The Virginia Public Records Act, passed in 1975, allows access to the documents and records of the public agencies tasked with the operation of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Records are required to be properly maintained by the individual agencies involved, with the head of the agency having direct responsibility for official records in the absence of a specifically appointed Records Officer. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Council is a state agency whose duties include resolving disputes with citizens over Freedom of Information issues, the initial presumption being that all Commonwealth documents are open to the public. One of the thirteen original colonies, Virginia achieved statehood on June 25, 1788. The 8 million residents live in either one of 39 cities, numerous unincorporated towns, or hundreds of unincorporated communities which make up the 95 counties. Richmond is the capital city, with Virginia Beach taking honors as the most populous. With it's close proximity to the nation's capital, many Virginia residents are employed by federal agencies or government contractors. Contact the Virginia State Police to obtain criminal history records and background checks. Search the many public records available online for the state of Virginia. The Department of Health will help you find birth, death and marriage records. Please check out the link for court records and learn all about the Virginia judicial system to get information on courts, cases and jury duty. Investigate the county and city websites to see what public records, community resources and local attractions they have available and to imagine what it would be like to live in Virginia. Learn facts and figures about the demographics, education and history of the people of the state. Inspect the data on firms and companies to get a feel for the current business atmosphere. Request criminal records and learn about prisons, inmates and victims services from the Department of Corrections. Read the always updated crime reports and news headlines. New Virginia sources are added on a regular basis so check back often.
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