Fabulous Courthouse Tours Inc.

Objective:
Teach reporters and editors about finding and using valuable public records through a tour at the courthouse. Explore where lawsuits, deeds, mortgages, criminal records and traffic records are kept and how to navigate the offices that keep them. These on-site visits offer excellent opportunities to build sources and know-how on mining key public records for stories. They are particularly useful for new staff members, although everyone can benefit.

Our first tour at The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville resulted in a Page 1 story the next day stemming from a lawsuit. Visits can be arranged to both the local and federal courthouses. Smaller tour groups of five to 10 people generally work best.

Setting it up:
Ask a reporter who normally covers courthouse offices to direct the tour or guide it yourself. Smaller groups of five to 10 people generally work best. Contact courthouse personnel in advance. They can arrange for handout materials and to have key staffers available for show and tell.

Setting up a brief introduction/overview session with office personnel is always advised. It provides a forum for developing rapport, asking key questions and gaining insights on how the offices/departments are supposed to work. Be sure to ask about what types of courthouse information are online along with database availability of the records. Find out beforehand how those databases are maintained at the newspaper and how to obtain access to them.

Plan on a minimum 3-hour block for these sessions. Factor in the time needed to get there and back. Consider what times of the day work best for all involved.