"Should there be restrictions limiting the use of this database?"
There are restrictions. If you read the information on the next page, you'll see that only information that is declared public information by law can be searched.
I have no problem with public information being available to the public. Do you?
Someone just pointed out that you just signed up today. Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you're concerned about public access to court proceedings.
Personally, I like having access. I can do research on those who I interact with. I can check out a new neighbor to see if he's a thief or a drug dealer, then take necessary precautions. I can check contractors before signing on the dotted line. If I had adult children, I could check on the people they're dating.
Such sites have many uses. They publish public information and make it available to the public. That's me...Joe Public.
I think there is a distinction between publicly available and too avalable.
This is happening right now with divorce information. Many divorces contain super sensitive information such as credit card numbers, ss#'s, and children's information.
There is no reason for this to be made universally public.
Just because information can be splattered across the internet does not mean it should be splattered across the internet.
I use Wisconsin's circuit court access to check backgrounds for business deals with freelancers, to review the backgrounds of contractors and have used it to review a small claims court filing I was working on. If you've ever spent a day in Milwaukee's courthouse trying to find even the most simple information, you'll know it's a godsend on many levels in terms of user-friendliness and taxpayer savings. I can't even begin to imagine how much it would cost to have the buereaucracy running the system hands-on.
In terms of sensitive information - I have yet to find anything that has raised any sort of concern. If you want to worry about open databases that go too far, check out the corporation searches in Delaware, Massachussetts and other East Coast states. I've come up with SSN's, bank information and any of a number of sensitive records while running market research using freely available corporation records.
Also probate records for geneological research.
And by getting creative you can compare circuit court access records, Dept of Neighborhood service records and tax records to find out whether or not crimaliens have taken advantage of the state's WHEDA program to get below market home loans.
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