to testify about the work performed.
Public records lag, so the report states what was on file as of those dates. It is a written report: records research carries no photographs or video.
What should you have ready before you call?
The first consultation is free. The search begins only after a written agreement is signed and a retainer is paid, in the order how it works describes. Have ready:
- full names, and any business names;
- last known addresses and counties;
- a copy of the judgment, if there is one;
- the deal or the case the research is for.
Cost depends on how many counties, entities and people are searched, on depth (one person, or a company and its principals), and on database, copy and certified-record fees. Fuller Investigations does not publish rates; the cost guide explains each factor.
When is it a matter for the police or 911 first?
If someone is in danger right now, call 911. Fuller Investigations is not an emergency service.
An asset search is research, not a criminal investigation, and it does not recover money. If you believe a crime such as theft or fraud has been committed, report it to the police.
Where an older or vulnerable adult is the one losing money or property, this comes first:
If an older adult is in danger, call 911. To report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, call Oklahoma's Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-522-3511 or report online at OKHotline.org.