Property records, one of the most commonly utilized public records, can be used to learn a wealth of information about a property and its owner. Over the following weeks, we will be posting a series of articles here describing how to conduct an analysis of the several principal types of property documents.

Last week we discussed several types of tax liens often filed against individuals and businesses. Another form of a lien commonly filed is the Mechanic's Lien. A Mechanic's Lien is not necessarily an adverse filing, but under certain circumstances can suggest that a property owner has refused to pay a contractor for services rendered.

Tax liens are a useful resource for conducting public records research on a potential business partner, company or a political figure. For the potential investor, a tax lien can serve as a warning sign of deeper underlying financial problems. Additionally, many forms of tax liens qualify as secured creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, meaning paying the lien will take precedence over an investor's claim if the company were to seek Bankruptcy Court protection. For political figures, the existence of a tax lien can make them vulnerable to arguments that they are not meeting their civic obligations and are hurting the institutions funded by the unpaid taxes; such as schools, police or fire departments.

In our previous post we described some of the information that can be gained from Articles of Incorporation. Some companies which are not registered as corporations with the Secretary of State may instead be registered as a Fictitious Business.

Corporate records, such as Articles of Incorporation and Annual Reports, can be a powerful tool to verify a company's existence and good standing, identify conflicts of interest, learn about a subject's potential wealth, or verify resume claims.

Most documents are unquestionably public records; however, electronic messages are more intangible and thus more difficult to categorize as public records. Elected and appointed officials' increasing reliance on e-mail and text messages for communication requires defining the extent to which these are public records.

One easy public records request that prospective homeowners and tenants can do to protect themselves is to contact the local police station and request a log for all 911 calls to the specific residence or apartment complex.

While aware that police reports are often required after traffic accidents for insurance purposes, many people do not realize that other police reports are available to the general public. The detailed reports can be helpful in preparing for related court proceedings or due diligence backgrounding; or, on a personal basis, to learn more about police activity in your neighborhood.

Flight plans are among the lesser-known public records. Often confused with flight manifests, these seemingly random assortments of numbers and letters contain extensive information that could be useful in litigation or in verifying an individual's claimed whereabouts.

Last week, The New York Times ran a Jackie Calmes article discussing the vetting questionnaire being distributed by the Office of the President-Elect. Answers provided to many of the 63 questions can be verified using public records. This includes Question 28, which concerns restrictive covenants.

Patents are an underused (and often overlooked) source of public information – everything from inventor names to attorney-client relationships and hidden assets. This document focus uses a 1989 patent for the Shark Protector Suit to demonstrate how to analyze and draw value from patents.