For many, the dating process involves varied pre-date rituals. Some women buy new clothes. Others have intense beauty regimens. Many feel the need to talk about their jitters. Not me.

I hit the computer and search like crazy, digging up all the dirt I can find. With each keystroke the secrets unfold. They’re no match for me.

My reconnaissance mission prepares me for that moment in the date, if things are going well, when he feels comfortable enough to discuss some of his baggage. “I have something to tell you,” is usually how it starts. Before he finishes the thought I’m already wondering if it’s going to be his recent divorce, that lawsuit with the city, or his (actual) age.

That’s right, friends. I background my dates
I may not have figured out how to find Mr. Right, but I can assure you that information about Mr. Wrong is everywhere. You just have to know where to look.

And I’m not just talking to the ladies. Guys, we’ve got closets, too. With a little work, you can get past her shoes and wardrobe to see if any skeletons are rattling around.

Right about now, some of you are probably thinking I’m just a little creepy. Call it whatever you like. I call it peace of mind. It helps me sleep a little better at night knowing I’ve done my very best to make sure I’m not dating a (insert your favorite word for a dirtbag here).

If I haven’t offended your sensibilities yet, you might be wondering how the heck you can do this for yourself. Read on for my step-by-step plan to uncovering the person that is your date.

First things first
Identify the subject and gather basic information. (It’s always a comfort just knowing that your date actually exists.)

• Each time you buy a house, register to vote, list your phone number, etc. you leave a trail containing bits and pieces of your life. The Web site ZabaSearch crawls the online world picking up this trail from sites containing public records and other personal information.
  
  Use it by searching for your date’s name and state. Results include full name, address, year of birth and if you’re lucky, a phone number. It helps if you have a general idea of your date’s age and where he lives. With this information in hand, you can go crazy and try the advanced Zabasearch search.

• I love cell phones, but I hate the fact that information about cell numbers is almost impossible to find. If you’re lucky, your date will call you from a listed landline. Regardless of what kind of phone your date has, you should always look up the number. Really, wouldn’t you rather find out in advance if your date is calling from the county jail? Use this reverse lookup to track down the address and name behind that number.

Now for one of my top secret, super duper tips. I call it Google. And if you’ve never “Googled” anyone before, now is the time to start.

Use this search engine to your advantage by entering different variations of your date’s name in quotation marks. Play around with advanced searches and be sure to check out Google Images to see if there are any photos of your date floating around online. Be sure to check for Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn profiles. You might be surprised about what kind of life your date is leading online.

Uncover the shady past
“Yes officer, he is my date. No officer, I didn’t realize he was wanted.”

Court records have gotten a bad rap. For some reason when you put the words “court” and “record” together it conjures images of stuffy and dull. But there’s a lot of good stuff to be found in court documents. Find out if your date has been divorced, sued or charged with a crime. Just search by his name and see what you can find.

In Missouri it’s a piece of cake. Search a central database of records from throughout the state. (Note: some counties’ records online don’t go back very many years.) Illinois is a little tricky. Not all courts have records online, but you can find and search the ones that have court records online here.


I don’t have a problem with a “bad boy” image, but seriously… I find absolutely nothing attractive about a criminal record. Find out if your date ever did hard time by searching a database of people released from the Missouri Department of Corrections since 1985.

Maybe your date is on probation or parole. Find out in Missouri or llinois.

I don’t think I need to explain why dating a registered sex offender might be a bad idea. It’s definitely something I don’t want to do. Find out if your date is on the list in Missouri or Illinois.



Don’t love someone just for his money
But it is nice to know that he can afford to live in a place that his parents don’t own.

Property records are not for the faint of heart, they’re for the super nosy. I admit, I like to know if my date owns his house. Better yet, does he have more than one? On the flip side, it can be a downer to discover that your date bought a house with his (current) wife.

Beyond the general information, the nitty-gritty of property records can include how much the house is worth; how many bedrooms and square feet; if your date is current on his taxes; and, (a must for St. Louis), if the house is equipped with central air.

Some counties allow you to search by name and address. Others aren’t quite as helpful, allowing you to search by address only. Search records in:

St. Louis County
St. Charles County (can’t search by owner's name – only address)
St. Louis City (can’t search by owner's name – only address)
Madison County
St. Clair County
Jefferson County



I’ve never been a car lover, but if you’re curious about what your date drives, and he happens to live in St. Louis County, you can find out. Search by name or address to see if your date has any “toys.” Results include cars, trucks and recreational vehicles like boats and 4-wheelers. (Limited to St. Louis County)

The sky’s the limit
I get downright giddy thinking about all of the information that’s available. This is just the beginning. Find other information about your date at STLInfo. You don’t have to limit it to your date, either. You can uncover information about your neighbors, your boss or even your nanny. Find out which political candidates they support, how much they make and more at STLtoday.com/info.

This message was brought to you by the letters F, O and I:
Here’s your civics lesson. Freedom of information laws like Missouri’s Sunshine Law and Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act make all of this possible. Government records, including information about people, are presumed open unless there’s a specific exemption in the law making them closed. That’s good news for all of us. Why? These laws and records allow us to keep an eye on how our tax dollars are being spent while at the same time helping to ensure we’re not going out with a loser. Well, public records can’t actually tell you that your date is a loser, but they can definitely put you on the right track.

Do you have ideas for ways to background your date? E-mail us at stlinfo@post-dispatch.com